Is a coop necessary?

[Judy]

Here is a thread you might want to look at, about 3 sided coops that people in warm climates use. Years ago, people in colder climates used similar structures.

If you can predator proof your pen with hardware cloth, you may have a fine setup, depending on your climate.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=163417

 

[mdbokc]

Coops and wintertime. Link to article on some basic issues...
http://smallfarm.about.com/od/farmanimals/a/winter_coop.htm

 

[wildorchid053]

we live in upstate ny with very cold long winters so we insulated our coop.. we also have racoons and other predators.. chickens aren't very bright and will come to the fence to check out anything.. my dog.. cat.. whatever.. i have heard of raccoons and weasles reaching through and grabbing them and ripping off their heads for fun.. not eating them.. so i would definately put hardware 1/2" the biggest hole size..on the bottom half of your place and 12" into the ground so they can't dig under and get in. gl with your babies

 

[cmom]

My brother's chickens don't have a coop they just live in his barn.

 

[kuntrychick]

Thanks, y'all!

We're going to fix our chicken pen up a little more this weekend. Right now they seem to be doing alright. Hubby has boarded up a few places between the roof and the kennel so no predator can get through there. We might need to do something around the bottom perimeter of the kennel for digging animals but when hubby had put this thing up (for our dog that ended up never using it), he did dig a small trench-like area and placed the kennel there to level it up.

We're in Alabama in a real rural area. I've seen a few racoons lately on the roads lately that have been run over and possums and those hard-shell possum looking things...what are those...armadillos? , but haven't seen any around here anywhere close to the house. Our outside dog would probably keep anything run off...he keeps just about everything run off (including deer which hubby is mad about...lol). So maybe they'll be alright at least until we can build something better.