Checking out all the coops/ runs on BYC, I was thinking how much it reminded me of my dog breeding days and the exercise pens, whelping pens, crates etc. I have no idea where they went to but, some would have been fantastic for preditor protection.
I used to have the old Kennel-Aire brand from Minnesota (was on Snelling st. I seem to remember) they had the more solid, escape proof crates etc. you could buy. Heavy gauge and very small openings - like hardware cloth on steroids. The latching mechanism would have foiled a college educated coon.
In particuliar they had a product I loved. It was called Puppy-aire and intended as a whelping pen to hold grump and puppies. It was the size of an xl dog cage with a removable partition so you could use to house 2 dogs instead. Two doors with the great latches. and a top of same material you could swing backwards to leave open (to tend to mama & pups) It also had strong metal legs that could be adjusted to any height on the product sides.
Wow would that have been great for a few chickens.Could kick myself for not holding onto it . Of course I stopped breeding dogs in l980 , and ended up hybridizing streptocarpus plants instead.
Don't mean to babble on and on but, wanted to bring this out in case anyone finds Kennel Aire brand crates, folding exercise pens(you could also buy the top), puppy aires etc. on Craigs list or anywhere else. They are solid, well made and probably could stand up to preditors less than a bear. A coon could not get their crummy fingers in to do any grabbing.
I used to have the old Kennel-Aire brand from Minnesota (was on Snelling st. I seem to remember) they had the more solid, escape proof crates etc. you could buy. Heavy gauge and very small openings - like hardware cloth on steroids. The latching mechanism would have foiled a college educated coon.
In particuliar they had a product I loved. It was called Puppy-aire and intended as a whelping pen to hold grump and puppies. It was the size of an xl dog cage with a removable partition so you could use to house 2 dogs instead. Two doors with the great latches. and a top of same material you could swing backwards to leave open (to tend to mama & pups) It also had strong metal legs that could be adjusted to any height on the product sides.
Wow would that have been great for a few chickens.Could kick myself for not holding onto it . Of course I stopped breeding dogs in l980 , and ended up hybridizing streptocarpus plants instead.
Don't mean to babble on and on but, wanted to bring this out in case anyone finds Kennel Aire brand crates, folding exercise pens(you could also buy the top), puppy aires etc. on Craigs list or anywhere else. They are solid, well made and probably could stand up to preditors less than a bear. A coon could not get their crummy fingers in to do any grabbing.
