Sagging chicken wire

[ingrid42]

We have been building our first coop and chicken house and can't attach the chicken wire on the coop without sagging! Is sagging wire okay? Is it safe to have chicken wire on the floor of the coop to keep digging preds away?

 

[justusnak]

Well, there are a few things to consider. What sort of predators do you have? Is the chicken wore going to be safe enough? Coons can and will rip right through that stuff. Can you build a wooden "frame" for the fencing? Wood on top, from pole to pole ( assumeing you are useing wooden posts) and on bottom from pole to pole. Then you can secure the fencing to the wood. Be sure to dig a trench about 6 inches deep where the fencing is going in, and bury the fence at least 6 inches, to discourage digging predators.
For the flooring...if you are going to put a layer of sand or dirt over the wire...that would be ok. However, just wire on the floor will hurt your chickens feet, and possibly injure them enough they can't walk. Good luck on building your new coop...and we like pics! ( hint hint )

~

 

[webdawg]

Sorry, but chicken wire keeps chickens in and not preditors out. Most preditors can dig right through chicken wire. You need welded wire on the floor attached to the walls.

 

[ingrid42]

We have raccoons and birds of prey. I thought I would close the chickens in their house at night and let them out during the day in the chicken wired coop. Is that not safe? I thought raccons came out at night. The house is wooden with a wooden floor, ceiling and walls. I am getting very attached to my "babies" and want to do this right.

 

[webdawg]

Here is how I ran my wire. Red keeps out diggers. Blue is extra protection in case they dig through, plus covers the top from hawks and such. This drawing is of my run area only. My coop is a solid wooden building.

 

[ingrid42]

I would post a pic but can't figure out how Our entire coop is made of wood but I love the drawing and will copy it. Thankfully, it is not too late to do major work.

 

[barg]

Yes racoons come out at night.
If they come out in the day theres something seriously wrong with them... disease.

If they are secured at night in their house....
Lots of people ive seen on this board use less secure means to keep their chickens in during the day..
but do you have dogs to worry about or any other daytime threats?

 

[jaseg]

I shut my chickens up at night. I've had no problems with any predators so far..."knocks on wood". The Hens are safe and draft free, it gets cool here at night even in early June.