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It sounds like you have a good setup for your chickens.
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There are some biiiig raccoons out there. Specially when they have a snowdrift to stand on. I would not trust it at all. You don't need to replace it though, just *add* a padlock. I suggest adding it just a little below the existing latch, for greatest strength vs raccoons trying to pry door open. You can hang the key somewhere handy on the outside of the coop within reach of the door for convenience (I do not believe raccoons have ever figured out how to put a key in a lock and what to do with it then
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It sounds like you have a good setup for your chickens.
Quote:
There are some biiiig raccoons out there. Specially when they have a snowdrift to stand on. I would not trust it at all. You don't need to replace it though, just *add* a padlock. I suggest adding it just a little below the existing latch, for greatest strength vs raccoons trying to pry door open. You can hang the key somewhere handy on the outside of the coop within reach of the door for convenience (I do not believe raccoons have ever figured out how to put a key in a lock and what to do with it then
I have been using the henhouse as a garden shed. I have tools - rake, shovels, etc - hung on the wall. Can I leave these there?
As long as they can't fall down or get roosted on. They'll get quite dusty though -- chickens produce large quantites of fine whitish greasy dust, especially when growing in new feathers.
As long as they can't fall down or get roosted on. They'll get quite dusty though -- chickens produce large quantites of fine whitish greasy dust, especially when growing in new feathers.
3-I am having the fencing replaced as it is falling down. From hints here I'm going to use hardware cloth to enclose & roof the yard.
Can I suggest that, even aside from budget (have you priced hardwarecloth yet?), hardware cloth is not normally the best material for a run roof. You will have a heck of a time bracing it well enough for snow not to take it down. 2x4 wire will require less bracing b/c it catches less snow (it WILL still have to be thorouoghly braced, but less so. Hardwarecloth would require just about as strong a setup as if you were putting on a solid roof!)
I am not personally convinced it's highly pointful (in normal circumstances) to use hardwarecloth above the bottom 2-3' of a run. Of course if you have the money to spend, or have come into a motherlode of free hardware cloth, go for it
Can I suggest that, even aside from budget (have you priced hardwarecloth yet?), hardware cloth is not normally the best material for a run roof. You will have a heck of a time bracing it well enough for snow not to take it down. 2x4 wire will require less bracing b/c it catches less snow (it WILL still have to be thorouoghly braced, but less so. Hardwarecloth would require just about as strong a setup as if you were putting on a solid roof!)
I am not personally convinced it's highly pointful (in normal circumstances) to use hardwarecloth above the bottom 2-3' of a run. Of course if you have the money to spend, or have come into a motherlode of free hardware cloth, go for it
Is this enough room/freedom for 4-6 hens?
PLENTY, it sounds like an excellent setup and you will have very happy chickens!
PLENTY, it sounds like an excellent setup and you will have very happy chickens!
4-yard is now overgrown with weeds, grass and mulberry saplings. I can mow, chop, etc to get it fairly cleared & level.
Can the hens coexist with some weeds?
I wouldn't bother chopping anything down unless for aesthetics or b/c saplings are in the way of where a roof is going to go. Let the chickens play in it all while it lasts
Good luck, have fun,
Pat
Can the hens coexist with some weeds?
I wouldn't bother chopping anything down unless for aesthetics or b/c saplings are in the way of where a roof is going to go. Let the chickens play in it all while it lasts
Good luck, have fun,
Pat
