Guantanamo Coop™ | Predator Defense Ideas?

[Usernamium]

hey BYC! so im stating to make coop plans, i have land and underground predators to worry about. (mostly foxes, raccoons and black bears, along with egg murderers: snakes and rats) im making "Guantanamo Coop" because getting the right type of chicken in canada is hard (or impossible) but american chickens are just plain expensive, but more diverse. anyway, anyone have any good ideas to defend against burrowers and black bears? cant use electric fencing. here are some of my ideas i thought up: (some people probably use these already, not sure if they are original)




1. Paw Spike Things™

you know how police have those nail thingys they throw on the ground to deflate tires? i was thinking putting out spiked wooden planks around the perimeter to stop/wound bears and foxes that dare come close, along with thermal cameras and mud trenches to get a paw print to see what im dealing with.

2. Coop Tank™

basically just armouring up my coop with scrap metal from my fathers autobody business.

3. Potato Cannon™

scaring bears away with the power of potatos!

4. Firecrackers/Homemade Explosives™

same idea as the potato cannon.

6. just extending the fence into the ground™

7. Animal Control™


anyone else have any other ideas?

your assistance is appreciated.












™

 

[sunflour]

We don't have bears in our area ( at least not yet), but here's an article that may help: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/bear-chicken-predators-how-to-protect-your-chickens-from-bears

IMO bears would be your largest threat. Using 1/2 inch hardware cloth covering on every opening and surrounding the coop/run with a ground perimeter buried or weighted down and a roof on all, will keep out all the others you mentioned. Most threads on bears state that the electric fence is the only deterrent - they can rip thru everything else possible. And storing feed remotely is recommended so they don't smell it and get invited in.

With that much predator threats, I would raise them confined and allow to range in a controlled environment with supervision.

 

[Usernamium]

okay, electric fencing. now that i think of it, electric fencing would solve alot of problems, see, my dog is actually traumatized by wires, he bit one and... well... yeah... he wont even go into the basement unless he had to, so one shock from those would scare him off for good, hope he dosent have learn that the hard way, poor guy.

 

[daddyman]

Get the potato cannon in any case.

Nothing says "fun" like high speed tubers!