Run Raccoon Resistance?

[deforestfoley]

Hello, I'm just starting to build my coop. The run comes next and i have a few ideas that id like to put here for consideration but i havent narrowed it down too well yet. Im thinking minimulisticly i could wrap chicken wire about 4 ft high for my run with hardware cloth on the lower portion and have part of that flush with the ground with some heavy object holding it down. This is for my run, to reiterate. I wanted to keep the top of the run fence without supports to hopefully deter raccoons from trying and being able to scale the fence. Or if i had a fully supported little fence i was thinking of putting some barbed wire around the top. Would this work well? See, i havent really narrowed it down yet, lol. I was also wondering if, when i let my ladies out around 8 am, could i hold off for another hr before setting down their feed? Will they be okay or could this lead to malnutrition? The same would go around nighttime where i'd pick the food up an hr to an hr/half before nighttime to really deter them? Because the raccoons around here are very lazy it seems and arent very aggressive towards our neighborhood cats so im hoping that they can find enough food outside of the coop before they resort to killing my hens. Believe you me, i am fully considering the safety of my hens and the threat the raccoons pose to them. I am trying to ensure my coop is fort knox and i am trying to let my hens out in the run during the day when the raccoons have hopefully gone off to bed. That is why i asked about the food. This is really just spitballing here specifically about my run ideas so if anyone wants to take a go at it, pls do. If you need more info, ask as well. Thanks so much guys.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Raccoons aren't lazy. They can climb anything and are so strong, they scoff at chicken wire.
If you don't lock the chickens in a secure building at night, I can guarantee you'll lose some or all.

 

[PingoBags]

I used chain link fence. The roof is just one 4x8 sheet of osb with water sealer on it.
It's only a small temp run for the winter though. Coons visit me frequently but I think they're just after the feed.

2 hours ago they had a quick nosy and went on their way.

 

[deforestfoley]

Thats what i expect from the coons around here. I expect them to be interested in the feed only since i imagine they dont have a lot of exp catching and killing chickens. (Im jist in a quiet neighborhood, with chicken keeping neighbors as well and i still hear the chickens singing their egg songs) Im planning for the worse though and expecting them to storm the beaches for my ladies. Better safe than sorry. Im just not experienced with building and driving stakes in the ground as opposed to post digging seems like something I can do. Everything under the sun is under consideration still, thank you for the vid.

 

[drumstick diva]

Raccoons are born knowing how to plunder chickens. If there are any gaps in the fence, they will snag body parts and eat them off. Chickens also tend to run into corners when they are frightened. Perfect for coons to munch on them. Raccoons are one of the worst predators, they can dig, they can climb, they can jump down from branches, they have great brains for figuring out all the loopholes plus they have opposable thumbs and can open locks and latches.

Poultry wire is the easiest for them to breech, they can tear or bite through. The gold standard of wire is 1/2" hardware cloth securely attached to run framing. Covering the run completely will add to the security, and wire skirts around the perimeter to deter diggers.

 

[Folly's place]

Hardware cloth, well secured, with woven wire on top on the lower four ft. of run. A dig- proof foundation, and either a solid roof, or more hardware cloth and good framing. Finding body parts and dead or dying chickens in the morning is NOT FUN!



Mary

 

[Dmontgomery]

Hardware cloth, well secured, with woven wire on top on the lower four ft. of run. A dig- proof foundation, and either a solid roof, or more hardware cloth and good framing. Finding body parts and dead or dying chickens in the morning is NOT FUN! Mary

Don't raccoons simply climb up above the woven wire and chew through the hardware cloth? Why only the bottom 4'?

 

[aart]

Quote: Tho raccoons probably could chew thru HC, it's unlikely they could get a tooth in to get started.
I've only seen 2 HC breaches on this forum....one was at an unsecured edge the other was freakish grabbed right in the middle of a not so tight expanse by a dog.
Heavier wire below is more for canine deterrence,

 

[Folly's place]

That's right; I worry about those two 100 lb. dogs that might show up someday, and built this coop/ run to keep them out. If bears come, it's electric added. Mary