Should I put sod in my run?

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
Thanks. I was somewhat worried about that and it's something I'll have to continue to think about.
I am having trouble figuring out how a raccoon will break through. My chicken wire is screwed in with washers.

Maybe a security review is in order.

Do raccoons only attack at night? The coop has an automatic door which closes when at a pre-set time. The girls are holed up inside. The door slides on the inside not the outside and is plexiglass with no hand holds.

Raccoons are noctournal, yes. Don't be lulled into a false sense of security by the automatic pop door, either. Raccoons have no difficulty lifting those up and scooting inside. Peruse the "Predators and Pests" section of the forum for a little while and you'll be amazed and horrified.

Raccoons can also open locks and turn knobs. They're crafty and strong. Chicken wire will not keep raccoons out of your coop. I had NO idea how many raccoons, opossums and skunks we had around here until I started live-trapping them after one killed one of our chickens (who was inside a special pen surrounded by...you guessed it: only chicken wire). We trapped five raccoons, two opossums? opposi? whatever, and a skunk in about 10 days. Where there's one, there are MORE.

 

[Underwhere]

Quote:
Thanks. I was somewhat worried about that and it's something I'll have to continue to think about.
I am having trouble figuring out how a raccoon will break through. My chicken wire is screwed in with washers.

Maybe a security review is in order.

Do raccoons only attack at night? The coop has an automatic door which closes when at a pre-set time. The girls are holed up inside. The door slides on the inside not the outside and is plexiglass with no hand holds.

Raccoons are noctournal, yes. Don't be lulled into a false sense of security by the automatic pop door, either. Raccoons have no difficulty lifting those up and scooting inside. Peruse the "Predators and Pests" section of the forum for a little while and you'll be amazed and horrified.

Raccoons can also open locks and turn knobs. They're crafty and strong. Chicken wire will not keep raccoons out of your coop. I had NO idea how many raccoons, opossums and skunks we had around here until I started live-trapping them after one killed one of our chickens (who was inside a special pen surrounded by...you guessed it: only chicken wire). We trapped five raccoons, two opossums? opposi? whatever, and a skunk in about 10 days. Where there's one, there are MORE.

Interesting. Good advice thanks.

My door is slightly different. It's a plexiglass door the slides up and down on rails that are on the inside of the coop. There are no handles and no way to grab it from the outside as it's just a flat surface...but I see your point that an animal will find it's way in regardless.

Maybe I should attach a motion sensing light onto the coop to scare off predators?

 

[VkyVky]

About grass in run:
I read a thread about a "salad bar" set-up. They made a frame and put hardware cloth across the top so the chickens can only eat what they can peck through the wire or what grows above it. It can be different sizes. The weight of the chicken will cause it to dip, too. The chickens can't scratch up the earth, so it is able to grow.

 

[ll]

Just wanted to post that I LUV the paintjob! We have the same exact style house (ours is pink & white with a blue roof) and haha I feel super tiny when walking through the door too, like a house for elves ... but really love the paint detail; it makes it looks so much different ~ I want to paint ours now!
-looks outside at darkness of the night-
Well, I guess it will have to wait until maybe first thing in the morning

Hardware Cloth as a reinforcement as opposed to Chicken Wire

and I would put sand in the run... whee!

 

[ocpoolguy]

No

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
Raccoons are noctournal, yes. Don't be lulled into a false sense of security by the automatic pop door, either. Raccoons have no difficulty lifting those up and scooting inside. Peruse the "Predators and Pests" section of the forum for a little while and you'll be amazed and horrified.

Raccoons can also open locks and turn knobs. They're crafty and strong. Chicken wire will not keep raccoons out of your coop. I had NO idea how many raccoons, opossums and skunks we had around here until I started live-trapping them after one killed one of our chickens (who was inside a special pen surrounded by...you guessed it: only chicken wire). We trapped five raccoons, two opossums? opposi? whatever, and a skunk in about 10 days. Where there's one, there are MORE.

Interesting. Good advice thanks.

My door is slightly different. It's a plexiglass door the slides up and down on rails that are on the inside of the coop. There are no handles and no way to grab it from the outside as it's just a flat surface...but I see your point that an animal will find it's way in regardless.

Maybe I should attach a motion sensing light onto the coop to scare off predators?

Raccoons can get their grubby little fingernails up under those sliding, automatic pop doors and lift them up to gain entry. I've read it on BYC more than once.