Is is safe enough?

[silkiechickens8]

Hi,
I have 25 chickens (soon to be 26) and they are my babies. I can't even imagine losing even one of them. I'm not worried about the coop, its the run I'm worried about. My chickens (along with two guinea hens that I tamed) are in the secure coop all night, but at around 10am I let them out (I haven't done this yet. I want to secure the run first) and will bring them back in for the night at around 3ish (that's the time I feed everybody). Right now the run is a dog kennel that I attached to the coop. Is it safe enough? Thanks!

 

[junebuggena]

Don't put them back in the coop for the night until just after sundown. The natural light is how their egg laying cycles are established. It's an important part of their development. If you only let them have 5 hours of daylight every day, you may never get eggs from them.

 

[Phaylen]

I have so much appreciation and respect for how your chickens are your babies. Mine are too, but I will tell you, I used a dog kennel to enclose my coop also, and had the top covered with chicken wire. Still, I had a possm get in, then a skink, then a coon and the latter did the most horrific things to my hen who was still alive when i found her and looking around, but her legs were torn off and she was partly disemboweled. The coon was trying to attack the other one when i caught it but it ran off. You have to make it like fort knox or the heartache as a consequence is palpable. I pray you have better luck than I did my friend.

 

[drumstick diva]

Dog runs have wire too widely spaced for chicken safety. Raccoons can easily reach in and bite off any body part they can snag (I hate coons). If you use they you keep to back them with 1/2" hardware cloth run up from ground to about 18"-24" up the sides. There are often gaps between gates and posts, that are large enough to permit smaller predators like weasels, minks, etc. so you have to wire them up also. You need good solid latches, raccoons have opposable thumbs that can operate any latch, you can.

They also are very clever and determined and will spend hours figuring out all the loopholes in your system. They dig, climb, jump down from roof or tree branches and don't take no for an answer. A strong run cover is necessary also in my opinion. It will also keep out raptors. If you have windows in the coop, they need to be backed by strongly attached hardware cloth as well. Also all ventilation forms need to be backed by wire. Coops sitting on bare ground will invite rat and mouse tunneling underneath.

Chicken wire only keeps chickens inside. It does nothing to keep predators out. It is flimsy and they can tear through it like butter when so inspired. If it's legal in your area run a few strands of electrified fencing around - low, mid height and near top of run.

 

[junebuggena]

A dog kennel is safe enough, just understand that it is not raccoon proof so you will need to put everyone back in the coop at night.

 

[RonP]

You will have to access your situation and take the responsibility should a loss occur.

I have never heard anyone on this list say their coop or run is oversecured, just how well they sleep at night.

Seems if you are asking, you know you are questionable...

Personally, my run is as secure as my coop.

It was designed to withstand an attack by a 200 pound renegade domestic dog (all six sides), my biggest fear in my neighborhood.

I sleep with both eyes closed.

 

[junebuggena]

No such thing as safe enough where I am. If a bear wants my chickens, nothing short of a solid concrete coop will stop it.

 

[RonP]

No such thing as safe enough where I am. If a bear wants my chickens, nothing short of a solid concrete coop will stop it.

Not familiar with bears...

Do they normally attack chickens??

 

[junebuggena]

Bears will eat anything. There are several nuisance bears in my area. So far motion activated lights and a coop close to the house has been enough of a deterrent. But they will go to great lengths to get to something they like.