New Coop, advice needed!

[chrisbekah1]

Hi, I am new to this site and new to the whole chicken life My 4 girls are still currently in the brooder but I want to have everything all ready for next month when they're older. My father built this coop for me. I have a yard with a 4 ft fence, and the coop itself sits very high as you can see in the photo (his idea to make it so high..eh) I have 3 ameracaunas and a silkie and I just worry that they would not be safe in this area of the yard that we have blocked off for them. Should I add additional chicken wire on top of fencing to make it higher? What else should I do? Is a run necessary?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

OK that is a very cute coop!


There are a few things that hold true out here where I live (WA state) next to a forest, and I will tell you what they are. But they may not be true for you.

Hawks and owls perch in the trees waiting and swoop down to kill chickens. Raccoons zip over fences, and coyotes dig under. Sometimes you need to put your chickens in lockdown, like when you have a chicken killed every day and you feel helpless. It is sooo nice to lock them up.

Additionally, if you ever wish to take a vacation, you will treasure a run to put them in for the safety.

So I recommend building a really good run, with aproned out or buried hardware cloth, to keep diggers from getting under, and a top to prevent coons from getting through (would have to be at least 2 x 4 welded wire).

Only 1/2 inch hardware cloth keeps out rats and weasels, but if they are closed up in the coop at night, you may be able to just do a welded wire pen. Be sure to line the bottom with hardware cloth, as hawks and owls (and coons) pull chickens through. Sadly I have seen this happen to my chickens. Some use dog kennel panels or a dog kennel and those are great but need a top and line with hardware cloth/do an apron for diggers.

If you hang netting think snow load, for a large pen.

Since you have only 4 chickens if it were me I'd do a dog kennel and put fencing on top. Your silkie will have trouble with the ramp most likely at first but you can train her. The way to train her is to not help her down the ramp and to keep food inside the coop only. You may have to help her up to the coop at night at first.

You have a super nice setup there - just need a place of safety for them during the day where you can force them to stay inside.

Hawks pick silkies up easily since they can't see very well sometimes. I have heavy knotted netting over my pen where I used to have silkies but we don't get very much snow here. You may opt to do a covered run with roofing eventually if you have too much trouble with hawks, since you are up north where you get snow.

A lot of people just free range them while they are watching but keep them locked in the run when they aren't watching. Since your forest is so close you may need to eventually go that route.

I hope this helps!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/352928/burying-apron-around-coop-and-hardware-cloth-question
Ok so I wanted to clarify when I said line the bottom of the fence with hardware cloth, I meant vertically along the bottom, not so they walk on the hardware cloth.

Also I meant make a small run inside your current fencing...just a small place to keep them safe if you need to.

I hope this helps!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/419303/chain-link-dog-kennel-for-chicken-run-enclosure/20