Feeling uneasy about my wife's coop idea

[Cindiloohoo]

Quote:
That could work out really nicely for you! It's cute too

 

[95yj]

i don't know why everyone always disses chicken wire, i know some people have had issues with it but i have used 1in. hex plasticoated for 9 years without a single issue. i know ALOT of people who just use plain hardware cloth without problems. my only regret is not going for 1/2 inch and maybe blocking more chipmunks. Also hawks can fit their talons through 1 in. and grab doves, not an issue with chickens though. Have you considered putting a free standing structure into the run? thats how i do alot of my aviaries, i think its easier than attaching stuff. maybe a dog house.

 

[patandchickens]

To the o.p. -- strong winds need a bit of extra preparation. First, make real sure the whole structure is FIRMLY ANCHORED, especially if you are considering making more of the sides solid using tarps or plywood or whatever. And second, I would suggest adding some diagonal bracing so that the whole thing does not rack out of shape and start to collapse... if much of the sides are covered with plywood, the plywood itself is decent diagonal bracing, but when the sides are mostly mesh it is better to add some wooden diagonal braces to firm the structure up, in high-wind areas.

i don't know why everyone always disses chicken wire, i know some people have had issues with it but i have used 1in. hex plasticoated for 9 years without a single issue.

The reason people "diss" chickenwire is because any time an animal wants to go through it, it will. You can be lucky for an indefinite time, but you never know when your luck will end, and for a lot of people, their luck ends pretty early in the chicken-owning process. Go browse threads in the "Predators and Pests" section of the forum, you will see a lot of people who have lost chickens to dogs or raccoons ripping chickenwire apart. It only has to happen *once*, and you never know when that will be.

Obviously a person can choose to feel ok with this possibility, but it is not something I'd *advise* someone to do, nor would I feel right not warning people about the facts of the matter.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[Shelly_WNC]

Not trying to sound crud here , but this is a quote from a friend of mine in Masarkytown Florida (west central area) when I asked him for some advice on raising chickens yesterday. I think he summed up the need for smaller chicken wire/hardware cloth pretty good:

" The poop also attracts rats. I bet I killed at least 50 of them.
Be sure to use chicken wire that the raccoons can't reach through or they will grab the chicken's head pull it
through the wire and chew it off."

 

[Anianna]

I don't think anybody else mentioned this, but I didn't see any mention of anything like quickcrete in that supplies list. If you have high winds, it might be a good idea to dig post holes and sink the posts with quickcrete. It will make the setup more sturdy and keep it from shifting or falling over in high winds.

 

[crosbygroup]

Quote:
That could work out really nicely for you! It's cute too

I agree - Quick go and buy it before it is gone.

It would be big enough for 5 chickens as long as you build a 50 sq. ft. run.

 

[CityChook]

First,

from MN!

Quote:
Just for comparisons sake, I have a coop similar to the one in your link, although your description sounds like a basic run. My coop cost around $600 for retail materials.

Chickens will need some shelter from the elements. A roof will provide some shelter, but probably not enough. And if you don't plan on cooping them, then hardware wire is going to be a MUST or you won't be a chicken owner for very long.

A word of caution: Most cities will not allow you to build along a fence line. Your coop will likely need to be 5-10 feet off the property line. I recommend calling the city for clarification, especially before you set stuff in concrete. If your neighbors don't approve of what you're doing FOR ANY REASON, and your coop is not up to code, you will be very disappointed when an inspector comes-a-call'n.

No worries - your babies can live in your house while they are little. Heck, my 4 girls lived in a dog crate under my desk for *13 LONG WEEKS* over the summer while we built their coop. Not that I recommend that, but they are safer inside the house while they are little. You can better monitor their heat, etc. - And don't forget that it's always fun to have little babes in the house....

Have fun!

 

[wildorchid053]

i used to live there 22 yrs and even if you don't think so, i know there are raccoons in the neighborhoods.. the chicken wire won't stop them.. you need hardware cloth around your "run". it's also is very windy and the rain will soak those babies if they have no where to get out of it. and it can be chilly.. the wind off the mts when snowy..they definately need some sort of shelter, even a box will work, with a nest and a roost of some sort. you will also have rats in their feed with chicken wire.. and rats bite chickens, steal eggs, etc.. gl and rethink that plan

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

Ok I got to ask where do you think the hens will lay their eggs at your gonna need nesting boxes or you will be eating dirty eggs for sure if you even get eggs My girls like it dark and if you don't have a coop you won't get many eggs besides not having a coop is like you not having a house how about we put you in the yard and say ok it's raining oh well you get wet no biggie or how about if a bear come's around oh well you got chicken wire to protect you. wouldn't you feel safer if you had a house to run into?
Would have a dog tied up outside without a dog house? How about your children would you let them sleep on the floor?
So then why would you not let your chooks have a house to roost in and lay your eggs for you? I'm not meaning for this to sound rude I am just asking is all cause a friend of mine doesn't have any coops for his he just has a yard with a piece of tin at one end for shade and I asked him the same things now he has a coop not a great one but they are out of the weather and guess what he is getting so many eggs now he can't give them away fast enough lol good eggs come from happy hens. so think about it and it doesn't have to be great even a dogloo (the igloo doghouses) The sell tthem at Wal-Mart with straw in it at one end of the yard and a plywood nesting box at the other end of the yard would work.

Good Luck to you which ever way you go.

 

[butterflygrooves]

Ok... As the title of this post says "Feeling uneasy about my WIFE'S coop idea". As I have since posted, I am going to build a Playhouse style coop for my babies. I have a large shed that I am going to dismantle and repurpose the wood for the coop and run.