Snake proof coop/pen design ??

[Hennypen]

We have some fairly large black racers and black king snakes living inside tree trunks. They've done a great job keeping mouse, rat, and chipmonk populations under control so I really don't want to relocate them.

I also want a small chicken / hen house.

Is it possible to design a chicken house/ pen that will also be snake proof? With small diameter wire, etc........???

 

[lleighmay]

1/2 inch hardware cloth at least 5 feet up and include the roof of your pen if there's anything nearby a snake could climb. Make sure any gaps in your coop construction are sealed, including between the floor and walls.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Quote:
If you can build a house to keep snakes in, should be no problem to keep them out. Hardware cloth should keep out any snakes big enough to steal eggs. Any snake smaller than that would probably be food for the snakes.

Where the problem might come in is if rodents chew a hole small enough to get in, then the snake can use the same hole.

 

[Hennypen]

Is hardware cloth strong enough to keep raccoons and opossums out?

 

[WalkingWolf]

Quote:
Not if they chew through it, but if you use welded wire they will reach through and pull the chickens apart. If you have raccoon problems two solutions 1) electric fence around the coop. 2) Guard dog that freely roams the area after chickens are locked down. I use a dog that is released after dark and brought in before releasing chickens.