Need expert advice from you all on coop design

[BiggKountry]

Hi everyone....Here is a picture of the coop I am building for my chickens. I am using white poly roof sheets for the roof. My question is for the netting. The plans I have call for hardware cloth 1" squares to be used. That stuff is hard to find by me. Can I use poultry netting or something like that? My predator situation is minimal. I live in the city so no raccoons, foxes, etc.

What are your opinions?

Thanks

 

[Davaroo]

By the look of it, you dont need much help from us. You're doing great!

Use whatever will keep the chickens in, and wont break your wallet. Plain old chicken wire mesh will work. More is hardly needed where there are no seriouspreator issues.
You have already gotten too fancy, in fact... the chickens wont respect you any more, I assure you. Keep it simple.

I'm wondering about the roof, though. How do you plan to give it a pitch, with those corrugated panels?

 

[BiggKountry]

Chicken wire it is then......As far the roof goes....it has a pitch on it. The rafters are 8' 2x6 that I ripped from corner to corner. The picture doesn't show it that well, but there is a pitch there.

Thanks for lookin' out.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
I see it now. Youre gonna be alright, me thinks.

 

[chookchick]

What city do you live in? You may have coons (or possums) that you haven't seen yet as they haven't had a reason to hang out in your backyard. With that nice a coop, I would hate to see you have any issues. I would go with welded wire just to be on the safe side (plus it looks nicer).

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
I have two words for you when it comes to these guys: electric wire.

 

[BiggKountry]

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I live in Tulare, Claifornia. It is all dairy and agriculture around here. All that I have been able to locate is 1/2" welded wire. I am afraid that would make the coop too dark too see into. Plus that fencing is way expensive. It would cost a small fortune.

 

[sherrydeanne]

I'd do 2x3, 2x4 or similar garden wire (found at most big hardware stores) for the buried part and the bottom 2 feet or so. From the ground up, use chicken wire as well, so the bottom two feet will be both the larger heavier wire and chicken.
Won't cost you a ton but will give them a lot more protection

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
I live in Tulare, Claifornia. It is all dairy and agriculture around here. All that I have been able to locate is 1/2" welded wire. I am afraid that would make the coop too dark too see into. Plus that fencing is way expensive. It would cost a small fortune.

Regular poultry netting will do well where there are no serious predators. Its intent is to keep chickens IN, after all.
If you have many worrisome wild predators up there in Tulare, I'd be surprised. The San Juaquin Valley may have raccoons around drainage ditches, skunks and foxes here and there and probably raptors, but I would restrict my concerns to the neighborhood dogs.

If you are new to chickens in the city, know that man's best friend is your birds' worst enemy. That includes your own beloved pet hound dogs. In a word, dogs are to be considered as 'trouble', Prepare against them and you will go a long way against all but attack from the air.

Here's a little thread to encourage you on this score:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=166505

 

[Ridgerunner]

Quote:
I suggest you talk to your county extension agent and ask what chicken predators live in your area. I suspect you will be shocked. Don't forget, neighbor's dogs are predators. If you are in agricultural and dairy country, I'd expect foxes, raccoons, weasels, possibly coyotes and others.

I lived in suburban New Orleans (Metairie, actually). It was not unusual to see raccoons entering the storm drains in the morning before dawn as I was driving to work. I trapped a possum in my fenced-in residential back yard.