What can come through 2x4 fence ?

[featherpickingfool]

I am once again losing battle with coons. My chicken habitat(2 Hoop Shelters together) has 2x4 fencing wrapped over cattle panels. Then covered with different sizes of chicken wire, hardware cloth, and rabbit fencing in a patch work of mostly recycled bits and pieces in my perpetual too broke to do it right.
I have learned that my chickens, squirrels, and skunks can pass through the 2x4 fencing. Early this morning I learned that coons can also wiggle through.
I did not lose any hens, but video of two coons climbing around in henhouse is so upsetting. I am once again trying to outwit these dumb animals. I am losing what wits I have left.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Trash Panda are some of the smartest critters on the planet, close in intellect to dolphins and octopi. Honestly, I'd rank them (on average) as somewhat smarter than the typical voter.

You have so much metal, and so much insulation in your build, might I recommend a small solar powered charger and one or two wires mounted around the outside of the coop, so they get a good shock as they attempt to climb and wiggle thru the current outer barrier?

 

[featherpickingfool]

Trash Panda are some of the smartest critters on the planet, close in intellect to dolphins and octopi. Honestly, I'd rank them (on average) as somewhat smarter than the typical voter.

You have so much metal, and so much insulation in your build, might I recommend a small solar powered charger and one or two wires mounted around the outside of the coop, so they get a good shock as they attempt to climb and wiggle thru the current outer barrier?

I have just started considering that. I think that may be the only way to keep the critters moving on down the trail. I'm working on door between the two hoop sections today. At least the heat has broke. The birds will remain in lock down for near future.

 

[Ozarkoak]

We went camping once and the coons opened our cooler and unscrewed the top to our peanut butter. They are pretty smart. The best predator deterrent IMO if you have the space and means is a good dog.

 

[featherpickingfool]

The dog is very good protecting his chicks. I have not allowed him out as skunks have been visiting also. Last dog to go after skunk took two months before she smelled like a dog again.

 

[featherpickingfool]

I ordered parts for electric fence. Now I need to figure out how to set it up on my coop/run. Thanks for input

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Yes, a big dog that can handle a large coon is the best.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

The dog is very good protecting his chicks. I have not allowed him out as skunks have been visiting also. Last dog to go after skunk took two months before she smelled like a dog again.

Oof! I'm sorry your other dog got skunked.
From experience, hotwire works somewhat. You may have to go ham! The coop we had when I was young had two strands of hotwire about four inches off the ground and eight inches off the ground all around on the outside of the coop. My dad says it was set up this way because we thought we had a coyote that was digging his way under. The coop door opened inward and we could step over the wire.

We stopped loosing birds that way for a while. Eventually the raccoons figured out they could jump past the hotwire, grab onto the coop and climb up to the top, and found an open seam on the roof. Then they were stuck in the coop with the chickens.

I don't know how you'd electrify the whole thing though, it seems like it would just short out? I've only seen hotwire systems that use insulators to keep it from touching the posts that hold up said hotwire. Definitely ask around.

Can you set up live traps? They're not cheap but maybe ask around and see if your neighbors have some you can borrow. My dad is the "live trap guy" on their rural little road. Pet food makes for a good bait.

You can call an animal control agency to take the animal to a relocation site or you can relocate or dispatch it yourself. I'm not a fan of diy relocation or dispatching because I'm either dealing with a defensive animal or disposing of a possibly diseased dead animal. Something I'm sure you don't want on your property around your dog.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I don't know how you'd electrify the whole thing though, it seems like it would just short out? I've only seen hotwire systems that use insulators to keep it from touching the posts that hold up said hotwire. Definitely ask around.

Typically, the existing fencing (hardware cloth, etc) is attached to the ground, then one or more "hot" wires are mounted to the framing, with insulators as stand offs. When something attempts to climb the existing hardware cloth and makes contact with the hot wire at the same time, it complete's the circuit, and gets a very fine jolt.

That method won't stop something that can jump to the top of the exisiting (4'?) hardware cloth "walls", because the creature never makes contact with hot and ground at the same time, but that's true of any electric fence set up and a flying or jumping creature that only contacts (at most) a single pole)

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Typically, the existing fencing (hardware cloth, etc) is attached to the ground, then one or more "hot" wires are mounted to the framing, with insulators as stand offs. When something attempts to climb the existing hardware cloth and makes contact with the hot wire at the same time, it complete's the circuit, and gets a very fine jolt.

That method won't stop something that can jump to the top of the exisiting (4'?) hardware cloth "walls", because the creature never makes contact with hot and ground at the same time, but that's true of any electric fence set up and a flying or jumping creature that only contacts (at most) a single pole)

Thank you for explaining that