Coop/run predator proof

[Megatron56]

This looks like chicken wire instead of hardware cloth?
View attachment 4098593

If so, a racoon could easily get in and kill all your chicks.

Is the top only covered by that tarp or is there fencing, as well? Because the tarp also won't keep predators out.

The top was chicken wire and the tarp over it.

 

[WingItRanch]

The top was chicken wire and the tarp over it.

It's up to you but I wouldn't trust chicken wire and a tarp. I have a solid roof and hardware cloth all the way to the top and a snake still found it's way through a crack about 7 ft up.

 

[Megatron56]

I’ve got a Nestera too! I think that they’re probably predator-proof for Britain, but maybe not for North America.

I’d guess that a raccoon could figure it out in about one minute.

I rely on a predator-proof RUN, and a predator-resistant coop with our setup.

(Note: I would also include black bears among our local predators, but they can break into my house, so.)

Gosh really? I can barely open those hooks! They keep snapping on my fingers!

 

[Megatron56]

We swear by these. We had them at the older coop and bought a few more to make walking to the newer coop easier. We have them installed at knee/waist height and works great for predators on the ground. We had a metal run like this, zip ties were our best friends.

Do they keep away raccoons too? Although I’ve never seen raccoons where i live I’ve heard they are nightmares for chickens

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Gosh really? I can barely open those hooks! They keep snapping on my fingers!

lol

My concern is with the cord that lifts and closes the door and the door itself.

 

[Megatron56]

lol

My concern is with the cord that lifts and closes the door and the door itself.

Oh yeah… i didn’t think of that! Hmmmp dang.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Oh yeah… i didn’t think of that! Hmmmp dang.

Welcome to the occasional sleepless night!

 

[powerw]

I have a similar run and per the instructions the chicken wire is there to support the weight of the tarp.

The only issue I have with mine is the door is 24-25" wide, so anything I want to put in the run has to built inside it. I have very nosy chickens that apparently don't care about the noise of power tools, so getting anything done is an exercise in extreme patience, lol.

Are you saying that a raccoon can penetrate chicken wire?

 

[powerw]

I would like to add a question to this. First, if I have completely encase the above ground elements of a chicken run with chicken wire, can I use standard no-climb fencing to integrate a floor that will keep out coons and bobcats? I live in Fort Worth TX, and as far as I know, I don't don't think I have weasels or ferrets here. It seems to me that this is "open" enough to let the chickens hunt and peck through the wire. It would also allow me to easily move the whole apparatus left and right using my "chunnel" so that I could keep them on some fresh grass.

So my set up is totally encased coop with auto door, 16ft chunnel, 10x20 coop with covering and tarp as discussed above.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Are you saying that a raccoon can penetrate chicken wire?

Like a hot knife through butter.

Chicken wire, with the traditional hex-shaped openings, keeps (generally) chickens IN. It doesn’t keep anything OUT. The wire thickness (gauge) is too thin, and it’s flimsy overall.

I use it to keep chickens out of the garden beds, that’s it.

To protect chickens, I use 19 gauge 1/2” hardware cloth.

If you have existing chicken wire up, you can try doubling it with welded wire.