Chicken Wire Won’t Stop a Raccoon

Chicken wire is for keeping chickens in a pen.  It won’t stop animals like raccoons.

Since chicken wire (a.k.a. – poultry netting) is widely available at big box and feed stores, many people are tempted to use it when they are trying to keep an animal out of some place.  Our advice today is if you want to use chicken wire stick to chickens and craft projects.  It will not keep any determined animals likes raccoons or squirrels or groundhogs out.

Chicken wire is a fencing product that uses a small gauge wire.  It is bendable.  It also has large openings which make up its lattice structure.  These openings give plenty of room for a raccoon to reach in and grab onto it.

Raccoons that find chicken wire just grab onto a section and start pulling.  With some bending and tugging, the wire usually fails at the attachment points-often staples or screws.  Then once it is loose, it is bent right back.

This video shows a chicken wire fail and the dashed hopes of someone who thought it would keep raccoons out.

Hardware Cloth is Better Alternative

Keeping raccoons out is difficult because they are strong.  The key to keeping them out is to not give them any handholds (loose materials or material that can become loosened).

As Ryan mentioned in the video, smooth hard surfaces deter raccoons.

But if you feel some sort of wire is your best option, choose a material you can find in stores and online called “hardware cloth”.  Choose hardware cloth that has 1/2″ by 1/2″ openings and has a wire gauge of 19 or lower.  Use strong screws with large washers when securing somewhere.  That will be your best wire-type covering.

Raccoon Repairs & Prevention

We make and provide repairs that keep raccoons out.  We often combine repair with removal of the troublemakers to ensure the highest probability of success.

If you are in the Akron, Canton, Kent Ohio area and need some raccoon work or consulting, please give us a call.