HOW TO KEEP EVERYTHING OUT?

[dannyisforreal]

It tore through a smallish hole and killed 5 of our 7 chickens that were in the chicken tractor. it is older chicken wire 3 years. Thinking its a raccoon. i need to keep this breed for a breeding program HELP i don't want more dead chickens? Though about guard dog however we have a lab and a sheepdog already and the sheepdog is in training with the sheep herding thing don't know if it would be wise to get another until he is trained. The one who survived was one hen that ran away luckily unharmed and a beat up rooster that fought back. HELP please

 

[jentralala]

Use 1/2" or 1/4" hardware cloth, chicken wire is easy for many predators to rip or reach right through. I'd replace or cover all the poultry wire with hardware cloth. May also want to look into making an 'apron' of the hardware cloth on the chicken tractor to deter diggers.

 

[dannyisforreal]

thanks for the info. do you put it over the chicken wire or instead of the chicken wire?

 

[Folly's place]

Instead of chicken wire, although you could leave the chicken wire and just go over it. My coop is really safe; the run is woven wire over chicken wire, with a chicken wire top. It is not predator proof, but okay in daytime. My birds are locked into their coop at night. SOON I hope to redo the run with a roof and hardware cloth with woven wire; Good as we don't (YET) have bears. Mary

 

[iwiw60]

Instead of chicken wire, although you could leave the chicken wire and just go over it. My coop is really safe; the run is woven wire over chicken wire, with a chicken wire top. It is not predator proof, but okay in daytime. My birds are locked into their coop at night. SOON I hope to redo the run with a roof and hardware cloth with woven wire; Good as we don't (YET) have bears. Mary

Agreed...1/2" hardware cloth is the ONLY way to go when you have predators like these. Question for the OP...you said "chicken tractor" ... is it a movable tractor with wheels? If so you will have major problems with the space in between the ground and the bottom of the tractor..just FYI!!!

 

[dannyisforreal]

no there is no wheels its set on the ground no bottoms on them. however we are going to put a metal bottom and improve them because i don't want a crazy fox digging under with its pups and eating 20 of my chickens. Apparently there is a bear in the area.... if it i see it close to my chickens or even sheep I'm going to flip out.

 

[FluffyPuff]

I have a question also... How can you keep predators out without completely modifying a coop and making it look like a jail? Is there an organic spray of some sort that repels raccoon, squirls etc.? I do not want to use any harmful chemicals and I really don't want to go to the store and buy more stuff to keep them critters out.

 

[iwiw60]

I have a question also... How can you keep predators out without completely modifying a coop and making it look like a jail? Is there an organic spray of some sort that repels raccoon, squirls etc.? I do not want to use any harmful chemicals and I really don't want to go to the store and buy more stuff to keep them critters out.

The only true salvation when it comes to the safety of your flock when you know there are predators about is to build/re-build your coop and run like Fort Knox! Been there, done that, it'll never happen again.

 

[iwiw60]

no there is no wheels its set on the ground no bottoms on them. however we are going to put a metal bottom and improve them because i don't want a crazy fox digging under with its pups and eating 20 of my chickens. Apparently there is a bear in the area.... if it i see it close to my chickens or even sheep I'm going to flip out.

No....don't flip out...shoot the scumbags!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The only true salvation when it comes to the safety of your flock when you know there are predators about is to build/re-build your coop and run like Fort Knox! Been there, done that, it'll never happen again.

I always have to laugh when someone says that - because I can't help but think they have clearly never actually been to Ft. Knox

That being said, completely agree that if in doubt or you have evaluated your situation and see a potential threat, more is better when it comes to security measures.