Enough ventilation

[U_Stormcrow]

Those dog boxes and partial “coop” are used for nesting boxes or something for my girls to jump up on. I just have the 2x4s for roosting bar.

The only time I feel bad is during monsoon season. I’m sure the rain feels good but the wind can be rough. Hence the plywood back and the block wall to help wind break.

It’s not super predator proof but I have3 big dogs and a fully blocked wall fence and king of a farm land island. I have a few falcons in the area and my roo watches them.

I "saw" those dog boxes as coops - hang out on BYC long enough, and you will see almost everything repurposed as a coop....

 

[Youngstead]

I "saw" those dog boxes as coops - hang out on BYC long enough, and you will see almost everything repurposed as a coop....

Yeah and I have a flock with bielefelders. They like it cause they don’t have to jump up into a nesting box and gives them a little extra room to move around. Works great. Plastic is also easy to clean and sanitize is needed

The “coop” is one of those ones sold at box stores that better suited for a rabbit. I just took the run off and filled the hutch area with pine chips, my neighbor was throwing it away. So I got both things for free. I bought the other 2 nesting boxes from TSC and my welsummers use them. Bielefelders and buckeyes prefer the bigger areas.

 

[Youngstead]

Misters. I keep thinking about them. I tried them one year and the chickens ended up swimming in their run instead of... well, running. Way to much mud created. I still want to do them. I put a mister on my goat, too, and didn't seem to have a problem. I keep threatening to try again but, well -- goats. I have to buy a new sprinkler system... they found a way to get the middle part of the hose to sag just enough...

HOMENOTE Misting Cooling System,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G33MVJ1?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I used these in my hoops at the very top. I only run them during the day. The ground gets a litttle muddy but water on the ground helps cool chickens. Id rather have cool muddy live chickens then hot dusty unalive ones. It’s a trade off when its 120 outside. Lots of frozen watermelon too

 

[Youngstead]

I actually had a coyote pop open my commercially made coop. Not sure how, exactly. The coop itself wasn't damaged, but I lost my entire silkie flock. That's what's got me on my kick for "real" hen housing. I'm going to have to figure out safe shelters for my goats, too. Before, I was only concerned about shade and a place for my hens to lay. I plugged the hole the 'yote used to get in and sprayed mountain lion pee (who'da thunk I'd be buying pee off Amazon one day). Hasn't been back in the yard but I have caught him since on a trail cam sniffin' at the places I've sprayed. So far, he leaves pretty quickly.

My friend in Ajo uses hoop coops as well. He has bobcats, mountain lions, and coyotes. He hasn’t had an issue. Just use hardware cloth (not chicken wire) to reinforce it. The hoops keep big animals out. When I said mine isn’t super predator proof. I could still have raccoons or rats get into mine. I didn’t bury hardware cloth or anything. He did and hes seen coyotes fail and give up.

 

[father0fnine]

My friend in Ajo uses hoop coops as well. He has bobcats, mountain lions, and coyotes. He hasn’t had an issue. Just use hardware cloth (not chicken wire) to reinforce it. The hoops keep big animals out. When I said mine isn’t super predator proof. I could still have raccoons or rats get into mine. I didn’t bury hardware cloth or anything. He did and hes seen coyotes fail and give up.

For the bigger animals, would you even need hardware cloth? I suppose, depends on the size of the squares in the feedlot panel. I know that a paw might reach through but not the animal as a whole, right?

 

[Youngstead]

For the bigger animals, would you even need hardware cloth? I suppose, depends on the size of the squares in the feedlot panel. I know that a paw might reach through but not the animal as a whole, right?

You’re correct. Most of the cattle panels are 4”X4”. Yes a coyote or bigger animal can’t get threw but they could reach through.

I have a malinois that I was afraid she’d stick her snout in. So I put 2’ around the bottom so I didn’t have to worry about it.

For the bigger animals, would you even need hardware cloth? I suppose, depends on the size of the squares in the feedlot panel. I know that a paw might reach through but not the animal as a whole, right?

you’re correct. I put 2’ around the bottom and my shade cloth covers above it. I have a dog that i was worried might nab a bird if they roosted too close or were standing too close to the edge. You wouldn’t have to go hardware cloth. You could do something like this….

Amagabeli Hardware Cloth 48inch x 100ft 2inch Galvanized Before Welding Square Openings 15 Gauge Wire Mesh Fence Roll for Vegetables Garden Netting Rabbit Chicken Coop Animal Enclosure https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HCZKZ2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BCQJ5DD80EATF6A1H3W6

It’s just to tighten up the holes so paws and snouts cant get in. I would bury 2’ under the ground to prevent a determined coyote from digging under. That’s what I used on the front of mine around the wooden door frame. If you decide to do something like mine PM and I’ll take more pics or give you any specs you need. I plan on doing a double wide hoop soon and using the top rail of a chain link fence as a support beam down the middle.