Predators and high up pop holes

[soloequestrian]

I'm having some problems with a determined badger - it seems to be quite strong but also small enough to fit through a cat flap size hole. I'm having to lock the hens in and let them out manually because their pop holes are low down, so I'm wondering about putting some free-access pop holes in higher up. Has anyone done this? Any suggestions for badger-proof ramps, maybe something quite spindly that hens could use but a badger would either break or knock over, or perhaps just a series of perches? The coop is a shed, so tall. I'm in the UK so we have badgers and foxes as the main predators; in theory pine martens too but I don't think they would venture as far as my house. Thankfully no bears or raccoons!!

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

I'm not familiar with badgers, are they daytime predators coming into the coop during the day or are you wanting to leave the pop door open at night?

Do your chickens roam freely or is the badger getting into a fenced run?

 

[aart]

Badgers can climb, so any ramp would make it easy.
I suppose you could do a high pop door on a very smooth wall with a porch in front for the birds to fly up to.

 

[soloequestrian]

These are the kind of badgers we have https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_badger. I'm pretty sure they can't climb unless the object is very sturdy. They are nocturnal visitors. I was thinking of having a relatively flimsy (strong enough for hens but not for a heavy mammal) ladder to a high-up pop hole that was open all the time.

 

[3KillerBs]

These are the kind of badgers we have https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_badger. I'm pretty sure they can't climb unless the object is very sturdy. They are nocturnal visitors. I was thinking of having a relatively flimsy (strong enough for hens but not for a heavy mammal) ladder to a high-up pop hole that was open all the time.

Hens don't really climb ladders.

Won't you have any kind of fenced run around your coop?

If the problem is that you won't be able to be there to open the pop door shortly after dawn and close it at dusk then perhaps the best option would be an automatic door?

 

[papajoesfarm]

A good solution for a predator this size is to put up an electric fence. I'd recommend poultry netting, it's quick to setup and you can take it up and put in down in a few minutes, or make it permanent if you want. A Patriot PE2 charger is enough for netting, and Patriot is an Aussie company. I believe they make versions that would work with your 230V electrical grid, or just use a convertor. Premier1supplies is the version of netting I use, but there are many companys that manufacture it. Once Mr. Badger hits the wire with his nose , he will go elsewhere for his dinner.