PNW'ers...need advice!!!

[Autumn Mama]

Hi all,

We live in the Pacific Northwest (near Vancouver, BC), and we are in the midst of building our coop + run. We plan to use 1/2 inch hardware cloth, cover the outdoor run, and generally make it inpenetrable!!!

What I'd like to know from those of you in this general area with chickens, is this: what have been your worst pests (ie lice, mites, rats etc) and what have been your most common predators?

We also plan to use a metal roof, (it's up already) use adequate ventilation, plexiglas windows (maybe a real one if that's available to us...)

Let me know what you deal with!!! Thanks in advance!!!

*Also posted in the Predators/Pests Forum...

 

[Autumn Mama]

bumping this up...hoping for some replies!!!

 

[coffeelady3]

I'm down in the south sound, and in an urban setting. My main concern here are raccoons, opossums, and hawks. You also need to worry about dogs. Using hardware cloth is definitely a good idea, but make sure the top of the run is also covered. Also, raccoons and dogs will dig under the run to get in so figure out how to keep that from happening. Some people bury the hardware cloth down a foot or so, I have a 2 foot wire skirt around my run. Good luck!

 

[Uppity Peon]

My neighbor keeps chickens and I am just starting my own flock in the Lebanon area.

He reports his biggest problems have been with skunks, hawks, and cats. He deals with predators by keeping dogs, ducks, geese and setting live traps. He has to heep a close eye on the larger dog bacause he has been known to chase the chickens. Most of his chickens are free to wander his back yard. Ducks and geese are pretty good at chasing off cats.

Now that the chickens are grown he feels they don't get as much attention from hawks any more. The first couple years hawks were constanly waiting for an easy meal. But now the hens are good at taking cover, and the hawks rarely come around.

The hens come into the coop on their own at night. Apparently the skunks are deterred by the fact that the entrance to the coop is 2 feet off the ground with no ramp. He also sets live traps and removes skunks from the area.

 

[DomiHentrix]

Quote:
Ditto, possums and cats.

 

[Autumn Mama]

The list of predators sounds pretty consistent with what is around here.

We plan to run the hardware cloth down about 6" and outwards from there, buried with soil on top.

Will 6'' be deep enough? Is there any advantage to burying it any deeper than that?

We have hawks around, and owls, although I doubt that they will be a problem, as I plan to cover the run with something. DH told me, I forgot what though!

Are lice or mites a problem out this way? How do you prevent them infesting your chooks? I will begin to use DE soon...