Predator protection

[CuteBantams]

Hello all,

I am about to buy stuff to make a rabbit shed( I know, not a chicken coop!), and was wondering if you think using hardware cloth or metal roofing 2' deep would be better for
predator protection.

 

[rjohns39]

Your 2' skirt is a good approach. if you want to add to it, add three hot wires 3", 6" and 9"

 

[sunflour]

The hardware cloth can be attached to your foundation and overlying dirt can be tamped on top. Also, water/rain will go through it, so IMO it's the better choice.

 

[bankshot1]

I use 4' of regular chain link fence, laying 3' 6" outside and 6" inside of the pen

 

[anno1]

I have hardware cloth attached at the base of the coop, stretching two feet out, then put river rock over the first foot. They have to back off the coop by a foot to start digging, and then there's still hardware cloth out another foot.

I also dug down under the coop and run (before it was in place) to and put hardware cloth in the hole, then cement blocks for the coop to sit on. The hardware cloth runs up outside the block, and I put vinyl-coated steel wire (1/2" x 1"" down the sides of the block. So the hardware cloth wraps up over the steel wire. I don't know if rabbits are as big an attraction as chickens to vermin, but that seems to have worked pretty well.

If I had to do it again, I'd use vinyl-coated hardware cloth.

 

[Linda Metcalf]

Hello all,

I am about to buy stuff to make a rabbit shed( I know, not a chicken coop!), and was wondering if you think using hardware cloth or metal roofing 2' deep would be better for
predator protection.
View attachment 1113471

View attachment 1113470

This is exactly what we did using 1/2" hardware cloth. We also purchased Predator Guard solar lights. They are solar so no wires. They come on at night and look like two red eyes glowing in the dark. Predators think it is another animal and won't go near the coop. We put one on all four sides. We also used these on our boat lift since night birds like owls were pooping inside the boat. Since using these...no more predators or poop. We have had our 16 chickens for 3 years and haven't lost a chicken to a predator yet. I purchased my lights for $20 each on Amazon.