Any holes in my fox proofing ?

[Wez]

Hi everyone , I wanted your opinions , I’ve lost a lot of chickens to foxes and I’m determined to keep my new girls safe , see attached pics of new coop and please tell me if I’m missing anything . I need some confidence they are safe . Thank you . 19 gauge poultry panels , reinforced the bottom 3 foot with much stronger steel that can’t be chewed through, Sealed roof and anti dig skirt also there is concrete under the turf. The coop is surrounded on Two sides by fence with concrete foundations also. Three locks on the door , three motion security lights for night time too.

 

[The Happster]

I love that chicken coop. Looks great. Wish I was a chicken now.
I feel sorry for the foxes in your area.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Nice work on the fencing.

In the last pic....Is the roof panel on the left arched up a bit?
Slide bolt latches are no match for a raccoon.....I would switch those to something like this....

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Adjustab...=sem&msclkid=1e9a36f7852e122e85a46818ddd76ce3

 

[2hotchicks]

Hi everyone , I wanted your opinions , I’ve lost a lot of chickens to foxes and I’m determined to keep my new girls safe , see attached pics of new coop and please tell me if I’m missing anything . I need some confidence they are safe . Thank you ❤. 19 gauge poultry panels , reinforced the bottom 3 foot with much stronger steel that can’t be chewed through, Sealed roof and anti dig skirt also there is concrete under the turf. The coop is surrounded on Two sides by fence with concrete foundations also. Three locks on the door , three motion security lights for night time too.

It looks great. My only question would be how did you attach the panels & reinforcement?

 

[Wez]

It looks great. My only question would be how did you attach the panels & reinforcement?

All panels are screwed together , I’ve also got supports with double as roosting bars for the girls at different heights with great trays on . The extra wire panels are then fixes on the front with nails

 

[Howard E]

That type of run, with solid roof, is ideal......creates a 3D cap that encloses the structure from above. No raptors......and as for furry varmints, nothing gets in, under or over. I still remember the Martha Stewart run and it looked similar. (Larger and she used 1" x 2" 14 gauge welded wire, but otherwise it looked similar).


Not a fan of those small pre-fab coops, but if it works for you, it works for you.

On the roof, depending on your climate, that roof could be a problem. If you get a large snow load, it will probably fail and be coming down. Load supporting rafters should be on edge, and about 2 feet apart. The purlins are then laid flat crossing over those, and that is what you screw your roof panels into. A grid of that type will support a heavy snow load. Also, on the roof......depending on the depth of the corrugations, weasels and rats can zip through any holes the size of a golf ball. And speaking of rats, if there is feed spilt on the ground from the hanging feeder, that wasted feed will attract rats and mice, which then attract predators that feed on rats and mice. Long term, you might want to consider a rat proof feeder if that is a dirt floor. If cement, no worries.

And depending on a few other factors, probably best if you use an opaque plastic or even solid metal for the roof. Clear means sun will be shining through, which means lack of shade during the heat of the day when sun is directly overhead. Hopefully, trees in the background will help.

But overall, that looks like a good job. Far better than most.

 

[cmom]

I think it look great. I don't think any predator will get in. Here fox prefer to dig. I have seen a fox prowling around at night but it knows the electric wire is around the coops and pens and hasn't made an attempt. I see it most night on one of my game cameras. Good luck and have fun...

 

[centrarchid]

I like it. Also provides an enriched environment. You may have a little extra fun managing against lice and the like. It is a balancing acting dealing with the multiple predator and parasite issues that can contradict. I swing back and forth all the time.