chicken mistakes (coop building questions)

[gwennym]

Hi Joe, welcome.

I'm also fairly new at chickens and have learned tons on this site.

A couple of things I wanted to add to everyone's great ideas:

* definately go with adding electricity. I live in Southern Illinois (about 30 miles from St. Louis, MO) and I've had to use a heat lamp and a water de-icer due to the cold. Makes it much easier to ensure your chickens are warm enough and have ice-free water when all you need to do is plug something in RIGHT THERE.

* I live on 6 acres, 3-4 of them wooded, and am surrounded by farms -- critters abound here.....fox, coyote, hawks, racoons, opossum, skunks, owls....all looking for a free meal. I tend to see a lot of skunks, especially in February when they are raising baby skunks. They LOVE a dinner of fresh chicken eggs.

* I also have a broody hen in the chicken coop---had I planned for that eventuality, I would have definately created an isolated area for a maternity ward.....another hen keeps trying to put more eggs in the nest.

Gwen

 

[Chauntecleer's Keeper]

I have had great success with an electric fence. I had problems with coons, and a hot wire along the top of the fence worked well. I have had no problems with predators diging under my fence. So far so good. I live in the middle of the woods too. We have bear tracks in our road.

 

[Chauntecleer's Keeper]

I have had great success with an electric fence. I had problems with coons, and a hot wire along the top of the fence worked well. I have had no problems with predators diging under my fence. So far so good. I live in the middle of the woods too. We have bear tracks in our road.

 

[Chauntecleer's Keeper]

I have had great success with an electric fence. I had problems with coons, and a hot wire along the top of the fence worked well. I have had no problems with predators diging under my fence. So far so good. I live in the middle of the woods too. We have bear tracks in our road.

 

[tdgill]

going out to stare at the shed/coop again.....

chicks are getting bigger...5 weeks tomorrow.

aghhhhh I CAN'T READ ANYMORE hahahah. My eyes are crossed.

i have electric fencing we used ONCE for the dogs jumping over the split rail fence. I had it on for a week after their shocking attempt, and its been off for years now. Maybe I will incorporate it into my predator proofing. Might be easier than anything?!

a friend of mine uses that electric netting on his farm and moves it around from time to time. its only a foot tall if that. you'd think a fox would just jump over it???!

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Yeah but I would suggest building the rest of your predatorproofing as if the electric weren't there. Because, sometimes it won't be. Guaranteed. ALL electric fencing fails SOMEtimes, for a variety of reasons. And animals can be fairly shrewd about noticing it too. Best to think of it more as backup, extra insurance, not your main line of defense, IME.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[tdgill]

gotcha.

good advise thanks!