Building a predator proof run

[BriannaG]

Hi everyone,

This will be my first time owning chickens & am trying to decide the best way to predator proof the run area. We have lots of predators (hawks, rats, foxes, raccoons, coyotes, neighborhood cats, chipmunks and squirrels, and potentially weasels as well). Planning to use 1/2" x 1/2" hardware cloth secured to 2x4's using screws and washers for the walls and roof. We were planning to dig down 12" and do the whole floor in hardware cloth too, then backfill, just wondering if this is overkill? Would an apron be sufficient given the digging predators that we have? I feel like an apron would be much easier but don't want to regret doing it that way. I appreciate any insight!
Thank you!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@Overo Mare and @WallyG74 helped me when i was trying to plan out my runs

 

[DobieLover]

Welcome to BYC!

We were planning to dig down 12" and do the whole floor in hardware cloth too

Overkill and the birds could dig down and hit the cloth.

Would an apron be sufficient given the digging predators that we have?

Yes. Spread it out from the perimeter 18-24" and pin the far edge with HD landscape staples and let the grass grow through it.

Do you live in snow country? If so, having a hardware cloth roof will collapse. I prefer a solid pitched roof to keep the run dry whenever possible.

That has worked well for my run.

 

[-Isla June-]

So glad you’re finally getting a flock started! predators are horrible, and it can be very hard to prevent them. However, this is what i have done for my coop and run, and i haven’t had any surprise predators.

I dug down around the perimeter of the coop and run and put in concrete blocks doing stacks of two.

Then, i did a little bit down on the inside of the coop and run, and i added a layer of gravel. Then i laid down a tarp, and put dirt and straw over it.

Make sure your run has a cover, mine had a roof over it since fox’s and birds can get in without a roof.

it might sound silly, but have a good strong lock on your coop doors, one time a fox got into my door lock because it slid it over.

make sure your wire that your coop and run has isn’t too small, otherwise weasels can get into it.

hope this helps!!

 

[BriannaG]

Welcome to BYC!


Overkill and the birds could dig down and hit the cloth.

Yes. Spread it out from the perimeter 18-24" and pin the far edge with HD landscape staples and let the grass grow through it.

Do you live in snow country? If so, having a hardware cloth roof will collapse. I prefer a solid pitched roof to keep the run dry whenever possible.

That has worked well for my run.
View attachment 3361202View attachment 3361203

Thank you for the feedback! We were planning to also cover the roof with clear polycarbonate roofing to keep the run protected from the elements while still letting sunlight in, but we were going to have the hardware cloth underneath the polycarbonate just in case.
And with the apron, I've seen people talk about buying it, it sounds like you're recommending putting it on top of the ground? Will this still deter tunneling from rats, chipmunks, etc? We're worried they could just dig right under & back up into the run

 

[DobieLover]

it sounds like you're recommending putting it on top of the ground?

Yes, I am.

Will this still deter tunneling from rats, chipmunks, etc?

Yes, it will. Predators/pests will try to dig right at the base of the framing on the other side of the run wall and will hit the cloth. They will back up a little and try again and hit the cloth.
I have gotten mice in my run but they are squeezing in between the run door and it's framing. I have to put a full length stop on the door and just haven't done so yet so I set up mouse traps inside a chicken wire covered wire dog crate to trap them when I see signs they are invading. I don't pick up the feed in my run. It is left out all the time.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC!

Where, in general, are you? If you add your location to your profile we can give better answers to your questions because climate matters and different areas have different predators.

If you're not certain about the strength of the hardware cloth in relationship to your predator load you could add another layer of 2x4 welded wire on top of the hardware cloth or you could add electric wires.

Both are good if dog packs are a major predator for you and only electric works to deter bears.

We were planning to dig down 12" and do the whole floor in hardware cloth too, then backfill, just wondering if this is overkill? Would an apron be sufficient given the digging predators that we have?

As Dobie said, an apron is better. The chickens love to dig and could injure their feet on the buried wire. Also, if the ground is dame the wire will degenerate faster buried than laid as an apron.

We were planning to also cover the roof with clear polycarbonate roofing to keep the run protected from the elements while still letting sunlight in,

This is very much a climate matters thing.

I'm in central NC and if I used a clear roof for any part of my chicken facilities I would probably kill them from heat exposure. In fact, I find that in my climate I need either deep shade or 2-3 times the usual suggested minimums for ventilation in order to keep my coop under 100F on a 90F day.

Here are articles on coop ventilation and on coping with both hot and cold climates:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

 

[BriannaG]

Welcome to BYC!

Where, in general, are you? If you add your location to your profile we can give better answers to your questions because climate matters and different areas have different predators.

If you're not certain about the strength of the hardware cloth in relationship to your predator load you could add another layer of 2x4 welded wire on top of the hardware cloth or you could add electric wires.

Both are good if dog packs are a major predator for you and only electric works to deter bears.



As Dobie said, an apron is better. The chickens love to dig and could injure their feet on the buried wire. Also, if the ground is dame the wire will degenerate faster buried than laid as an apron.



This is very much a climate matters thing.

I'm in central NC and if I used a clear roof for any part of my chicken facilities I would probably kill them from heat exposure. In fact, I find that in my climate I need either deep shade or 2-3 times the usual suggested minimums for ventilation in order to keep my coop under 100F on a 90F day.

Here are articles on coop ventilation and on coping with both hot and cold climates:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

Thank you for the feedback! I'm not sure how to add my location to my profile but I'm on Cape Cod, MA. So we have mild New England weather here. Usually only a few days in the 90's in August and that's about it. We get some snow too, but it doesn't usually dip below 0F. The run is shaded by 2 large beech trees which provide deep shade in the summer and lose their leaves in the winter allowing sunlight in the winter (still somewhat shaded though from their branches). We had been planning on a metal roof but I wanted to make it more natural by doing the polycarbonate & letting the natural light through. In the summer they'll really only get a little bit of morning sun before the beech trees shade them for the rest of the day, so I'm hoping that will be comfortable for them. I've also seen polycarbonate roofing that isn't totally clear that allows 80% sunlight through (instead of 94% like the clear stuff I was looking at) so that's another option too.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Thank you for the feedback! I'm not sure how to add my location to my profile but I'm on Cape Cod, MA. So we have mild New England weather here. Usually only a few days in the 90's in August and that's about it. We get some snow too, but it doesn't usually dip below 0F. The run is shaded by 2 large beech trees which provide deep shade in the summer and lose their leaves in the winter allowing sunlight in the winter (still somewhat shaded though from their branches). We had been planning on a metal roof but I wanted to make it more natural by doing the polycarbonate & letting the natural light through. In the summer they'll really only get a little bit of morning sun before the beech trees shade them for the rest of the day, so I'm hoping that will be comfortable for them. I've also seen polycarbonate roofing that isn't totally clear that allows 80% sunlight through (instead of 94% like the clear stuff I was looking at) so that's another option too.

Where's @aart with the tutorial!

 

[BriannaG]

And just to clarify the polycarbonate roof would be on the run only, the coop will have a metal roof, and will be completely inside of the run for extra predator protection.