Coop tested! and survived!!!!!

[Gazinga]

I walked out this morning to check on teh gilrs in my new (and first) coop, which i built. They have now neen living on teh new coop for about one week. I built the coop the best i could , following the directions of everyone here on the forum who have been ever so helpfull!

As i walked out to the coop i could already see there had been invaders! as i first ran to my girls and did a head count, all the chickens were accounted for and just hanging out! YES!!!! There were multiple tunnels under the coop lookng about racoon size. One tunnel attempt went about two feet under teh coop wal and about two feet tward teh center! amazing! However, scince i had ckicken wire buried under the entire coop floor abour 1 foot down, the invader met with too much resistance and left empty handed! He also tried to pry the door and dig other multiple tunnels with no success!

My girls and i both thatnk everyone here on the forum for all you knowledge and help n the design of the coop. And i have my fingers crossed for all future invader attempts. I wil be watching for them even more now.

Thanks everyone

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

WOW wonderful job with your coop! That would have freaked me out walking up to that!

 

[Ladysonja]

Like you, my husband and I are thankful for this forum.

We are also reading and taking in everyone's advise on coop/run construction and preditor prevention.

Glad to hear you and the girls are in one piece!

Keep us posted!

 

[cjeanean]

Awesome!!! Good Lord, I can't even imagine how many coons you have!!! Time to set up some traps....LOL!!! Just make sure you keep track of what they try, and I would LOVE to see some pics of your coop and what you've done to predator proof it. Mine is a small building, nothing special about it, and it's completely enclosed. As far as I know the only predator I've had poking around is a fox....

 

[Gazinga]

Im not sure how many either, but i thinm it was one working from differnt directions and different attempts. I will take pictures in teh morning and send them in, i would like to get others feed back on the design.

 

[raizin]

that was a lot of work to bury all of that wire. Congratulations, it paid off. I am still sold on two electric twine wires. One 4 inches from ground and one 6 inches from top of wire wall. Nothing can dig under the wire without getting shocked and nothing can climb over the top without getting shocked. I lost 10 chickens before I got my electric fence in place. Haven't lost any since then and have killed 5 racoons since the fence was installed. I did almost lose one of my outside mouse control kitties. Just got chewed up by some wild animals. I assume it was the racoons. I set up a sprinkler system around the coop on a manual timer and water the grass in my coop. It is starting to really snap back and fill in the chicken yard. I started with almost 90% grass in the yard and was down to about 60% before I got the sprinkler system in place. I have the grass thickening up and some of the seed I planted before the chickens arrived is starting to grow.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I am so glad your chickies are safe!
That lets me know just how determined those predators can be. I was wondering on this new coop just how far down to bury the wire and now I guess I have a good idea. We have concrete footers around the others.
I have wire across the bottom of my tractors so at least I feel the chicks are safe in there as best I can make it.
Can't wait to see your pics.

 

[Chirpy]

Yes chicken owner - 1 vs. Raccoon - 0! Love to see that!

Congrats on doing such a great job.

 

[LynneP]

Nicely done!
Glad your babies are safe...

 

[dixygirl]

ooh gosh reading this is so scary. 1 week and already animals trying to tunnel into the coop. Get some Repels-All or male urine and pour it all around. Maybe that will help.

good luck all