posted 2 years ago
I need to add some fence to enclose some pasture that I am using for a poultry yard. I currently keep a few ducks in this space, but I anticipate using it for chickens, ducks, or geese at various times. Maybe sheep or goats some day. The pasture is already enclosed on three sides with woven wire. I plan to add a couple strands of electric wire. The simplest way to seal off the area is to run a fence on the 4th side, up to the side of the barn. This would leave easy passage through the barn for me, but also for potential predators. The main concerns here are foxes, coyotes, raccoons, and bobcats. The barn is on a cement pad and I am in it almost every day, so it should have a strong human scent. I suspect foxes, coyotes, and bobcats would be unlikely to pass through this space to reach the pasture, but raccoons seem bolder.
Right now, the ducks are locked up safely at night, but it would be a big convenience if I could just train them to enter an open shelter that would protect them from owls at night. But if I do this and a raccoon comes through the barn, they'd be sitting ducks.
Does anyone have experience with a similar situation? I'm sure the answer to how risky this is, is 'it depends'. I guess it will depend on how habituated the predators are. I don't yet have a good sense of this as we just moved here. What other factors might matter?