Need pictures/ideas for predator proof run*

[twentynine]

Predator proof run?

Goodluck!

What ever you decide to build, add more to it and reinforce it again. The predators have the advantage, they are hungry, determined and they have all night to figure out how to get in. And in the case of large feral or free roaming dogs they have the strength to bust almost anything.

It is my belief that any "predator proof" run is only a temporary thing, either the predators haven't figured it out yet, or you haven't had the wrong predator try to get in yet.

Add a electric fence to whatever you build.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

I say use hard ware cloth on the bottom 2 -3 feet of the run, then use a skirt of hardware cloth or welded wire about 2 feet out on the ground beside it, but dig you a trench about 2-3 inches deep, put down the wire flat on the dug out earth, and then cover the skirt with the dirt. I did that with my permant coop and helped my neighbor do his. We have a bunch of dogs (me - 2 and my neighbors have about 20 hunting dogs) and the hunting dogs get loose alot, but they aren't really interested in the chickens but Just in case i made them dog proof. Good strong hardware cloth thats good and tightly fit securely will deter a dog from trying to get in, make sure your door is good and secure (best thing to do is get a locking latch of some sort - the sliding bar, the keyturn latch lock, or a regular one that you put a padlock through) putting the skirt down deters them from digging. also if you have alot of trouble with potential predators, add a line of eletric fence around the coop about 6-12" from the coop body, and about 8" off the ground.

The hoop coops are awesome, i'm building one with a hoop run and a wood coop attached and it will be a tractor. I need to take another pic today from the work we managed to fit in yesterday before it rained. its going to be raining off and on today so I cant do much with it this weekend unfortunately. hopefully I can get it done this week, I dont have too much except school work planned this coming week.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Oh also I've also seen people cement the floor of their coop and out about a foot, but i suggest in a thing like that, have your posts and your wire down before hand, and so your wire will be buried a couple inches into the cement. (again hardware cloth on the bottom 2'-3'. )

 

[joebryant]

See My BYC Page.

 

[featherz]

I am curious about adding an electric fence - we already have hardware wire and a skirt but what's the most economical fence you can get for a smallish area (say 50' total)? ..I see chargers at TSC for anything from $50 all the way up to several hundred. Not sure if we have raccoons out here (have never seen one but...) .. however we do have foxes for sure! I think our coop is about as secure as I can make it on a budget but I'd like to add more.. just in case.

 

[WV_Hillbilly70]

Here is the link I just posted with my "Fort Knox" coop...Hardware cloth is definately the way to go!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4259613#p4259613

 

[Chicken Boo]

I used many of the ideas from this site for the security of my new coop.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=334568


Think it out thoroughly before you start. You will make enough changes as you anyway, so be sure to minimize the hassle.

Have fun and good luck.

 

[Chicken Boo]

BTW, we do have an electric wire going around the inside of the yard fence. We had installed it years ago (before we had chickens) as a last resort for keeping our escape expert dog in the yard. It worked. She eventually got older and less inclined to escape so we stopped replacing the batteries. Since we lost a couple of girls while free ranging in the yard, we have replaced the batteries and have gone to the probably over-kill measure of putting out some predator pee at places were it appeared that animals had worked their way in or out of our yard.

 

[suzeeg]

Sure you can,

just use 10 feet of the pipe instead of the 20 feet I used.

I guess it depends on if you want to get in there on your knees or stand upright. I used 1/2 " hardware clothe on the bottom and 1" poultry wire on the top. I also have an electric fence connected to it. Good luck.

Quote:

 

[mlorne]

Well, I may be in a uniqe situation, but I thought I would throw out what is probably as predator proof as I can get it (with perhaps the exception of running hardware cloth across the top).

This coop is located inside of a large barn formerly housing cattle. The building itself is now secure from most predators in our area, notably coyotes, racoons and hawks. So with the lower level secure (the upper level actually houses at least one family of racoons), I decided to provide the chickens a predator proof run on the outside, and a further fortified coop on the inside on the off chance that something got into the lower level.

Here is a closeup of the run:

No, it's not going to win any beauty awards, but it is quite effective. The two "walls" along the side were added decades ago to reinforce the back barn wall and are made of cinder block. The floor is poured concrete. Over the front of the run is an old swing gate no longer used. This has been attached to the concrete walls by concrete lag bolts and metal conduit brackets. Over top of this is 1"x1" hardware cloth, attached with UV resistant plastic ties. Along the bottom is a line of standard cinder blocks. The upper part is another row of hardware cloth, while the top is 1" chicken wire to keep out the birds.

In theory, to make it even more secure, I would line the top with hardware cloth as well. Further, instead of cinder blocks, I could use a few 2x12 boards or, more likely, run a 2x4 along the top of all of the cinder blocks and Tapcon it into three or four of them, effectively making a solid wall of blocks. As it stands, you would be hard pressed to drive a car through the front of the run. Seriously...

The door is a 3/4" plywood door that is normally closed, with a small door in the bottom that is closed every night when we are there, or left open when we are away.

Incidentally, the inside is a secure coop:

Again, no beauty prizes, but secure and most importantly...almost free. With the exception of the hardware for doors and such, all of the materials were taken from around the unused barn.

This is from the run:

The bottom of the far wall is the space for the future nesting boxes occupying the space of the former feeding trough. To make collection easy, I created a flip top lid for the box:

Like I said, I have a unique situation, but it may go a way to show you how difficult it can be to create a "predator proof" sanctuary. Even my little "Fort Knox" isn't impervious to mice, rats, snakes, or weasels. I'm just fortunate enough to not have to worry about those except perhaps mice. And I assure you, if I encounter a snake large enough to swallow a chicken egg, I'm gonna freak!!

Cheers,
Michael