Predator Proofing

[rjohns39]

Is everybody's chicken wire different from mine? Our neighbor's dog was trying to get into my coop by slamming against the chicken wire and she didn't get through.

No. My shelters all use chicken wire 1"... No one has gotten through the wire. Coons however have been able to grab a chicken through the wire. The only area that I have Rats, i use 1/4" welded wire to armor plate my brooder.

 

[abraga]

Chicken wire keeps chickens in..dont keep predators out. If a coon can get in..so will a persistent dog. Been on farms all my life....ive seen small dogs like jack Russel terriers and beagles easily tear through chicken wire.... it keep your livestock in..it also makes them more vulnerable when predators get in because they can't escape.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I use an apron of hardware cloth to deter digging predators. I personally wouldn't floor an entire run with wire of any sort as it's not great for their feet, plus with a larger run it becomes less feasible to cover the entire bottom of it.

 

[Abriana]

Mine have never been indoors, or under a heat lamp. Brooded day olds in coop under a heAt plate with overnight temps in the 20's they weaned themselves off the heat at 4 weeks.

Gary

I meant under a heat source, it doesn't have to be a heatlamp. I guess I'm just a chicken-spoiler