First Timers about to build a coop and run!

The only reason I'm asking for assistance is I want to make sure I'm not missing anything important for our coop were about to build. We live in RURAL NH, the nearest house is a mile away, and wildlife everywhere. I want my girls to be safe!!

Do you know of any plans on here that are super predator proof? We're not in a neighborhood like some of these pics I see. I don't go a day without seeing deer, turkey, hawks, ect. We have Bobcats, Coydogs, foxes, minks, I'm sure we have them all.

My husband wants to build a garden shed with a separate room or something off from it for the girls. Which is fine, but I want to make sure he knows what steps need to be taken to make sure they're safe. So far, I gather using steel under and turning out around the run and house, steel in the windows, and make sure it has a door to close at night? Is there anything else I should know to keep them safe?

Thanks so much for any help!

Do not use chicken wire, use hardware cloth instead. It comes in smaller sizes so nothing can reach in to grab at your chickens. And snakes can't slide in either.

Ok, that's what I meant. Lol. Should I put steel on the inside of the corners of the hen house too? Can the predators chew threw the wood?! I have no idea what I'm dealing with. Lol. Is there anything else? Or that basically the requirements and the design is pretty much whatever we want.

Following this post. Here in the UAE, we have desert foxes which dig under the fencing

I have never had anything chew on my coop. But my hubby used some pretty heavy duty wood. He doesn't half way do anything. They will dig under the fencing so we dug up the grass and put some of the hardware cloth down and then added rocks and then sand. But that was to our run area. We have our coop up high.

We're new to chickens too and just build our first run & coop. Well, the coop was a pre exisiting shed that we repurposed but the run is new. We have a lot of predators; fox, raccoon, opossum, weasel, hawks and neighborhood dogs, so built Ft. Knox! We don't have bears so not sure what precautions they require.

When DH fixed up the shed we filled any holes with that expanding foam and patched anywhere that was damaged. We added (2) windows that open out (too keep the rain out) and added 1/2" hardware cloth inside over the openings, screens won't keep predators out. We also cut-in a vent near the ceiling, covering that with 1/2" hardware cloth as well.

The run has a metal roof and 1/2" hardware cloth all around. It's also buried down 12" and buried out 12".

I was talking to a friend last night, they lost 22 free range chickens in one afternoon. They were out for the day and came home to the massacre. We frequently see fox and dogs during the day so free ranging isn't an options for us. Our run is pretty big, 8' x 16' for 6 hens. Even though the run is very secure, we lock ours in at night.

Hardware wire is expensive I put chicken wire around my run and ten over the top of the wire I put some heavy duty 2"x4" wire fence that I took down from around my garden. And in the ground I dug around my coop/run I dug a 12" wide 12"deep pit. Filled It in with big heavy rocks, pieces broken up brick and concrete blocks and then put 1" clean rock over the top of that.I feel pretty secure about that set up.
The coop is my avatar

Ok, I think based on what everyone has said- I'll be safe and bury the hardware cloth 12" under, And then 12" out perpendicular to the fence. As an extra precaution, then proceed to fill that area with Rocks. Our land was just cleared, and we have a TON of rocks, so that'll give me something to do with them. The building itself will be overbuilt, as my husband would rather spend a tad extra for it to last, and since he's building it anyways, might as well do it once.

What's your opinions on the clear roofing ? I thought this would be nice to let in natural lighting, but not sure if it would be strong enough to keep something from chewing their way in? We also have some nice Anderson windows that we didn't end up using on the house that we'll likely use in there. Would just need to add that hardware cloth on the inside of the coop. Do people leave the windows open during the summer evenings? Or should I close it up like Fort Knox ?

You don't need to bury the apron mesh 12".....can even leave on the surface or bury it just enough to mow over...but it should run out 12-18" form the wall.

Ventilation is important, open eaves and top hinged windows with 1/2" hardware cloth securely fastened (screws and washers) on the inside should keep things safe and night while allowing good ventilation. I covered my open eaves with HC from the outside. See My Coop (link under my avatar).

2 great articles on space and ventilation, links in my signature below....must read for newbies IMO

aart said:

You don't need to bury the apron mesh 12".....can even leave on the surface or bury it just enough to mow over...but it should run out 12-18" form the wall.

Ventilation is important, open eaves and top hinged windows with 1/2" hardware cloth securely fastened (screws and washers) on the inside should keep things safe and night while allowing good ventilation. I covered my open eaves with HC from the outside. See My Coop (link under my avatar).

2 great articles on space and ventilation, links in my signature below....must read for newbies IMO 

Click to expand...

Ok got it. Windows open, HC doesn't need burying so deep. Maybe it's because I'm on my phone, but I can't see any links or sig. I'll browse around and see if I can find those articles though!