Raccoons are already here

[Kenzelton the 3rd]

Hey so I’m positive I have a raccoon, I’ve seen paw prints by my pound, a den by an old house, and I just came across a rabbit in my barn minus a head. I’m planning on using an old stall as a coop and I need to obviously wrap it in wire. I don’t have hardware mesh, will no climb wire work for the skirt and the top?

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

If what i just looked up is the fencing you’re referring too then I’d say a big no. Raccoons are very powerful. Can you start trapping them?

 

[Kenzelton the 3rd]

If what i just looked up is the fencing you’re referring too then I’d say a big no. Raccoons are very powerful. Can you start trapping them?

Yeah I ended up buying a trap.

 

[Tamdog]

Hey so I’m positive I have a raccoon, I’ve seen paw prints by my pound, a den by an old house, and I just came across a rabbit in my barn minus a head. I’m planning on using an old stall as a coop and I need to obviously wrap it in wire. I don’t have hardware mesh, will no climb wire work for the skirt and the top?

Yeah, raccoons seem to be able to eat through anything. Do you have chickens now, or are you preparing for some? If you do not have any yet ( or any on order try to wait until you get your stall ready. Are you saying you have no hardware cloth wire? I also looked at the no climb wire, I need to know the size of the holes. Is it the 2x4 square hole? It may work if you double it up so that the open holes slid to the middle as if to make the square hole much smaller. Actually, if you do that, and use some wire to hold it in place it just might work . Especially if you have chickens you need to protect. You need to put protection on top and sides- but also dig up the outside dirt and lay down wire or bury some bricks or something to keep them from digging under. Good luck let me know what you do!- BTW I am including a link to a page about no climb- if you can tell me exactly which size no climb wire you have that will really help! Honestly - I hate to admit this but part of my hen fencing is 2x4 inch sq hole dog fencing- the raccoons have never been able to get in and they have tried. https://stockyardsupply.com/index.php/fencing/no-climb-horse-fence-welded-wire/

 

[Franklinridgefarms]

Raccoons are very prevalent in most areas, as well a lot of other predators of chickens. The wire that I think you are referring to is what I have around the sides of our outside run. We fasten them up in a coop at night so that they are more secure. That wire probably would keep a raccoon out as long as it was very secured at the top and bottom. They can work around and find weak points to fit through. They can climb and dig and get into some places that would surprise. Minks and weasels could get through that kind of wire. As someone else said maybe if it were doubled with the second layer of wire half way between the stays of the first layer then it may be sufficient.

 

[Tamdog]

Raccoons are very prevalent in most areas, as well a lot of other predators of chickens. The wire that I think you are referring to is what I have around the sides of our outside run. We fasten them up in a coop at night so that they are more secure. That wire probably would keep a raccoon out as long as it was very secured at the top and bottom. They can work around and find weak points to fit through. They can climb and dig and get into some places that would surprise. Minks and weasels could get through that kind of wire. As someone else said maybe if it were doubled with the second layer of wire half way between the stays of the first layer then it may be sufficient.

@Franklinridgefarms .. you explained that so much better than I did.

 

[Franklinridgefarms]

@Franklinridgefarms .. you explained that so much better than I did.

I don’t know that I explained it better, I just thought you had a good idea and I re emphasized your point.

 

[Kenzelton the 3rd]

Ok thanks everyone, I decided that I’m going to trap and release the one here and set up the coop for any future ones. Because it’s been in my garden eyeing my nearly ripe tomatoes, so I don’t want to risk it.

 

[Franklinridgefarms]

Ok thanks everyone, I decided that I’m going to trap and release the one here and set up the coop for any future ones. Because it’s been in my garden eyeing my nearly ripe tomatoes, so I don’t want to risk it.

After you trap that one, I would continue to set the trap for awhile. There are very likely more of them around.

 

[Ginmary]

From what I've always read on these forums, the problem with holes that are large is not the racoon getting thru. It is the racoon reaching in, pulling the chickens head thru and eating it.