Just when you think you’re safe...

[ValerieJ]

We haven’t. The only electric we have out there is for a cozy coop heater that’s plugged into an extension cord then into the garage, which is separate from our house. We did try a heated water bowl our first winter and that shorted out and would’ve burned the whole coop down if my hubby hadn’t been home to hear the pop.

Sounds like a bad option for you. Don't think I would run an electric fence on an extension cord. You'd have to run electricity out there.

 

[Monkeysmom5018]

Sounds like a bad option for you. Don't think I would run an electric fence on an extension cord. You'd have to run electricity out there.

We plan on it eventually. But we’re ina. Fixer upper and i need a new kitchen first lol

 

[Folly's place]

When the electrician is out for your kitchen, get a quote on power to the coop!
Mary

 

[ValerieJ]

We plan on it eventually. But we’re ina. Fixer upper and i need a new kitchen first lol

I hear that!!! First thing we did when we bought this house was to pull out the stove!! I wouldn't cook until we did. We didn't get chickens for a year because of the projects we wanted to get done.

 

[Folly's place]

After living here for 27 years, we got that new kitchen last year! Wonderful, and way overdue.
Mary

 

[pdw]

Yeah i know, thus the welded wire behind it. Regardless, it pulled my girl through the chain link.

You seriously need redo your coop You need 1/4 gage hard cloth wire. Chain link is too big and racoons and other predators rip chicken wire likes tissue paper.

 

[Monkeysmom5018]

You seriously need redo your coop You need 1/4 gage hard cloth wire. Chain link is too big and racoons and other predators rip chicken wire likes tissue paper.

Our coop is made out of plywood. The only section of our run that is chain link is a 3/3 gate which has since been covered over in 1/2” hardware cloth. Thanks.

You seriously need redo your coop You need 1/4 gage hard cloth wire. Chain link is too big and racoons and other predators rip chicken wire likes tissue paper.

 

[Monkeysmom5018]

When the electrician is out for your kitchen, get a quote on power to the coop!
Mary

I’m like the shoemakers wife. He’s a commercial construction worker with friends in every field yet I’ve waiting 15 years for a new kitchen...but I have my chickens and an amazing coop so I try not to complain

 

[ValerieJ]

I’m like the shoemakers wife. He’s a commercial construction worker with friends in every field yet I’ve waiting 15 years for a new kitchen...but I have my chickens and an amazing coop so I try not to complain

I understand.

 

[Eggscaping]

Also I'd add hardware cloth to your upper wall vents, and anywhere there's an opening larger than 1/2" diameter. We secure it with fence staples to the framing, and then screw 1x4" boards on top.
It's hard to overbuild, when it comes to predator protection.
Mary

True that! We figure the hardware cloth alone for the upcoming coop/run will be the most expensive part of the whole thing - probably more than all the lumber, and New Boots is planning an 8x8 chicken coop - part of it being for storing feed, integration "see but don't touch'' area and so on. The run will be about 24x8. Add up all the cost of hardware cloth for that and you can see it's going to be a damn spendy endeavor!!