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
. I also have an electric fence connected to it. Good luck.
