Can minks chew thru polyurethane foam?

[Red Horse]

When we put our coop together we plunked it down on top of a solid sheet of 1/4" hardware cloth with a 1ft apron all the way around before adding the footing. I just saw a Mink hit on the road not a mile from my house and realized there are so many places they can get in! The corrugated roof has huge egg-sized gaps both in the run and the house. Since the roof is plastic and the frame is metal there's no good way I can see to fasten hardware cloth to the top. I have heard that mice and rats can't chew through polyurethane foam, would it stop a mink or a weasel too? The chicken house also has large gaps in the floor that I've been meaning to fill with something, but it's in the corners so fitting in hardware cloth and having places to fully attach it will be tricky.

 

[Folly's place]

I think mice and especially rats can chew through almost anything, so why not foam? Here mice and ground squirrels have invaded the foam insulation around our basement, and we've had rats chew through 1/2" particle board, no problem.
Your coop and run are cute, but not so predator proof. Do you have a barrier to prevent digging in from below? And a determined dog could get get through those walls. Will it topple over if pushed?
Sorry, but predator proofing is hard!
Mary

 

[Red Horse]

I think mice and especially rats can chew through almost anything, so why not foam? Here mice and ground squirrels have invaded the foam insulation around our basement, and we've had rats chew through 1/2" particle board, no problem.
Your coop and run are cute, but not so predator proof. Do you have a barrier to prevent digging in from below? And a determined dog could get get through those walls. Will it topple over if pushed?
Sorry, but predator proofing is hard!
Mary

The coop sits on a solid piece of 1/4" hardware cloth with a 1ft apron all around, overtop of a 3" deep trench that we filled with drainage rock. We zip tied the hardware cloth to the bottom of the frame to help keep them from being separated if something big jumps up and pushes on it (luckily we don't have bears). The frame of both the run and coop are steel, and we welded feet on the inside of each corner of the run. We cut a small hole in the hardware cloth under the hole in each foot and drove a railroad spike through each one, so I'm hoping coyotes/dogs can't push it over. We wet-packed in 4" of 5/8" limestone screenings both in the run and outside it after driving in the railroad spikes so anything that tries to dig in is going to have a fun time before they get to the hardware cloth! The walls for the run are 1/2" steel mesh that is welded to the frame instead of just regular hardware cloth. I'm not sure of the gauge, I could ask the hubs, but its wayyyyy thicker than the 1/4" hardware cloth that's screwed onto the vent window. What solutions can you think of to seal the holes in the corrugated roof?