Almost there--Am I missing anything?

[llombardo]

So I'm pretty close to being finished with the enclosure. It has taken a long time and I'm tired.

So this is what I got..the enclosure is 20x25 pvc and will be divided--ducks on one side and chickens on the other. I have hardware cloth all aroubd(5 ft high). Hardware Cloth along the bottom 2 ft out, stapled down, that has been done for a while and it is blending in well. I had one area that was difficult because it's up against a fence--I still managed to squeeze hardware cloth there too. I added lattice around the bottom half where the ducks pool is. The chicken coop is a pre-fab, I added another layer of hardware cloth everywhere and around the bottom of that. The ducks had a house made for them and it came out beautifully. The top of the enclosure will be covered with a heavy duty net. The gate was welded and made out of aluminum, covered in hardware cloth. There is a small gap on the one side so I bolted hardware cloth there with very pointy ends sticking out.

I can't think of anything else, am I missing anything? I think my main problem will be raccoons. While the enclosure is secured with handmade steel stakes I made it so it moves slightly with the hopes the movement might throw off a climber. The enclosure isn't going anywhere regardless.

I used over 1000 zip ties and about 250 screws. I did a lot of overlapping to make sure there are no gaps.

 

[llombardo]

The guy who built the duck house made a duck and branded it into the house. It took him 8 hours to build it and the total cost was $100. I am truly blessed to have someone like him in my life. He is so handy and creative. His wife even helped..

Here is a picture of the branded duck in the house

 

[Valhalla Acres]

That sounds like a very secure encloser. What you can do is have a game trail camera up to see if predators try to get in. We have huge raccoon problems mainly because our neighbors have a raccoon nest on their property. They have tried to remove it and it hasn't worked yet. So we have large security fences and fine rope netting on the top since we have pheasants too. It sounds like you put a lot of work into this coop. I wish you luck. Though we have a problem with our chickens dust-bathing net to the fence and creating large pits which we often have to fill in.

 

[llombardo]

I do have a trail cam--same guy that made the duck house gave it to me. I have a decent spot for it I believe.

I also got the chickens one of those turtle sandboxes that I'm filling with peat moss and wood ash. I hope they use it, I like the idea that I can cover it to keep it dry for them.

 

[llombardo]

I think I'm putting lattice up in the corner of the sandbox too, now that I think of it.

I have rabbits(in hutches with mini runs that I incorporated in there. They are placed strategically to cover spots along the edges. If something tries digging in those spots, they would have to dig two feet in and they will hit hardware cloth that is under the hutches covering another two feet.

 

[Valhalla Acres]

I think I'm putting lattice up in the corner of the sandbox too, now that I think of it.

I have rabbits(in hutches with mini runs that I incorporated in there. They are placed strategically to cover spots along the edges. If something tries digging in those spots, they would have to dig two feet in and they will hit hardware cloth that is under the hutches covering another two feet.

You sound very prepared (unlike my first coop, we now have a better one). I think you have gotten a lot, like 110%. On our old coop, we had an animal dig under the door. I don't know if this is a problematic area in your new coop.

 

[aart]

It has taken a long time and I'm tired.

I remember those days.

I can't think of anything else, am I missing anything?

Pics?