anti-predator protection, of course

[Padby]

I'm sorta new to the chicken world, and have been reading a lot about predators (lost lots of chickens to 'coons as a kid), and perusinig coop designs. My question is for those of you who use tractor coops...how do you protect against burrowing predators who dig "under the wire"?

 

[gryeyes]

Many folks have hardware cloth out as an "apron" so it lays flat on the ground about 18 inches or so out from the pen portion/"bottom" of the tractor. And tack 'em down securely. Digging predators don't think to back up to dig, they just try to dig at the part closest to the structure. Fold up the hardware cloth apron when you move the tractor, put it down flat again in the new location.

 

[Padby]

Wow! Brilliant. I'd thought of the "apron", but had no idea how to make it friendly for moving the coop around. I love the fold-up principle. Thanks a lot!

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Quote:
Yep!

That's the way we dooo's it!

 

[elmo]

I found that it works better to "hinge" the apron so that it's easy to flip up on the end you're lifting to move/drag the tractor to a new location. What I did was attach panels of welded wire to the wire on the frame using loxit rings.

http://www.randallburkey.com/5-LBS-LOXIT-RINGS-00B/productinfo/6002/

The panels overlap at the four corners, and I put a brick there at each corner to weight down the apron after I move the tractor. It works pretty well.

However, I don't trust this for night time, when predator risk is higher. By nightfall, our flock is locked securely inside a solid, stationary coop.