HELP!!! Need a quick throw together "brooder" for babies and momma

[MakMurrayFarm]

I had all of my girls and their week and 3 day old chicks in what I thought was a SAFE coop ! After years... I was wrong. A large king snake got in, killed several babies and one of my sweet girls that was co parenting with my other hen. I'm devastated. Just finished burying her.... I need a quick way to throw together a SAFE mini coop for my one hen and her surviving babies. I have bought 25 feet of hardware cloth and wood. Now how do I make something quick for them that will be safe? I bought plywood for the top and hardware for the ENTIRE brooder coop. Please help!!

 

[Elsveta641]

Sorry for your loss. I'd build a Aframe. They are easy and mine is the only one predators never have been able to RIP open. We built it for quail, but makes a great brooder. Here's one sold for bunnies. Ours is like this but 2'H 3'W and 6'long and the floor is solid, plywood with steel flashing nailed over it to be easy to clean. And on ours the entire front side is the door, with regular door hinges on top.

 

[aart]

I had all of my girls and their week and 3 day old chicks in what I thought was a SAFE coop ! After years... I was wrong. A large king snake got in, killed several babies and one of my sweet girls that was co parenting with my other hen. I'm devastated. Just finished burying her.... I need a quick way to throw together a SAFE mini coop for my one hen and her surviving babies. I have bought 25 feet of hardware cloth and wood. Now how do I make something quick for them that will be safe? I bought plywood for the top and hardware for the ENTIRE brooder coop. Please help!!

Pics of what you have now would help.

 

[Folly's place]

I use a large pet airline crate, and for bantam chicks I add duct tape along the bottom rows of the door. It needs to be the BIG crate, so raccoons can't reach inside and kill everyone.
Would that work for your snake invader?
Otherwise, build something big enough and sturdy enough, with no openings larger than 1/2" diameter.
Mary

 

[archeryrob]

We have a used rabbit hutch we got for free and just cleaned it up. There are many of them on Facebook marketplace.

 

[chickens really]

Prefab Coop or something quickly made from plywood with a wire top.

 

[MakMurrayFarm]

I have built something for the time being... but I'm not satisfied with it. I honestly hate it. Their other coop was so nice and this just sucks. They cant scratch the ground etc. I have EVERYTHING hardware cloth with wood around too. But i dont like it. Now I need a new one lol this may be an emergency coop, but I need something better lol

 

[slippednfell]

I use a very large dog crate. I used 1/2" hardware cloth and zip ties to go around the entire thing, including the bottom, under the pull out tray. I use a bungee cord to keep the tray in, as something has pulled it out partway in the past to get inside. I use some dowel rod at two different levels for them to roost on. I used zip ties to secure these in place. We put a piece of plywood on top to give more shade and protect from rain. It sits on a piece of plywood that is raise up a little by cement blocks.

I would've put money on this that it is predator proof, but there is one little spot near the door that something managed to squeeze it's little claw into and we lost one. Haven't lost any since. Be sure to go crazy using the zip ties. you can't have too many.

 

[sealer39]

Is it possible to secure the old nice coop until you can plan better for the new one?

 

[MakMurrayFarm]

Is it possible to secure the old nice coop until you can plan better for the new one?

I'm honestly terrified to even attempt that. That would be a nice idea, and would be perfect. I have no clue WHERE or even how the snake got in. Tin roof, full hardware cloth and wood. Etc... Like I just dont know. But in way too terrified to put them back out there. Their literally on my porch with a baby monitor. Paranoid? Maybe. But this has rocked me. I will not have a snake eat my hens and my poor babies.