Protecting Outdoor Feeders

[chfriedmam]

Hi, we ripped down our old coop and enclosed run and are building new. Our new coop will open to a lightly protected run (netting overhead, some areas of hardware cloth, but not predator proof by any means). I want to feed outside coop, water inside and out. I'm thinking of building a small predator proof shade encloure in the run to house food and water, with solar/sun activated door.

Does anyone do this? I'm trying to design from the outset to make my life easier, bc i don't want to have to go out and seal up the feeders at night against rodents-or nag my kids to do it.

 

[3KillerBs]

My feeder shelter isn't predator-proof but the basic idea could be adapted:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/an-outdoor-shelter-for-the-feeder-and-waterer.76487/

 

[aart]

In order to have a predator proof feed station inside and not so predator proof run,
you'd have to secure it at night anyway, right?

 

[chfriedmam]

In order to have a predator proof feed station inside and not so predator proof run,
you'd have to secure it at night anyway, right?

Ya, my idea is to have an automatic door on the space so I don't have to go out and bring in the feeders or shut them offer each night. I work several night shifts a week and while I have several supposedly engaged and helpful young adult children at home, it is nonetheless a whole second job following up to make sure they do little important tasks they agree to do when I'm gone...... . So I try to avoid it.

 

[Devorah]

My feeder shelter isn't predator-proof but the basic idea could be adapted:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/an-outdoor-shelter-for-the-feeder-and-waterer.76487/

Would this be a safe set-up in a predator-proof run at night, or would you recommend taking in the feeder every night because being outside it would still be an invitation to critters?

 

[3KillerBs]

Would this be a safe set-up in a predator-proof run at night, or would you recommend taking in the feeder every night because being outside it would still be an invitation to critters?

I use it inside electric poultry netting.

I've never had an issue with critters going after it, but I wouldn't use it without some kind of secure enclosure around it that raccoons would respect because I know how tempting they find our trash cans.

 

[Devorah]

I use it inside electric poultry netting.

I've never had an issue with critters going after it, but I wouldn't use it without some kind of secure enclosure around it that raccoons would respect because I know how tempting they find our trash cans.

That’s sort of my quandary. I plan on keeping the feeder in a predator-proof run, but am nervous about leaving food in there at night.

 

[Opiumbrella]

Hi, we ripped down our old coop and enclosed run and are building new. Our new coop will open to a lightly protected run (netting overhead, some areas of hardware cloth, but not predator proof by any means). I want to feed outside coop, water inside and out. I'm thinking of building a small predator proof shade encloure in the run to house food and water, with solar/sun activated door.

Does anyone do this? I'm trying to design from the outset to make my life easier, bc i don't want to have to go out and seal up the feeders at night against rodents-or nag my kids to do it.

I would be careful with automatic doors. As they are potentially deadly. I’ve never used them because I personally know three people on my road alone who have had them shut on and kill their hens, and I see it on my facebook chicken groups constantly.

I had a separate out of coop feeding enclosure built but I stopped using it because I noticed as soon as it wasn’t in the coop, but outside in a sheltered pen, I had all kinds of critters start showing up that were not there prior. And when we tore it down and went back to feeders in the coop, they went away again.

 

[3KillerBs]

That’s sort of my quandary. I plan on keeping the feeder in a predator-proof run, but am nervous about leaving food in there at night.

They respect the electric netting.

 

[Devorah]

They respect the electric netting.

Respect is a tall order. The poultry netting is on the radar!