Help with chicken coop and run

[jjchickmom]

This weekend, we plan on gathering the supplies for our coop and run. We were wondering if this sounds secure. Keep in mind we live in the country by a river and have tons of predators.

We are going to start with a 10x10 dog kennel. We are going to run hardware wire on the ground below the kennel edges and hold them down with 6 inch landscaping staples. We are doing it this way so we can move the enclosure from time to time. This is to keep the foxes and coyotes from digging in.

We are also going to wrap the bottom of the chain link fence with 3-4 ft of hardware wire that is zip tied on to prevent raccoons from reaching in and grabbing chickens.

We are going to run chicken wire along the top as a cover to keep owls, hawks and turkey vultures out.

We are going to buy a large Ecoflex Fontana coop. I like that we can take it apart with easy and powerwash it as needed. We will probably upgrade how it latches just incase a critter get in at night.

I understand nothing is completely secure but I think this would work. What do you think?

 

[jjchickmom]

I was thinking that the gap that is always between the gate and side could be filled with a pool noodle or a large pipe insulator that has a slit cut into it to put on the gap area and maybe zip tied in a few spots. Then we could remove it if necessary.

 

[cholland]

I have 12 chickens and an assortment of predators. Fox, resident Cooper's hawk, raccoons, coyote, etc. Here's what works for me.

A 4x8 coop that is rodent and predator proof. Hardware cloth on windows, automatic door. Maximum security for night time. I keep a PVC feeder and small water in there. No feed left outside overnight.
Right off the coop I have a 12x8 run that is mostly secure. 2x4 welded wire, with a clearish corrugated fiberglass roof for some shade and rain protection.
From there I can use tunnels and a hoop coop to move them around or I can open the small run into a 40x50 fenced area. The fenced area is also welded wire and is covered with 2 inch poultry net. Nylon type not wire.

We have a dog and someone is usually home so the daytime threat is really only the hawks. They have definitely checked it out but I have not had any losses. At night in the coop they are safe from everything but a bear. And those are not a problem here.

We have mice and rats everywhere but I keep the feed in a metal garbage can and in the coop. No rodent problems in the chicken area. I'll feed stuff outside during the day, but the girls eat all that.

If I ever do get a problem my next step would be an electric fence charger and some wire.

 

[jjchickmom]

VICTORY!!! Full bowl of cat food inside the run and no damage!

 

[ScottandSam]

IF you have ways to get rid of them I would. otherwise you kind of showed them there will be food there. At least if there is that many around you he spilled chicken feed Im sure would bring them back. And you really don't want them around all the time Lots of poop.

Scott

 

[blackdog043]

Have the neighbor kid trap and sell the fur! Don't off them somewhere else.

 

[debid]

I have a dog kennel run that gets a lot of larger predator attention. The hardware cloth down low keeps everything out for now but if any of the smaller critters get the notion to climb, the stuff will hit the fan. I'd like to 1) reinforce the upper part with the smaller wire and 2) rebuild the doors to shrink the gap around them. We haven't had weasel/mink/marten attention yet but it's a definite worry.

 

[debid]

Thanks I have not seen to many minks/weasels on my street. I saw one by the swamp but there is a neighbor that free ranges chickens over there. She has tons so I am guessing they are not a problem. The other predators are around. The foxes (seen one visit yard), Coyotes (hear them visit the yard and hear them chase prey at night), raccoons (a mama nests in our yard), hawks/turkey vultures (see them all of the time) and river otters (have not seen by house but have seen by the river).

As I understand it, the weasels do their chicken killing at night -- chickens are easy targets while sleeping.

Turkey vultures startle the chickens but they don't harm them. Ditto on the bald eagles if you're lucky enough to have them around.

Hawks are another story. The migration comes through in fall and early spring and that's the worst because a hungry migratory hawk is bolder than a year-round resident. I have to severely limited ranging seasonally or there will be losses. I had a stubborn northern goshawk this year that was just relentless. I even caught it perched on the coop roof watching the run. The chickens were cowering inside because a wire roof doesn't make them feel secure. Add to my "I wish" remodeling list a run roof.

 

[debid]

So, I'm wondering... If you have to make all kinds of modifications, is it worth buying a prefab? Why not just build it how you want?

 

[jjchickmom]

Security is working so far. We were sitting in the livingroom and saw the solar security lights go off. We attached 4 of them to the run. We watched for a few minutes and saw a raccoon walk around the run looking for a way in. It ran off after about 5 minutes of checking it out. It had the scent of chicken poop, rabbit poop and cat food attracting it. We plan on leaving the cat food and other yummy treats in the run for the next week to watch the activity and to see if we have any weaknesses.