Open Coop

The open coop like that, with one end open but the roosts in the protected end and out of the wind, works real well for some people in southern climates. It might work better in Corpus Christi than Amarillo, though. Some parts or Texas are a lot different than others.

I agree with Sourland. While the light gauge chicken wire will be a bit of a deterrent, a raccoon, coyote, dog, and many other predators can shred the wire and go right through. Many can climb a fence too, like raccoons and foxes. Some can actually tear the wire, but some untwist it. The joints are not welded but are made by twisting. A strong pull can untwist those joints. Some lady here in Arkansas had some pictures of what dogs did to her chicken wire run. Those photos clearly showed both types of destruction.

This will make it more complicated because you will need a human sized door or gate, but you might consider closing off the open end with a heavier wire to make the coop portion predator proof and make sure you securely lock the chickens in there every night. It is not a perfect solution since many predators are out and about during the day. I saw a coyote just before lunchtime today, hunting in a pasture field across from my front porch. But many of us use the theory of predator deterrence during the day and predator protection at night.

My run is 2x4 welded wire with light gauge chicken wire around the lower 18" to keep the chickens from sticking their heads out where something can take it off. It also keeps baby chicks from going throug the run fencing to where Mama cannot protect them. I laid about 18" of either hardware cloth or the 2x4 welded wire (whatever I had left over) horizontal on the ground outside the run and coop and attached it to the bottom of the fence or coop. The idea is that a predator will go up to the fence and either try to dig under it, hit the wire and not know to back up or sometimes, they will just push their way under the wire if there is even a tiny gap between the wire and the ground.

The 2x4 wire will not stop snakes, rats, or many members of the weasel family, and maybe, just possibly some little bitty baby raccons or possums may get through, but it will stop most other adult predators. I consider it a real good deterrent.

Good luck!
 
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DH Did suggest that we might have enough wire to go around the bottom of the 2X4 fencing. I KNOW we have predators out here. I can hear the coyotes, I have had an opossum on my porch, and raccoon's eating my dog food. As well as other random animals. I will look into hardware wire. Thanks.
 
I don't think you have to worry about the cold with an open air coop in Texas. The predator problem is something different though. If the coop is going to be open, I would think about running a hot wire (Electric fence) all the way around the outside of the coop/pen. That should hopefully discourage most animals that could do the chickens harm.
Jack
 
Depending on the age of the kids, it should not be that much of a problem. The fence will NOT have the power to kill anybody, although it could sting. You just have to tell them the fence is not to touch. If they do touch it, They won't touch it again, unless you have a hard headed toddler, I had one so I know how they are, then maybe an electric fence isn't the best idea. But it's just another idea to think about. Goodluck with your coop.
Jack
 
Here is a basic coop/brooder. The ramp goes into a 4' X 5' Brooder with 3 big laying sections that have the back wall drop back to collect eggs, clean and maintenance. On the side of the brooder box is a 36" X 24" door to have access to the birds from the side of the brooder. The coop is 5 X10 or so.

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I have a 3 sided open coop/run. I live in FLA and they do just fine....they even roost in the run now...not even in the coop area! lol


The coop





That branch is where they roost at night now!

 
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I hear that. My son when he was little, you could take him anywhere and not have to worry about how he's was going to act. My daughter, on the other hand, is a whole different story. Yeah, maybe you might want to skip the electric fence idea.
Jack
 

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