Run construction/predators/cost

[Sally PB]

Hi, can you please share your security features in your coop and run?

All openings are covered with 1/2" hardware cloth (HWC) in my coop. The pop door and people door excluded, of course, but when the coop is shut up for the night, it's tight.

The run "walls" are 2x3 welded wire fence to the roof, covered with 1/2" HWC 4' high. Above the HWC is chicken wire over the fencing. I have a solid roof over half of my coop, made of polycarbonate panels ($$$), but I wanted the light. The other half of the roof has chicken wire over the metal frame, and a heavy duty tarp over that.

I have a 2' (or more) wide predator apron on the ground. Yes, that means I have to cut the grass that grows through with a sting trimmer so that the apron doesn't wreck a mower blade.

The HW cloth was attached with 1 inch heavy duty staples. Now I know that was a very dumb way

Yeah, raccoons can rip out staples. That's how I had my HWC held on and then I put the wood strips over that. The wood strips are scrap pieces, so they were free. I don't care if the screws all match, so I have mix of torx, phillips, and any other screw long enough to work.

I'm really sorry you lost your birds.

 

[arubio92]

Thanks for replying. I really appreciate it, my other concern is the apron, I can't really dig around it's mostly rocks, is a horizontal apron ok? Or can I get away with HW cloth on the floor of run and coop?

All openings are covered with 1/2" hardware cloth (HWC) in my coop. The pop door and people door excluded, of course, but when the coop is shut up for the night, it's tight.

The run "walls" are 2x3 welded wire fence to the roof, covered with 1/2" HWC 4' high. Above the HWC is chicken wire over the fencing. I have a solid roof over half of my coop, made of polycarbonate panels ($$$), but I wanted the light. The other half of the roof has chicken wire over the metal frame, and a heavy duty tarp over that.

I have a 2' (or more) wide predator apron on the ground. Yes, that means I have to cut the grass that grows through with a sting trimmer so that the apron doesn't wreck a mower blade.

Yeah, raccoons can rip out staples. That's how I had my HWC held on and then I put the wood strips over that. The wood strips are scrap pieces, so they were free. I don't care if the screws all match, so I have mix of torx, phillips, and any other screw long enough to work.

I'm really sorry you lost your birds.

 

[Tahai]

@arubio92 I have a horizontal apron. It goes 6 inches up the wall to overlapped bottom seam. Then it goes out 18 inches on the ground. Use yard staples to secure it down. An added thing you can do is peel back the sod, then lay down and secure the wire, then lay the sod back down. That way you won't destroy your lawn mower if it kicks up the wire.

 

[Tahai]

Here are some recent photos of my coop. It's still a work in progress. The roof is covered in the same wire as the walls. We used U nails to secure the wire. Then I used baton boards to cover all the seams.

 

[Sally PB]

Or can I get away with HW cloth on the floor of run and coop?

This may sound like a good idea, but it's not. Chickens like to scratch and dig, and they can catch toenails, or get a cut on a sharp edge, which could lead to bumblefoot. Eventually the wire will need to be replaced, and that will be a rotten job.

As has been mentioned, a horizontal apron is (much) easier to install, and works well. Critters start to dig, hit the hardware cloth, and have to give up.