Coop and run materials: what to use or avoid

Hi, this is for people trying to come up with coop ideas who may need clarification on some things. I am only going over a few aspects of enclosures, so please add anything I don't address:

The use of wires:

Chicken wire is ONLY to keep OUT chickens of a given area (like a flower patch you don't want trampled). NEVER use chicken wire to enclose a run or cover coop windows, as predators easily chew through it.

To cover runs or coops windows: BEST= hardware cloth, Good= welded wire. This comes in different sizes, some squares are small (nickel sized), and some are about 4 x1. It will keep out all predators except rats, mice, some snakes, and animals in the weasel family. It is less costly than welded wire.

Aprons: an apron is a wire perimeter around the base of your enclosure which is buried under the dirt to discourage predators from digging underneath your enclosure. There are some good photos of aprons on some of the other coop threads.

To cover the top of the encloure or not? If you have birds of prey, or predators that can climb (which are most), then I recommend it. Many people keep their run top open because the predators in their area are nocturnal, and their birds are "cooped up" at night, but some BYC members have attested to the fact that they have had predators like racoons come out during the day, so use your discretion.

Roosts:

Tree branches, thick dowel rods (like for a closet) work well. This gives your bird a place to roost at night. They should not be too close to the ground. If you do not provide a roost, your birds may sleep in their nest boxes and poop in them. Birds alo enjoy roosting, and it is a good way to use what would otherwise be wasted space in a coop.


Cinder blocks:

If you use cinder blocks to raise up anything in your coop, as I have done, be aware of the fact that spiders and rodents love the holes in the blocks, and you may find something you'd rather not, if you move them to clean or rearrange things.

Nesting boxes:

Using materials around your home saves money, and not everyone is handy with wood and drills, right?
- coolers, 5 gallon buckets on their side, unused planter boxes, plastic bins

I hope this helps someone out there.