Will 2" x 4" welded wire keep out raccoons?

[RubelliteRose]

We are converting a shed into a second chicken coop and quadrupling the size of our run. We will have 1/2" hardware cloth on the sides of the run to a height of about 8' so it goes up to the roof of the shed. My question is: is it safe to use the 2" x 4" welded wire on the top of the run? The chickens are always locked in the coop at night and we won't have any roosts close to the top of the run. Our thought is that even if a raccoon reaches it's grabby paws through the top of the run, it won't be able to reach a chicken. However, will they be able to bend the wire enough to go into the run? Just hoping to save a little money, but not if it means losing our chickens...

 

[CluckerFamily]

A raccoon can get through those holes. You could double them up to help minimize anything happening.
With the roof only having wire on top of the run, double check that your run has great drainage for when it rains, otherwise your flock will get muddy.

 

[cmom]

I have 2" mesh good heavy duty netting covering my pens. I have had no issues. Good luck and have fun...

 

[Wolfie2]

After experiencing a couple of mass predations, encased my whole run in 2x4 wire. Haven't had a problem in a year. Don't mean I won't have a problem tonight. Critters gonna do what a critter's gotta do for an easy meal. My main predator was coons. Went on a coon trapping spree and haven't caught one in a year. 2x 4 " is pretty small for a coon but May not deter all of them.

 

[RubelliteRose]

A raccoon can get through those holes. You could double them up to help minimize anything happening.
With the roof only having wire on top of the run, double check that your run has great drainage for when it rains, otherwise your flock will get muddy.

Thanks, we were afraid of that. It is hard to remember how small raccoons are underneath all that fluffy fur.
We actually do have great drainage Also, our original run will be connected to the new run and it is covered with a plywood/metal roof so they will have someplace to escape the rain.

 

[RubelliteRose]

I have 2" mesh good heavy duty netting covering my pens. I have had no issues. Good luck and have fun...

Thanks, I will look into that.

 

[RubelliteRose]

After experiencing a couple of mass predations, encased my whole run in 2x4 wire. Haven't had a problem in a year. Don't mean I won't have a problem tonight. Critters gonna do what a critter's gotta do for an easy meal. My main predator was coons. Went on a coon trapping spree and haven't caught one in a year. 2x 4 " is pretty small for a coon but May not deter all of them.

Thanks, good to know! We know we have quite a few raccoons in the area as our neighbor lost a lot of chickens to them before finally upgrading from chicken wire. We've seen tracks, but none have been able to break into our current coop and run.

 

[roosterhavoc]

Even a very young raccoon can’t fit through 2x4 wire but they can all reach through and grab a chicken if they’re left out at night.

 

[RubelliteRose]

Even a very young raccoon can’t fit through 2x4 wire but they can all reach through and grab a chicken if they’re left out at night.

Our chickens are always locked away at night and the 2x4 wire would only be used on the top, several feet above the heads of the chickens. Maybe that will work after all

 

[cmom]