Question on building my Chicken Run

[mrsgibber]

Hi there. If I am duplicating a previous post, I apologize. Please feel free to redirect me.

My husband and I are still setting up to bring our hens home. I am extremely anxious for this to happen if it ever stops snowing long enough to put the posts for the run into the ground.

My question is this; is it necessary to bury the fence or boards to keep predators out if the hens are secured in their coop from dusk to dawn?

I don't feel like it is really necessary as we live in an area where yes we have an occassional fox but are still in a residential area where I would think predators would be deterred from spending much time.

The other reason my husband is insisting on bury fencing or boards is to keep rats out. I don't like the idea of large rodents in my coop but again isn't there better ways to deter them from getting in?

I appreciate any of your expert input!

 

[kidd42]

Morning Mrs. Gibber,
I am no expert ,as we are newbies at this, but this is what I did for my coop and the run. As I have seen on other post's and in the coop section. I put 1/2'' chicken wire on the boards for the bootom wall's of the coop and run. I went 1 foot outside and 1 foot inside the coop and run. Then buried the chicken wire. I guess that the idea is, if something is going to try and dig, they will come up next to the boards to do so. Hope that this helps, I'm sure people with more experiance will comment also.
Good luck and enjoy your birds.

 

[Orpington Poultry]

I agree with your husband on this one. Better to be safe than sorry. Nothing worse than discovering after the fact.

Good luck whichever way you choose to build your pens.

K.

 

[mendogurl]

I am new here too, but I have been doing a LOT of reading, and it seems that predators are the biggest thing to worry about.
I am in a suburban neighborhood, and we have tons of coyotes and raccoons, possums.
I am not sure where there are not raccoons, I have seen them in downtown Los Angeles, they travel by the sewer system.

Among other grosser things about what they do to a chicken once they get them, I have read that they will open latches and pull out staples. I am worrying about them showing up with screwdrivers and saws.

I am just beginning my coop.
I put in cement pilings, filled in between with rock, then we buried aproned hardware cloth that was nailed to the foundation, bolted buried aluminum siding on top of that, capped by a two by four. The floor is wood with linoleum on top.

And I am still worried about them getting in!

 

[agirly4chicks]

Quote:
Could you post some pictures? We only have the frame of our run built.

 

[mendogurl]

Quote:
Could you post some pictures? We only have the frame of our run built.

Yes, I need to do that. It is raining cats and dogs here, but I will go out tomorrow and photograph. I need to have pics anyway to get expert advice here on what to do.

 

[mmtillman]

Yep...gotta go with your hubby....we lost our first flock, all 9 in one night due to a predator who dug under the fence then the coop...so this time we are making a fort knox coop !
I wished 10x over we had taken the extra trouble to re-enforce that coop. So as said before , better save then sorry. Good luck with your new babies !!!

 

[eschwaderer]

Quote:

- Just imagining racoons with tools: the next cheap horror movie.

 

[patandchickens]

If you have a not-very-predator-proof run, then you are pinning most of your hopes on the security of your coop. Which is kind of dangerous. If you're comfortable with the risk, then sure, go for it, but remember that once predators get a taste of chicken they are a LOT harder to keep out than when they are still ignorant and naive.

Rats are real hard to keep out. Real REAL hard, if they are numerous or determined.

However, a digproof apron horizontal on the ground for 2-4' out from the base of the fence, or (if you prefer more work) some very heavy gauge wire mesh buried down to 18" or more under the fence, will keep out typical digging predators.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[mrsgibber]

Thanks everyone for your input! I had a feeling you'd all go with my hubby on this one but thought I'd check to see what others have done. We have a farm a couple doors down who free ranges their chickens all day so I thought if he could do that and not worry then maybe I would be even safer just have them fenced in.

I definitely don't want anything to happen to them when they get home so better safe than sorry.

I'm totally grossed out about the idea of having rats around. YUCK. I don't do well with mice so I really hope I don't come across one when I get into the coop. Guess I'll have to toughen up though cause it sounds like it is an unavoidable part of having chickens.