My First Coop and Run!!

[adelore]

If chicken wire won't keep out othe animals what will that is small enough?

Your chicken tractor looks great.

 

[fantastic4]

Yall are not getting much input here! Lets see...

I personally like my roost covered if it rains at night and winter breezes. Maybe you could consider taking about 6-8 4x4 posts about 2 foot high and lifting your awesome construction. Out with the shelf and in with the roost. Remember a nesting box is not a complicated construction and a small wooden box with top could be attached outside of the roofed area somewhere. As for the roost they are going to be happiest the higher the better.

I would also consider some wheels and you can move it with ease so they can scavage.

Chicken wire works nicely but no will not keep out predators. The #1 cause of death is predators they are helpless in a pen. I do see a nearby dog and he probably does the trick, but if you feel like they may be in danger of predators you have a few solutions...
A coyote can just bite into the chicken wire as can a racoon. (I don't know your list of predators I am in GA) and they are IN. Also diggers such as racoons also.

Consider size of chicks. ok. 2x4 welded wire if not too big is best solution. If you don't want to remove what you have just double it.. squares are 2 in. by 4 in and for standard chicks is plenty small.
As for smaller breeds, take what WE call Hog wire I have no idea if that is right but you have to double that as the squares are about 6x6 but you are keeping out larger predators that could get thru poultry netting. that is small enough for predators not to get thru and probably most inexpensive solution if that is a factor.
Hardware cloth (Rabbit wire) is pricey some about 4 ft tall it is about $2.50 a ft here. But that is hands down pretty much nothing in nothing out.
Last if you ever see evidence of digging from outside I personally add quite a few strands of barbed wire around the pen where they would prick themselves.
Electric fencing around your area is also pretty much a fix all.

Hope this helps you!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[OneLostHen]

Yall are not getting much input here! Lets see...

I personally like my roost covered if it rains at night and winter breezes. Maybe you could consider taking about 6-8 4x4 posts about 2 foot high and lifting your awesome construction. Out with the shelf and in with the roost. Remember a nesting box is not a complicated construction and a small wooden box with top could be attached outside of the roofed area somewhere. As for the roost they are going to be happiest the higher the better.___Thanks for the tip!! We are wanting to lift it for sure. Maybe slide some cinder blocks under it. That is our next step. I would like to figure out something to make the roost higher. They still havent fully figured out what its there for. LOL

I would also consider some wheels and you can move it with ease so they can scavage.____They have full run during the day in their pen. I only put them in the coop at night. So I guess investing in a little stronger material in the only spot I have to keep them safe isnt too bad of an investment. Plus I would like to get a smaller type of wire so birds with smaller feet could be supported easier..

Chicken wire works nicely but no will not keep out predators. The #1 cause of death is predators they are helpless in a pen. I do see a nearby dog and he probably does the trick, but if you feel like they may be in danger of predators you have a few solutions...
A coyote can just bite into the chicken wire as can a racoon. (I don't know your list of predators I am in GA) and they are IN. Also diggers such as racoons also.____Yes, I listen out for our dog to bark out frantically at night. But, should he ever do that, by the time I get there it might be too late. I havent seen any coons (I say as Im knocking on wood). The most we have here is possum and armadillo. But, there are a few coons that end up bein hit in the road a few miles away from me. So I cant count them out fully...

Consider size of chicks. ok. 2x4 welded wire if not too big is best solution. If you don't want to remove what you have just double it.. squares are 2 in. by 4 in and for standard chicks is plenty small.
As for smaller breeds, take what WE call Hog wire I have no idea if that is right but you have to double that as the squares are about 6x6 but you are keeping out larger predators that could get thru poultry netting. that is small enough for predators not to get thru and probably most inexpensive solution if that is a factor.
Hardware cloth (Rabbit wire) is pricey some about 4 ft tall it is about $2.50 a ft here. But that is hands down pretty much nothing in nothing out.____Yea, I originally wanted to do rabbit wire... Till I saw the price of it... Doubling up on to what I have with a little smaller scale of wire seems to be a nice idea.. That way all our work isnt being scrapped away. I know down the road Im wanting to get more birds and I dont want to have to worry about their feet hurting or getting caught in the larger wire also.
Last if you ever see evidence of digging from outside I personally add quite a few strands of barbed wire around the pen where they would prick themselves.
Electric fencing around your area is also pretty much a fix all. I check the fencing every single day! I am paranoid about my babies.... I would like to do more for their safety! I like that our run is fully covered and shaded by overhanging branches. However the house right behind me has 20+ hens that free range their entire backyard everyday without trouble.. That kind of motivated me to let mine run. Although in a smaller area, closer to the house.

Hope this helps you!!!!!!!!!!!___Thank you sooo much!! I know Im a newbie and all, but I appriciate any and all the replies can I get! You gave me alot to think about!

 

[fantastic4]

PM Me if I can help you with anything else Im full of ideas with no time LOL Mom of 4. As long as you don't go into incubating, Im working on mastering that!

 

[OneLostHen]

Well I made some changes to my coop/run. Lifted the run off the ground and added sand to the entire run in hopes to cut down on flies. (Planning on adding DE soon also).

After losing my baby chicks to rats I knew something had to change and improvements were needed.
Here is its Thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/662563/rats-chicks-mourning

I'm not done, but this is a nice start. I like the easily rake-able sand to sift through under the coop after every night, and getting it off the ground will also cut down on ants getting in the coop for any dropped food.. I might invest in one more load to make everything nice and even.

I haven't yet planned a better pen for chicks though... Trying to take it a step at a time.. But the new Chick Pen/Temporary Pen will be 100 times more efficient. It has to be...
We set multiple traps last night and I would like to continue putting all the food away at night for a little while and hopefully force the darn rats to move on. Then see about getting more fuzzies.

Anyways, here are the improvements-


I have a tarp over the coop because we are expected to get alot of rain over the next few days...

As always questions/ comments are welcome!!

 

[belinda2]

Nice progress. I'm in a town SW of you which will remain nameless since chickens are not allowed. I've had chicks since April 14th. It is a work in progress also. My coup is one bought from TSC and the run is a screened box which sits inside raised beds. I plan on moving everything to another raised bed about every 3 months.

 

[tuckertori]

My first curiosity is what kind of predators you have. From the pictures, it doesn't look like your girls would be safe from anything like a racoon or coyote. Do you have any snakes to worry about? They may want a little more weather protection during heavy rains. (but I live near Seattle, Wa.) Have you seen them on the roosts yet? My girls are fairly particular about being on things that aren't very stable. Those look a little small. I actually put 2X4s on bricks and then put weight on top to hold them in place. They like them. I love that you took your bunny house and turned it into a chicken coop!

 

[OneLostHen]

My first curiosity is what kind of predators you have. From the pictures, it doesn't look like your girls would be safe from anything like a racoon or coyote. Do you have any snakes to worry about? They may want a little more weather protection during heavy rains. (but I live near Seattle, Wa.) Have you seen them on the roosts yet? My girls are fairly particular about being on things that aren't very stable. Those look a little small. I actually put 2X4s on bricks and then put weight on top to hold them in place. They like them. I love that you took your bunny house and turned it into a chicken coop!

To my knowledge we dont have any snakes.. And I have not seen any coyote eathier. When it rains I put the tarp over the coop and it has worked well so far!
The roosting sticks are quite thick, though they are no 2X4s. They do sleep on them nightly however! The rabbit turned chicken coop has worked fairly well. I would like to have more room for them ofcourse, as well as room for me to go in when they start laying. But I suppose we can change the set up around to fit our needs.
Thanks for the reply!

Nice progress. I'm in a town SW of you which will remain nameless since chickens are not allowed. I've had chicks since April 14th. It is a work in progress also. My coup is one bought from TSC and the run is a screened box which sits inside raised beds. I plan on moving everything to another raised bed about every 3 months.

Howdy neighbor!!
Yea, I wouldn't have even considered chickens if we weren't outside of city limits.. So I guess we lucked out! I like that you got some anyways!!!
A work in progress is an understatement!! Goodness, every time I go out there I see 5 new things I want to do.. But I know the birds couldn't possibly care any less! LOL As long as they have things to peck at, they are 100% content. But I gotta make it all complicated, tidy and efficient!

Thanks for the replies guys!!