Is it even possible

[mountainlover]

To keep predators from eating my chickens? We are building a coop, and a run, with coop inside on 3 sides, and run with 4x4's and all hardware cloth, even top. Then burried hardware cloth, along with bricks and big rocks. I've got two traps set in advance and dispatched one huge male raccoon, but get this: the chicks are still in the house in brooder. The other day, we opened the windows as it was such a nice day, and we sat down by the windows to play with our chicks, and within FIVE MINUTES, my baby girl just 2 yelled out "fox!!" And I looked and right out my window was a red fox. Daylight hours. Must have heard the cheaps from the chicks!! It came almost to my window but then it spooked when it heard us and then just went a bit away and sat down! I don't want to go to all this expense and time and care invested only to lose our pets to raccoons, foxes, and bobcats. I'm sure we even have more, but I've seen all those with my eyes on my acre. Is it possible to protect them???

 

[cameronfarm]

Chickens make great pets / backyard companions. However they are very easy prey. Losses are a part of owning chickens for most people. You can only go so far to protect them and from reading your post it sounds like you have gone the whole 9. If the pen is full enclosed (including the top), and buried, and the coop is solid with a door you should be in pretty good shape.

 

[mountainlover]

Ok good! I couldn't believe how fast that fox appeared and it sure worried me!