"just a coop"

[k625]

I just got done building my chicken coop, it is 8x8x8, wire on the floor and sides and a metal roof. 8 inch tall boards on the sides so hopefully no raccoons can reach in or anything, although yard is fenced. I see all these great pictures of people with the coop and then a hen house attached. I dont have a house like that for them or anything, just wire on all 4 sides. They are silkies and I live in Fl so a hen house really wouldnt be necessary? The lady I bought them from raises all her chickens like this, but I wanted some opinons. LEt me know what you guys think please.

 

[DoctorGoose]

We had a coop like that too, before I built on a henhouse. We ended up sticking a little rabbit hutch or something on the inside, so they would feel safe at night--with a little perch, and they would go inside at night, but we'd leave the door to the hutch open.

 

[speckledhen]

What type of wire openings are on the walls? An 8" board is not going to be tall enough to stop a raccoon from reaching over. They do stand on their hind legs and they can climb really well.

 

[k625]

The wire on the side is 1" by 1", I have never seen ANY wild life in the back yard, so im hoping they wont clib the fence or anything, but once they here some chickens out there you never know. I think with the wire that small even if they grabbed a bird they would not be able to pull it through. But i just dont know since iver never done this before. I really appreciate all the help.

 

[TxChiknRanchers]

if they get their "hands" on a bird they will pull that part off, head, foot whatever

 

[k625]

YIKES!!

 

[TxChiknRanchers]

Yes, sorry, if you find headless birds in the coup it is "rocky" that is to blame!

 

[rooster-red]

Quote:
They will come in the backyard when they smell the chickens. Count on it.
With 1" wire a coon can get his whole arm in.
Once he pulls one over to the wire and pulls an wing/leg/head off and gets a taste he'll stop at nothing to get in.
They climb very well.
If you've never handled one, they are very strong for their size.

 

[k625]

what do you guys suggest that I do to make this thing more coon proof? Should I put a box in there for them to get into, like a large cat box, or wood box or something?

 

[TxChiknRanchers]

One idea that works is 1/2 " hardware cloth up as far as you can afford to put it up to three feet I suppose.

Thats on the out side of the run/coop area