fox proof hen run/coop

[maryzee]

Hi guys, just wanted your opinions on this one.
Our set up for 4 hens is a hen house/coop inside a wooden framed building covered in small hole chicken wire stapled to it, concrete flooring and padlocked door. The idea is that as we are close to a busy road we did not want the hens entirely free range but in this situation they can walk around and scratch at the ground in the construction (approx 4m by 4m) and go into the coop at their choice. At present I am shutting them in the coop at night and letting them out in the morning. But I am concerned about Xmas as we have to visit family and will not be there to shut them in at night if I let them out before we go. I am wondering how secure is everyones set up here? What do you think if I didn't shut the coop door that day and just let them make their own way in and out? They would still be reasonably secure as described before. I am confused as what to do!
Thanks guys hope that makes sense!

 

[loveourbirds]

if your chicken wire is the twisted type, it will be your weak point. as far as closing the door, i dont even put doors on my coops. they go in and out as they wish. when using chicken wire, i usually reinforce it with 16 gauge wire with 2 inch by 4 inch spacing. if your budget allows, 16 gauge wire with 1 inch by 1 inch spacing works very well. i also pile rock around the edges of permanent coops to help prevent animals from digging in. so far our worst issue was a mink, if you ever encounter one of those - sit up at night with a shotgun, i dont think there is a good way of keeping them out.

 

[jetdog]

Put in a automatic chicken coop door motor on a timer, I bought the D20 add a motor on Amazon very easy to install and it has worked flawlessly since day one, I have not had to open the door at all, the thing I did do was plugged it into a digital timer that has a battery back up built-in.