How to rat-proof my first coop

[chickennewbiegal]

Hello everyone! I'm a brand new chicken owner. Actually I will get my 4 chicks in ten days. One golden sexlink, one barred rock, and two brahma bantams. I've ordered this coop: https://www.urbannorthern.com/colle...ed-w-white-accent-ready-to-ship-late-February
I want to make sure rats can't get under and into the coop. I keep reading about burying wire mesh a foot or so down and all around it. Does this mean I have to dig a foot deep narrow trench around this large coop? The area is full of roots and hard to dig in. Couldn I just buy a large piece of mesh and put it under the coop and up the sides a bit? I read about putting wood down (linoleum or painted) but then they aren't pecking or scratching at the actual ground in their run. Thanks for any advice. Terrified of the rat problem.

 

[CindyinSD]

Welcome to BYC! That's a nice-looking coop/run combo! Congratulations on getting chickens. So much fun! And of course you want to keep your girls safe!

If we had rats, I would get a fairly large mesh (1/2"?) hardware cloth and staple it to the bottom of the run. Just lay the whole thing on its side and staple it on with a pneumatic stapler. They're fairly cheap and dead useful. If you don't have an air compressor, buy a small one. Everybody needs at least one.

Doing this will squash down the grass, but grass isn't going to last long in that little run anyway--not with chickens scratching it. You can give them a larger fenced area for a day yard (or free range if possible), and the coop/run can be their safe place for sleeping, or for hanging out when you are away. I would bed the integral run with straw or pine shavings or leaf litter, etc.--no cedar, though--it can hurt their breathing.

For this "day yard" I'm suggesting, I would use electric poultry netting with a solar energizer. It won't shock the chickens (too many feathers), but it will deliver a smack to the nose of any hungry critter that comes along, thinkin' chicken dinner would sure be good. The other thing about the netting is that it can be moved if you don't like where it is, so it allows you to try out different locations and discover what works best for you.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Rather than burying it, just run some up the sides and attach to coop, then bend in an L shape where it meets the ground and have the wire mesh lie flat on the ground. Secure with landscape staples. That should keep them from burrowing under the base, or chewing their way in right at the bottom.