Abundance of rat snakes and the coop.

[BraveTurnip]

Hey all. First chicks arrive in 2 days. Getting ready to build the coop and run.

The back side of our property running on into the neighbors is a water shed area. (Large city lot btw, nothing huge)

This gives rise to a glorious amount of amphibian life forms. Nothing poisonous but let's just say I do not have a vole or rat problem in the garden nor the compost bin.

They are beautiful rat snakes and sometimes black snakes, mud worms, salamanders, frogs, mostly toads, lizards and a fabulous ecology for my garden. Not bad for small city life.

So I've never wanted chickens and to fight for their eggs with the snakes and now I must have chickens.

My birds will not be free range. The horned owls own the place and the hawks are everywhere.

At least the owls help prevent overpopulation.

The run will be covered even more so with ai being suspect.

But here's my advanced risk management issue:. How do I keep the snakes from strolling in through their pop door during the day? It will probably happen.

Unless a roo will take care of it?

I cannot afford 1/2 cloth around run.

And also, do I need to use 1/4 " cloth at vents on the coop or is 1/2 sufficient? I'll increase the size of the venting if the smaller is used.

 

[Geena]

You could cover your run fence with some deer netting on the outside.

 

[cavemanrich]

Half inch hardware cloth is just fine for the vents. I know that stuff is pricey,, reason you don't want to use on your run area. But to the rescue...... You can double up the run fencing with chicken wire. That will keep out the Good Snakes. Chicken wire is not overpriced yet.
I'm glad you have a good attitude about beneficial creature in our surroundings.
A few extra tips.. Keep feed in metal containers for the night. Also remove/pour out water containers for the night. This way, whatever night time creature do wander by, will not be making it a regular stop for beverages.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[mowin]

I don't care how many times you layer chicken wire, there's always going to be areas that a snakes, and most likely other predators, will get in. Snakes climb very well and will find a way in. HC is expensive, but well worth it to keep your chickens and eggs safe.

 

[BraveTurnip]

I don't care how many times you layer chicken wire, there's always going to be areas that a snakes, and most likely other predators, will get in. Snakes climb very well and will find a way in. HC is expensive, but well worth it to keep your chickens and eggs safe.

Not real certain how to address this because some find it offensive. It's a matter of perspective, really.

I want to address this for the reality of the soon-to-swarm of folks who will be experiencing this and also for those who already are but are afraid to talk because of this problem of perspective.

One who has a sufficient cash flow considers this a matter of priorities.

This is not a problem of priorities. It's a cash flow problem. If there's not enough cash, a switch in priorities isn't going to matter. There's nowhere to supplement cash in order to afford more 1/4" hardware cloth.

There are some other options but they are not reliable and require persistence, long-suffering, time and a bit of luck.

But watch this:

After I made this post, I went back to calculating square footage of the run and headed over to calculate price per square foot of steel fencing, chicken wire, various hardware cloths.

SOLD OUT in my area.

 

[McChooky]

Not real certain how to address this because some find it offensive. It's a matter of perspective, really.

I want to address this for the reality of the soon-to-swarm of folks who will be experiencing this and also for those who already are but are afraid to talk because of this problem of perspective.

One who has a sufficient cash flow considers this a matter of priorities.

This is not a problem of priorities. It's a cash flow problem. If there's not enough cash, a switch in priorities isn't going to matter. There's nowhere to supplement cash in order to afford more 1/4" hardware cloth.

There are some other options but they are not reliable and require persistence, long-suffering, time and a bit of luck.

But watch this:

After I made this post, I went back to calculating square footage of the run and headed over to calculate price per square foot of steel fencing, chicken wire, various hardware cloths.

SOLD OUT in my area.

Hardware cloth can be found cheaper on Amazon or Walmart than locally (usually)The only exception was when Lowes had a close out on some last year.

 

[mowin]

Not real certain how to address this because some find it offensive. It's a matter of perspective, really.

I want to address this for the reality of the soon-to-swarm of folks who will be experiencing this and also for those who already are but are afraid to talk because of this problem of perspective.

One who has a sufficient cash flow considers this a matter of priorities.

This is not a problem of priorities. It's a cash flow problem. If there's not enough cash, a switch in priorities isn't going to matter. There's nowhere to supplement cash in order to afford more 1/4" hardware cloth.

There are some other options but they are not reliable and require persistence, long-suffering, time and a bit of luck.

But watch this:

After I made this post, I went back to calculating square footage of the run and headed over to calculate price per square foot of steel fencing, chicken wire, various hardware cloths.

SOLD OUT in my area.

Nothing offensive in your post. I was simply pointing out that chicken wire is not effective, even when doubled or more, and HC, while expensive, is a better option. There's videos on YouTube of large rat snakes killing full size chickens. It comes to a point where if one can't afford the material, and I get that. However, eggs at the store are cheap. It's difficult to add the cost of material, the chickens themselves, feed, and have the cost of the eggs cheaper than going to the store. But they taste sooooo much better. It might make sense to aquire the proper material in the next few months to spread out the cost.

 

[BraveTurnip]

Well. Everything's changed. The post office called me before hours yesterday and I went around back to pick them up. I thought that was sweet of the worker. She even asked if i was getting more. Lol

But now they are here and the magic has happened and as I think of a flimsy run, "Ah, hail no!"

Oh muh gollies they are so cute, so clumsy and sweet natured. (Barred rocks)

Something else has changed. Local code. They allow chickens but they changed code to reflect a requirement of a minimum 900 SQ ft of living space. That's a lot of wire! However, I know that if t he birds are clean and healthy and not bothering anyone, they're not going to enforce it. But what if a neighbor got a wild hair up their nose? Nobody's living in these houses. One guy is remodeling to rent out.

I will need to end up with that 900 SQ ft and secure them such that the roo would be the only nuisance.

I have one of those boxes of poly twine, 20,000 ft. I'm thinking bright yellow bird netting. Can weave it into the chain link fence and such.

Sigh

 

[raingarden]

You could cover your run fence with some deer netting on the outside.
View attachment 3070939

This stuff is deadly for snakes. They get so tangled up in it that you have to cut them out. A good solution if you do not like snakes.

 

[BraveTurnip]

You could make several of these cheap. https://homesteaderdepot.com/the-5-chicken-tractor-video/

I think this is a good idea at least until we piece together something solid.

BTW, nobody warned me that the chick would train me! Lapchicken already in the makings.