Predator proofing help needed.

[3KillerBs]

No. It takes 2 min to set up the traps.

Every single day.

Regardless of the weather.

Regardless of your schedule.

If it works for you then it works. But I prefer a 24/7/365 defense that still works even if I'm sick in bed or working overtime.

 

[Richard1234]

You act like the person lives in Antarctica and is living in a hut with natives.

 

[3KillerBs]

I am only wondering about the hatch where I open to collect eggs and the door into coop.

My coop door and my nestbox door both fit tightly. My DH, who built them, is a perfectionist about such things.

If you have a gap of more than half an inch you can probably add more wood to the area to make it close more tightly.

 

[3KillerBs]

There is only one reason the person should set up an apron or fencing underneath and that is if they live by the woods in the city (my grandparents house is in the city but they have a woods in back so if the person has something like that then yes they should install the apron) but if they don't then it is unnecessary.

Many people have discovered to their dismay that raccoons and coyotes are quite at home in the city.

But the main reason to have a good anti-dig apron in a city is stray dogs.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Every single day.

Regardless of the weather.

Regardless of your schedule.

If it works for you then it works. But I prefer a 24/7/365 defense that still works even if I'm sick in bed or working overtime.

I tried that for a while when we first started out and had rat issues (contributing factors: the run wasn't as well secured and we left the feeder out overnight since it was built into the coop). We had multiple types of traps (2 types of snap trap, electric, sticky, bait boxes) that needed to be set or placed nightly and undone the next morning... I agree it's a hassle that got tiresome pretty fast.

After switching to the new, big coop, and securing the lower portion of the run completely, and taking all feed away at night, rats no longer tried to get in. I still keep traps on hand but haven't had to pull them out in 3 years.

 

[Richard1234]

Many people have discovered to their dismay that raccoons and coyotes are quite at home in the city.

But the main reason to have a good anti-dig apron in a city is stray dogs.

That's NYC or Chicago. Your thinking too big. You have to go for the lesser known city's. Lesser known city's aren't really like that at all. You may see occasional racoon depending if you live close to the woods or not. But stray dogs I never see. You should be more concerned about the cats however.

 

[Richard1234]

I tried that for a while when we first started out and had rat issues (contributing factors: the run wasn't as well secured and we left the feeder out overnight since it was built into the coop). We had multiple types of traps (2 types of snap trap, electric, sticky, bait boxes) that needed to be set or placed nightly and undone the next morning... I agree it's a hassle that got tiresome pretty fast.

After switching to the new, big coop, and securing the lower portion of the run completely, and taking all feed away at night, rats no longer tried to get in. I still keep traps on hand but haven't had to pull them out in 3 years.

It was probably less of a hassle for us because there was only two rats raiding the coop.

 

[rosemarythyme]

It was probably less of a hassle for us because there was only two rats raiding the coop.

I had rats showing up in waves. We'd kill a couple, things would improve, and then more rats would show up. After a while we just assumed there'd be rats/mice showing up, so the traps were kept in rotation until the coop and run was upgraded/improved.

 

[Richard1234]

I had rats showing up in waves. We'd kill a couple, things would improve, and then more rats would show up. After a while we just assumed there'd be rats/mice showing up, so the traps were kept in rotation until the coop and run was upgraded/improved.

I had rats showing up in waves. We'd kill a couple, things would improve, and then more rats would show up. After a while we just assumed there'd be rats/mice showing up, so the traps were kept in rotation until the coop and run was upgraded/improve

I had rats showing up in waves. We'd kill a couple, things would improve, and then more rats would show up. After a while we just assumed there'd be rats/mice showing up, so the traps were kept in rotation until the coop and run was upgraded/improved.

That's a good way too deal with the rodents. We used rat poison but they weren't eating it. So then we put metal lath to try and slice up the rodents. That didn't work so we put out 4 rat traps and caught 2 rats. The two rats were the only rats that were digging under getting the food. We never caught anymore rats. And nothing else was digging under. We had nice fencing underneath the coop but the the rodents could fit through it.

 

[Huntmaster]

You act like the person lives in Antarctica and is living in a hut with natives.

Never been to Antarctica here but have seen predictors and dogs everywhere I have been in USA.

Many people have discovered to their dismay that raccoons and coyotes are quite at home in the city.

But the main reason to have a good anti-dig apron in a city is stray dogs.

Always better safe than sorry. And one time putting in apron vs watching and trying to trap all the time can be daunting. Besides traps can harm your own birds or other pets. But like some have said whatever works for yourself is all good.