Million coop questions

[gemd]

eek. we even have mountain lions but our fence is too high for them, phew. I am looking at building a coop or using a kids' playhouse if i can find one big enough. Whatever I get, is either pick-it-up outside wood at the hardware store, or amazon.com as my family cannot afford to get corona virus as we have low immunity. so that limits my coop potential, and we dont have, say, $600 for one. So I mut be resorceful.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I built my coop outof scrap wood from disassembled lawn mower shipping crates i got for free from home depot. We have black bears and plenty of them.
Welded wire will not work for a coop wall. It offers no protection from the elements. A bear found its way through the gate and into my garden (protected by an 8ft welded wire fence) last November. Apparently, it could not find itsway back out again and triedto climb the fence. It was heavy enough to bend 2 steel T-posts over to the ground and tore the welds of the wire fencing. Better to use it for securing widows or ventilation openings. It can be used as the wall of your run as a "1st defense" so long as the coop is locked up at night inside.
When dealing with large predators, you'll need to beef up security.

I haven't heard of a fence too tall for a mountain lion to climb. You may be surprised by a visitor once the smell of fresh prey fills the air.

 

[gemd]

I built my coop outof scrap wood from disassembled lawn mower shipping crates i got for free from home depot. We have black bears and plenty of them.
Welded wire will not work for a coop wall. It offers no protection from the elements. A bear found its way through the gate and into my garden (protected by an 8ft welded wire fence) last November. Apparently, it could not find itsway back out again and triedto climb the fence. It was heavy enough to bend 2 steel T-posts over to the ground and tore the welds of the wire fencing. Better to use it for securing widows or ventilation openings. It can be used as the wall of your run as a "1st defense" so long as the coop is locked up at night inside.
When dealing with large predators, you'll need to beef up security.

I haven't heard of a fence too tall for a mountain lion to climb. You may be surprised by a visitor once the smell of fresh prey fills the air.

Luckily we have had luck so far with 6' solid fence against mountain lions. Before we had chickens, we lived where many lions and bears were and they never got to our pets or kids, thank goodness, utnwe would find tracks in the driveway. We now live where there are supposedly no mountain lions but one was hit by a car and killed about 3 miles from us, our neighbor had a horse attacked by one a few years ago, and my husband saw one over by where that one was killed. So they are here in small numbers.

 

[texsuze]

As others have suggested, spend some hours looking through the coop designs and photos here at BYC to get ideas. Chicken wire is worthless--go with the best possible materials even if it means acquiring things in small steps over the spring/summer. Build bigger than you think you need, too.

IMHO, don't be in a huge hurry to get this done--you will be paying for it later in the form of chickens lost to predator attacks, and endlessly patching up shortcuts taken in building your coop and run. Is there a Habitat ReStore store near you? They have loads of repurposed building materials/supplies of all types. Perhaps start gathering your components, in addition to good quality used wooden pallets for a source of materials.

Penny wise, pound foolish certainly applies here.

 

[Mtnboomer]

Luckily we have had luck so far with 6' solid fence against mountain lions. Before we had chickens, we lived where many lions and bears were and they never got to our pets or kids, thank goodness, utnwe would find tracks in the driveway. We now live where there are supposedly no mountain lions but one was hit by a car and killed about 3 miles from us, our neighbor had a horse attacked by one a few years ago, and my husband saw one over by where that one was killed. So they are here in small numbers.

Im glad for your good fortune, but 6ft is not much for a mtn lion to jump. I hope your luck continues

 

[aart]

Luckily we have had luck so far with 6' solid fence against mountain lions.

6' is nothing for a mountain lion.