Hardware cloth eating predators?

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

We have bears in the mountains of NC but I've never seen one on our farm. We have seen foxes, racoons, deer, hawks, and bobcats. Since we started building the coop we've seen foxes three times. It's very good to hear that they shouldn't be able to tear apart the hardware cloth.

I like the idea of a game camera. We have one; I'll use it near the coop to see what comes to visit. Also, will plan to use padlocks.

Now, I'm going to calculate the cost of the first dozen eggs.

 

[kcsunshine]

Don't! You'll never get over it! I calculated it would take years to make back my money. Just enjoy your birds.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I'm so glad we don't have trouble with bears. If we did, we would be getting an electric fence in a hurry.

Staples have been pulled out of wood by smaller predators than bears. We're fond of using screws with washers to attach hardware cloth. Some people put a strip of wood over the hardware cloth and screw through that. For anyone that has only used staples to attach it, you can always go back and screw it down in a few places to make it more secure. I'd especially look at the bottom couple of feet where raccoon would be.

 

[Amiga]

WoodlandWoman,

Thanks for the advice. I assembled the first three sections of fence with washers and screws at corners and in the center, with staples (a.k.a. poultry nails) every four to six inches in between. Then I began to wonder what the advantage was to the washers and screws so I used roofing nails to hold the hw cloth in place, then nailed all around.

I have more washers and screws.

Need to make a punch list to finish up.

Then I need to get the electric fence set up. We have very stony ground, which is fine except when one wishes to drive something like a ground rod or fence post in.

 

[nelgkel]

Quote:
GOOD ADVICE!!! sometimes it is better not knowing!

 

[bad_coffee]

162 dozen eggs before I make my money back.

I figure any predator (other than humans) that can eat through HW cloth deserves a chicken dinner

 

[Dingo]

I dont think bear are that big of an issue. Back when I had my ducks I'd lock them up at night and no feed was left outside or in the coop. several times we had bear walk right by their run and coop and going by the prints the bear didn't even bother to stop and sniff. I wouldn't put it past our current bear though, he's a humanized massive boar that likes to get into the neighbors trash, though he didn't get their ducks a coon did. But they didn't lock their birds up either.

 

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

Quote:
I've bought every washer the local hardware store had We used screws and washers every five inches. I don't think the screen could be pulled out. Short of ripping holes in the hardware cloth, don't think it's going anywhere. It's the thought of somehow knawing or clawing through it that has concerned me. I'm starting to feel better

 

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

Quote:
No longer true!!!!!!!!! My husband saw a bear this past weekend on our property about 200 yards from the house and chicken coop. I'm really trying not to worry about this. So far, we have had no problem with the multitude of predators that live around here.