Safe?

[SBFChickenGirl]

I really want to replace the chicken wire with hardware cloth, but my mom doesn't think it's necessary,

It's definitely necessary. Google pictures of chicken wire torn by predators.

Chicken wire is definitely not predator-proof. A coyote could rip right through it. You need to reinforce it with something stronger.

X2. The only thing chicken wire is good for is keeping chickens in.

The actual door to the run is secure, with two latches, one of the pull then hook and one door latch thingy. Chicken wire has been my main concern knowing how unsafe it is, my mother just insists a raccoon can't get though it, so I was wondering if I am just over paranoid.

Nope! Not over paranoid. Get some HC on there as soon as you can!

 

[K0k0shka]

I guess my main question with installing it on the inside is how would it know when to open? I believe ours opens when there is enough light. I would feel a lot safer having it on the inside knowing little raccoons can't open it so easy. We have the ability to make our light in our coop turn on at a specific time, if that could activate it too and the system doesn't require it to be solar (it's battery powered so the sun doesn't actually power it, just triggers it), although I don't think we could install it on the inside if it has to be solar, because there would be no way to power it.

The assumption is that the coop has windows and light gets in there as well. So when the mechanism is mounted on the inside, the sensor uses the light levels inside the coop. Check your model, but you should be able to adjust how dark it needs to be for the mechanism to be triggered.

I haven't had a solar powered model, so I don't know where the solar panel is. If it's separate from the motor and can be installed on the outside, and the motor on the inside, that would be ideal, but if not, I guess the whole thing may need to go on the outside. Mine has batteries so that doesn't matter. The batteries last a VERY long time, so I personally don't see the need for a solar panel. It's nice, but for such a small amount of electricity, it's not worth it, especially if it puts restrictions on where the unit can be mounted. If you want to be more green about it, you can get rechargeable batteries to reduce your (occasional) battery waste.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

The assumption is that the coop has windows and light gets in there as well. So when the mechanism is mounted on the inside, the sensor uses the light levels inside the coop. Check your model, but you should be able to adjust how dark it needs to be for the mechanism to be triggered.

I haven't had a solar powered model, so I don't know where the solar panel is. If it's separate from the motor and can be installed on the outside, and the motor on the inside, that would be ideal, but if not, I guess the whole thing may need to go on the outside. Mine has batteries so that doesn't matter. The batteries last a VERY long time, so I personally don't see the need for a solar panel. It's nice, but for such a small amount of electricity, it's not worth it, especially if it puts restrictions on where the unit can be mounted. If you want to be more green about it, you can get rechargeable batteries to reduce your (occasional) battery waste.

Ours is battery powered, but it uses the light levels from the sun, there is one big window in the coop but it's behind a tree, as well as windows through the door which is in the shade, I suppose if I just changed it to need way less light, that could work.

 

[K0k0shka]

Ours is battery powered, but it uses the light levels from the sun, there is one big window in the coop but it's behind a tree, as well as windows through the door which is in the shade, I suppose if I just changed it to need way less light, that could work.

It doesn't matter what source the light is coming from, and it doesn't need the sun. It just measures the ambient light in the coop. If you had an electric light in there, it would trigger the sensor just the same. Units with light sensors usually let you adjust how much light the sensor needs before it gets triggered. Play around with it and see what setting works best for your conditions.

 

[mommiesrcool]

So I am paranoid about predators. We have never had an attack but I only got my first chickens in April. My birds are closed in their coop at night, but our run is only covered with chicken wire (the wire is buried) I'm afraid a raccoon will get through the wire and open the chicken door and go into the coop cause they are so smart. My mother is convinced that raccoons can't get through the chicken wire, and even though they are smart, can't pull open the chicken door. Am I over estimating how smart a raccoon is? I know they can open doors, but they can pull up a string on a chicken door and crawl through? I was pretty sure they can. Am I over paranoid? Or am a right to be? I really want to replace the chicken wire with hardware cloth, but my mom doesn't think it's necessary, (I share the chickens with my mother)

Raccoons are smarter than you think when I went camping they knew how to unclip a tub that had food! they can definitely get threw chicken wire I would use hardware cloth but it is on the pricey side. you are NOT being paranoid. i lost a chick because I used chicken wire and a raccoon got threw it and killed her

 

[mommiesrcool]

If you do happen to see a raccoon and you want to get rid of it you could buy a trap to catch it, I've seen traps at TSC

 

[K0k0shka]

If you want to cut down on cost, you can use wider-spaced welded wire that's cheaper, but still sturdy enough to stop larger predators. For example, 2x3" or 2x4" spaced welded wire. You can do denser hardware cloth around the bottom couple of feet, to stop smaller predators and raccoons reaching in with their hands, and do the wider welded wire for the rest of the height and across the top. That way raccoons can't get in from anywhere.

 

[aart]

Ours is battery powered, but it uses the light levels from the sun, there is one big window in the coop but it's behind a tree, as well as windows through the door which is in the shade, I suppose if I just changed it to need way less light, that could work.

Some pics would help here.
The auto door inside and out.
The sensor may be on a cord that can be mounted farther away?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Some pics would help here.
The auto door inside and out.

x2. Depending on type of door it is, you could possibly leave the motor mounted outside, and then run the pull cord through the wall to an inside mounted door.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Here's some pics of my set up