Predator proofing

[jthornton]

Thank you for your input. I bought 1/2 welded wire for the coop run and also 1x2 welded wire fencing for the apron. When I put the apron on, do I dig straight down or dig out so it lays angled out?

You don't need to dig at all just lay it flat on the ground and maybe pin the edges down.

JT

 

[Treehouse-Crafts]

Great looking coop. I too would put wire on outside of post, also would suggest if possible add a electric wire at bottom 4-5 inches up and one at top to stop climbing predators. Good luck to you.

I am attaching wire all the way to the top including to the roof rafters then I will screw down the 5" metal drip edge cap overtop, so climbing should not be an issue.... er I hope! You probably can't see it in the pics but the exposed soffits in in the coop are already covered with 1/2 welded wire. I still might consider the electric fence wire option.

 

[Treehouse-Crafts]

You don't need to dig at all just lay it flat on the ground and maybe pin the edges down.

JT

Well that will certainly save me a bunch of work. I think I will dig just a little bit to keep the wire from being exposed for my kids and dogs!

 

[kwhites634]

I am building my first chicken coop and am trying to decide to put the wire inside the wood horizontally or vertically our outside horizontally or vertically. I live in a high predator area so aesthetically inside would look better but want to get max protection. What are you thoughts?

Like fencing for large livestock, you want the fence closest to the animals. In other words, you want any animal pushing against the wire to be pushing the wire against the posts, not away from them; make the strength of the posts work for you.

 

[kwhites634]

Well that will certainly save me a bunch of work. I think I will dig just a little bit to keep the wire from being exposed for my kids and dogs!

Grass will grow up through it & you'll eventually be able to mow right over it

 

[Folly's place]

I used 1/2" hardware cloth, attached vertically on the framing with fence staples. Over the lower four feet, added 2"x4" woven wire horse fencing, stapled, and then wood strips screwed to the framing over all of it. If we had bears, I'd add electric wire too.
Mary

 

[Duckstail]

You got to put them horizontally that way you could start off by putting them 6 inch to foot in the ground. Not only that by putting it horizontally it will be one piece so there will be no cracks for the little weasels to get through!

I probably do a few inches of overlap on each piece so that the animals can't squeeze through the cracks. I hope that makes sense.


Definitely a great job so far! You clearly know what you doing!

 

[Treehouse-Crafts]

I used 1/2" hardware cloth, attached vertically on the framing with fence staples. Over the lower four feet, added 2"x4" woven wire horse fencing, stapled, and then wood strips screwed to the framing over all of it. If we had bears, I'd add electric wire too.
View attachment 1354576 View attachment 1354579 View attachment 1354581 Mary

Wow.. that's a nice coop!! We do have bears so I think I might now be considering the electric fence option as you are the second person on this thread to recommend it. Thanks for your feedback.

 

[Treehouse-Crafts]

You got to put them horizontally that way you could start off by putting them 6 inch to foot in the ground. Not only that by putting it horizontally it will be one piece so there will be no cracks for the little weasels to get through!

I probably do a few inches of overlap on each piece so that the animals can't squeeze through the cracks. I hope that makes sense.


Definitely a great job so far! You clearly know what you doing!

Thank you. I hear what you're saying but I am going horizontally because I can catch center of the stud supports which will overlap the bottom piece with the top piece so all the seams will have wood backing so there will be no squeezing through. This way I can do one continuous piece along the bottom half of the run and one piece on the top 48", if that makes sense. Then I don't have much cutting to do either. I am definitely doing an apron along the bottom and have now decided to sandwich the wire with some rough sawn oak cutoffs I have left from when I milled the studs.