Critter proofing 2 large outdoor coops

[MsVexx]

Hey guys,

I recently lost my entire flock due to critters burrowing 3' deep and 4' into my coops. I've been wracking my brain trying to think of a safe, cost effective way to keep my chickens safe... I thought about putting down hardware cloth but that would be stupid expensive. Then there was the Idea of large plywood boards. Lastly, a friend recommended a thin layer of concrete topped off with plenty of dirt and bedding? Thoughts? Personal experiences?

 

[Weeg]

What we did, was wire building the foundation of the coop, we wrapped the coop from the bottom and then a bit up the sides with harder cloth. Our coop is just wire, but if you coop is wood you can probably staple the hardware cloth to the base. Then, and burrowing predator can't get up though the cloth, because the bottom is blocked.
Concrete would keep them out, but it isn't good on the birds feet. You would have to top it off with a lot of bedding and keep it buried. I think concrete would work too, whatever is easiest or readily available to you. So sorry about your flock! It can be heart breaking.

 

[Alaskan]

Hey guys,

I recently lost my entire flock due to critters burrowing 3' deep and 4' into my coops. I've been wracking my brain trying to think of a safe, cost effective way to keep my chickens safe... I thought about putting down hardware cloth but that would be stupid expensive. Then there was the Idea of large plywood boards. Lastly, a friend recommended a thin layer of concrete topped off with plenty of dirt and bedding? Thoughts? Personal experiences?

What was it, that dug that far?

 

[hayley3]

Hey guys,

I recently lost my entire flock due to critters burrowing 3' deep and 4' into my coops. I've been wracking my brain trying to think of a safe, cost effective way to keep my chickens safe... I thought about putting down hardware cloth but that would be stupid expensive. Then there was the Idea of large plywood boards. Lastly, a friend recommended a thin layer of concrete topped off with plenty of dirt and bedding? Thoughts? Personal experiences?

Picture of your coop?
I used wide pieces of wood and then concrete blocks on top of that but my coop was inside a barn and the wood did not get wet.
I had raccoons that used a tunnel made by a groundhog to get into my coops.

 

[hayley3]

What we did, was wire building the foundation of the coop, we wrapped the coop from the bottom and then a bit up the sides with harder cloth. Our coop is just wire, but if you coop is wood you can probably staple the hardware cloth to the base. Then, and burrowing predator can't get up though the cloth, because the bottom is blocked.
Concrete would keep them out, but it isn't good on the birds feet. You would have to top it off with a lot of bedding and keep it buried. I think concrete would work too, whatever is easiest or readily available to you. So sorry about your flock! It can be heart breaking.

I use fill dirt on top of the concrete, and then add straw...it's working for me and it seems to have made my coop warmer since before I just had shavings on top of the concrete.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Do you know what critter dug into your coop?

 

[cmom]

I have electric wires around my coops and pens. Nothing has gotten past the electric wires.

 

[cmom]

I also have several game cameras up on my property.

 

[aart]

What was it, that dug that far?

Picture of your coop?

Both of these would help a lot....pics of where it dug too.

also @allexisp knowing.....
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[David61]

3' deep 4' in? You need a dog to protect the property .