security question...

[cinnamongirl]

So we tore down the pool and deck and are using the lumber from the deck to build our coop. Since our chicks are going to be outlaws (I'm declaring them innocent for now since they are in the house) the coop needs to look more like a greenhouse or planting shed instead of a coop. In fact, the back half that will be visible from the woods behind the house will be partitioned off to actually BE a greenhouse. The bottom half is wood and goes up about 4 feet from the ground (the entire thing is raised on blocks to keep out rain) and the top is entirely screened. The roof will be tented canvas dropcloth secured all around. We are in central florida so keeping it cool is the main concern. Our winters are very brief and I'm thinking of putting in a smaller coop/box within the coop where things can be extra warm during our winter. But I'm wondering if I should cover the screen on their side with something to keep out predators even though it's so high. We do have racoons that visit our front yard every night, but I haven't seen them in the back yard since we puppy proofed it a year ago. Not sure how much they can climb walls??? I have plenty of chicken wire that can go over their windows but would that be strong enough? I'm reluctant to put anything over them that will scream ILLEGAL CHICKENS to anyone who notice. Any ideas? Here's a pic so far...

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

coons can climb walls upside down and backwards . . . blindfolded and with three legs . . . If you have them in your front you will most definately have them in your back once you put chickens out there. Just chicken wire won't be enough, heed the warnings on here.
You have a very pretty yard and the coop is beautiful but a coon could even pull apart the slats on those doors.

 

[patandchickens]

Oh yes, raccoons can climb EVERY BIT of that structure, so for sure hardwarecloth all windows/vents very securely, and as the previous poster points out, they will also rip the wood louvers apart on that door, cute though it is. You could try putting hardwarecloth on the inside of the door but honestly I think there is a good chance they'll break the louvers *anyhow*, and besides it will be hard to get hardwarecloth really securely attached to that door, so you might want to consider a different door, sorry to say.

Good luck, have fun, cute coop,

Pat

 

[cinnamongirl]

Ooh that's what I was afraid of. So I'm off to get lots and lots more hardware cloth. Or what about stucco lathe? The guy at Lowes told me it might work since it's holes are small and it's galvanized. But is it tough enough? I've never worked with it.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I don't know what stucco lathe is but I would be interested to find out.
Thik of coons this way: their favorite dinner is crawfish or chicken heads, they have razor sharp teeth and can chew through even more than a dog, they have HANDS, and they are really really smart If a five year old can figure out how to open it so can a coon, they LOVE a challenge
we used to have them for pets and let me tell you what, they can figure out how to open a child proof lock.

 

[cinnamongirl]

I keep going back and forth between here and the predator section and the more I read the more I'm afraid for my babies. I'm no stranger to raccoons...I once went outside to chase one out of my trash with a broom only to have him stand up and chase me back into the house! He was the size of a big dog and with lots of attitude! But I've never had anything more precious than my garbage cans to protect. The stucco lathe seems like it might be easy for them to tear through but it's also kinda sharp so...? Imagine a mesh made of thin strips of soda cans with the edges pointing outwards kinda angled. It's sold in 4x8 sheets at Lowes for just under 10 bucks and seems like it would be a lot easier to work with than hardware cloth. I think I might get a sheet and see how well it holds up to my angry beast impersonation lol.
What about under the run...burying the wire 2 feet down vs having a 2 foot apron...which is better or does it matter? Does hole size count as much there?
Thanks so much for all of your help...all of you. My babies are only 2 1/2 weeks old so I still have some time. I really want to make sure I build this right from the start!

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

sounds like you are doing everything right! and thinking with your head while doing it! Personally I wouldn't want to dig a 2" deep trench around the whole coop so I would probably go with the apron buried.
we used to have one of those big bull coons like the one who chased you; he stayed in his cage most of the time because he liked his cage, but when he wanted out he would just reach through the wire and back around to the latch (that he couldn't see) and unsnap it (it was the kind like on a horses lead rope where you have to use your thumb to push down the snap) LOl smart smart smart

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

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the lathe sounds like it could hurt me or my chickens but I am going to check it out tomorrow!

 

[patandchickens]

I don't know how strong stucco lath is (it *might* be ok, I dunno) but I know it is rather sharp and you would not want it somewhere that chickens could come into contact with it IMHO.

Quote:
That's a little bit of a trick question, the way it's specified...

Two feet is not the most ample apron (3' is better, you might even want 4' if you know you have really 'professional' digging-type dogs or certain particular experienced foxes causing problems in the area); two feet IS ample for burying wire vertically.

However the former is way WAY less work than the latter, and is easier to check and repair as needed (yes, even galvanized wire WILL rust underground, not much at first but accellerating rapidly over time).

Personally I would prefer a 3' apron over anything buried. One big exception being, if you have a known rat problem and are going all-out to try to keep rats out of your run. In that case, burying flashing or 1/2" hardwarecloth 2' deep is reasonable to try, and no an apron would not have the same effect. Otherwise, though, I think a generous apron makes more sense.

Hole size doesn't matter quite as much (except for the above rat scenario) because you do not need to worry about anything reaching through, nor about baby raccoons/possums. I do not personally go larger than 2x4" mesh for an apron, but IMO that size is fine. And honestly I doubt you'd *often* run into problems if you used 4x4 wire, I just wouldn't do it myself is all.

You do want as HEAVY a gauge as you can get, though, since you know it will start rusting down in time.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[cinnamongirl]

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I was thinking that too and if I do end up using it, it would only be on the outside of their windows and maybe a 3ft skirt of it around the bottom of the run. The run will be chicken wire over arched pvc. Chicken wire on the inside nearest the chickens and then maybe lathe on the outside? Maybe. You can see the first arch around the doorway in the pic. I just put up that first one to make sure it was going to clear the doorway. I know we have hawks so I want to protect from them as well. One comes and sits on my pergola and watches my pond ( just maybe 15 feet away from the coop) whenever it rains.


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Oh man...I think I'm going to have to bury it! Good thing it's just sand. I've seen rat droppings in my shed. And squirrel. No professional diggers tho. And I don't think I have enough room to put a 3' apron because of a palm tree that fell years before we moved here and is now growing at really low angle along the side of the run. Maybe a racoon could use it as a ladder!!! Oh no. Do raccoons jump very far? I'm off to go do some more measurements...
Thanks for the great info!