Will a 7', 1/2' hardware mesh fence + net top work?

[N. Virginia]

Hi Folks:

I'm just building my coop and yard. Planning a 7', 1/2' hardware mesh fence + net top - the tied black string kind - work against predators? We have racoons, fox, possums, dogs, hawks, etc. Thinking I also need electric. What say?

Planning to shut the birds in at night (after teaching them to go into an automatic door). Any training tips?

New to chicken ownership - as a child had a nice chicken house + very strong and effective fence, but no top to the fence. Put the chickens in at night.

 

[gryeyes]

There was no training at all required for the chickens to use the automatic door. They're inside, it's closed, they stay there. It opens at daylight, they come outside. They go in and out all day long. They go inside to roost at dusk. As the light fades, a good 30 minutes after the chickens are settled, the door closes. Simple.

If the opening is there, they go in and out. If it's not there, they can't get out until it opens.

Now, if you want to know how to train chickens to go to the coop and roost each night, THAT is accomplished by locking them inside the coop for about a week before you let them out into the run. That will imprint them with the knowledge that "inside is where we are safe, and where we sleep." When it starts to get darker, the chickens go, "Uh oh, dark is coming - must go where it is safe and where we sleep!"

For your fencing, remember to either bury it down about 18 inches into the ground OR put an "apron" out about 2 feet along the top of the ground, then cover it with soil, or rocks, or paving stones.

The bird netting probably won't stop raccoons, but it will deter hawks fairly well.

ETA:

 

[N. Virginia]

OK. Tx much for the chicken training tips.

Now about the racoons...sounds like I need an electric fence. One strand 4" high and 1" off the wire? 6" high? multiple strands from 4" to 8"? Held onto the posts with insulators? Or the 4' mesh electric that is sold to keep ckickens in? So many choices, so few chickens!


We have a lot of wildlife - weasles/minks as well as coons and possums.


In the mean time, my chicken coop isn't finished and the chickens arrive tomorrow. I've built a stall with 2" square mesh top and sides for them in the barn, with a small yard of TB fencing where I will let them play only supervised. Am hoping the coons don't break into the 2" square mesh...what do you think? The barn has electricity, so I could put electric outside the stall to keep them from attacking the wire.

Cheers,
N. Virginia