Will You Rescue Me
In the Brooder
- Aug 3, 2024
- 18
- 43
- 41
Hey! Just thought I’d post a recommendation if anyone’s interested!
For anyone dealing with larger pests around their coops I found that anchoring the corners of the lighter pens of coups using tent anchors or dog anchors that you twist or hammer into the ground are a great option for keeping larger animals from lifting the pen. Also adding flat boards, wide side down to develop and almost platform on the ground of the frame can help push them back when they try to burrow under the coop edges. The further back you can push them the more time you’ll have to catch them. It’s always nice too if you can back the coops onto concrete, ideally have the edges surrounded by concrete while still leaving the interior earth or grass for the chickens, so if you have a walkway of some sort in your yard, it’s a great deterrent in my experience to prevent pests from getting underneath as they can’t dig through metal, rock or concrete. I like my pens to be light enough that I can keep them on fresh grass, but the anchoring system gives me the reassurance that no stray animals will be able to flip it up enough to squirm under. Mind you I keep a close eye on them and my dogs know to keep an eye out for threats too. Also, if you set up a gazebo or bug tent near to the coop you can spend more time especially at night nearby while you work or do other activities without getting eaten by bugs or overly disturbing the hens. I find it to be a great option when I hear rumorings of coons spotted in the area.
Also to prevent pests, make sure to wash down the area the chickens have been traveling each night after you’ve put the chickens to bed so it’ll hopefully be dry by morning. Dispose of any and all food, bedding or other waste, lock up coops, nesting boxes and pens even when there are no chickens in them to deter strays from getting too comfortable in your chickens territory.
Keep all food, bedding and supplies you aren’t using in sealable bins, ideally waterproof and food grade in my opinion. And if you can store these things indoors or in a shed away from animals in general until in use it won’t attract them as much.
Keep your waste bins as far from your livestock and neighbours as possible to protect both parties and try to clean the bins each time they’ve been emptied as often as possible.
There are all nature chicken and pet safe products you can use to deal with the smell of poop, ideally wash down any areas where there is or has been excrement and apply a safe to use and safe to ingest produce to hide the scent, I find the neighbours appreciate this extra step!
Best of luck! I hope this helps!
For anyone dealing with larger pests around their coops I found that anchoring the corners of the lighter pens of coups using tent anchors or dog anchors that you twist or hammer into the ground are a great option for keeping larger animals from lifting the pen. Also adding flat boards, wide side down to develop and almost platform on the ground of the frame can help push them back when they try to burrow under the coop edges. The further back you can push them the more time you’ll have to catch them. It’s always nice too if you can back the coops onto concrete, ideally have the edges surrounded by concrete while still leaving the interior earth or grass for the chickens, so if you have a walkway of some sort in your yard, it’s a great deterrent in my experience to prevent pests from getting underneath as they can’t dig through metal, rock or concrete. I like my pens to be light enough that I can keep them on fresh grass, but the anchoring system gives me the reassurance that no stray animals will be able to flip it up enough to squirm under. Mind you I keep a close eye on them and my dogs know to keep an eye out for threats too. Also, if you set up a gazebo or bug tent near to the coop you can spend more time especially at night nearby while you work or do other activities without getting eaten by bugs or overly disturbing the hens. I find it to be a great option when I hear rumorings of coons spotted in the area.
Also to prevent pests, make sure to wash down the area the chickens have been traveling each night after you’ve put the chickens to bed so it’ll hopefully be dry by morning. Dispose of any and all food, bedding or other waste, lock up coops, nesting boxes and pens even when there are no chickens in them to deter strays from getting too comfortable in your chickens territory.
Keep all food, bedding and supplies you aren’t using in sealable bins, ideally waterproof and food grade in my opinion. And if you can store these things indoors or in a shed away from animals in general until in use it won’t attract them as much.
Keep your waste bins as far from your livestock and neighbours as possible to protect both parties and try to clean the bins each time they’ve been emptied as often as possible.
There are all nature chicken and pet safe products you can use to deal with the smell of poop, ideally wash down any areas where there is or has been excrement and apply a safe to use and safe to ingest produce to hide the scent, I find the neighbours appreciate this extra step!
Best of luck! I hope this helps!
