Hardware cloth

[curlycropchics]

Hello and I am a true beginner here! We are building a pen/run as well as a coop that can be moved. So our idea was that we would get a portable coop and then build a pen that it can go in for night time. We live in an area with fox, racoon and yes the allusive Minks. I have heard the horror stories and we are trying to be vigilant at building a strong and secure area for our chickens.

The portable coop will be fully enclosed and only used when we are home and out. NOT that it will stop something that wants to try but keep our chances down of an all out daytime killing. We will have the larger pen where they can also go out and get more space as well sleep in a much more secure area. I know that we should use hardware cloth, should i put it all the way to the top of the run??It will probably be about 10x5 and about maybe 6 ft high. Do we fully go up and over? I am aware that Wessels can climb.

We are going to place buried cloth as well about foot out and then the coop itself will be reinforced all around with hardware cloth.

THANKS

 

[Farmgirl1878]

Personally, I think it’s easier to build a permanent coop with an attached run. If you want to also build a portable run (aka chicken tractor) where your flock can hang out with you, that’s always fun too. Where are you located, how many birds will you have, how much time can you devote to the care, feeding, and clean up of your flock, and what are your goals (pets, breakfast poopers, sell eggs, etc.)?

 

[NatJ]

We are building a pen/run as well as a coop that can be moved. So our idea was that we would get a portable coop and then build a pen that it can go in for night time.

Sounds like a good plan!

But just to avoid confusion:

On this forum, people usually say "coop" to mean the safe place the chickens sleep. It protects them from predators and weather, has nestboxes for egg laying, and they also stay there in the daytime during bad weather (rain, snow, etc).

"Run" is an outdoor place that has a fence and maybe a roof (solid or mesh), that the chickens use in the daytime in good weather.

And the portable structure you were calling a "coop" is typically called a "portable run" or "chicken tractor" or just "tractor." (Why chicken tractor? Because some guy built one and wrote a book. He said the chickens could plow his soil like a tractor--which isn't really true, but the name stuck.)

It's technically true that any kind of pen for chickens could be called a "coop," but people here have gotten in the habit of using the word in a more limited way, and it can get confusing until you get used to it

We will have the larger pen where they can also go out and get more space as well sleep in a much more secure area. I know that we should use hardware cloth, should i put it all the way to the top of the run??It will probably be about 10x5 and about maybe 6 ft high. Do we fully go up and over? I am aware that Wessels can climb.

We are going to place buried cloth as well about foot out and then the coop itself will be reinforced all around with hardware cloth.

Yes, covering the top is a good plan if you want it truly secure.
Yes, your plan for hardware cloth around the base should work too.

It looks like you're being quite thorough in your planning.