hows my new coop looking?!?!

[codycc13]

Hey guys! we are getting ready to get some chickens so we decided to transform our tree house into a coop!! the chicken wire is buried about 6 inches in the ground and skirted outward a little. the ramp is kinda steep if you cant tell so I am a little worried about that. so the hole and ramp is on the opposite side of the nesting boxes and they will be able to run down and do their thing underneath the tree house whenever they want, it is 360 degrees surrounded. any suggestions would be much appreciated!!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

That is coming along nicely!

Just to let you know though, that the chicken wire will not stop raccoons or dogs. Rats and weasels also will kill chickens, and the only fencing recommended for keeping chickens safe from these predators is 1/2 inch hardware cloth. It is very expensive and thus many of us choose to use chicken wire or other kinds of fencing like welded wire fencing, only as a daytime fencing, with the knowledge that coons could get in anytime they want, and close up the chickens tight at night. My runs are like that.

You definitely want 1/2 inch hardware cloth on the windows of your coop, and to keep your girls locked up at night in the coop. So your chicken wire would be OK to keep the chickens inside the enclosure but will not stop predators.

Additionally, I had some chicken wire buried and it rusted out in just a few short years. I have not tried burying hardware cloth. Some people apron out the hardware cloth (google hardware cloth apron) so they don't have to bury it.

I hope this helps you as you continue with your coop!