The coop is done! But what about safety stress?

[Odyssey]

So my babies (not sure if all are girls yet) spent their first full day with access to the run. Until now, due to circumstances beyond my control, they have only had supervised access. This weekend I finally got the door and wire up and decided they would be okay if I let them roam. There are still a few tweaks to make, but it is mostly done. I tried to stay away from home so I had no reason to check on them every 5 minutes. Go figure it rained, so I had to run home to check on them. They were fine, but my little silkie girl looked displeased. I went back to my gathering and came home later than expected (past dusk) to a coyote crossing the road at the entrance to my neighborhood! EEK! The manbeast was as worried as I was but the girls were safe in the run, roosting on a cross bracing as they didn't have a roost in the coop yet. I feel safe with the coop, but the run scares me still. Even once I get locks, aprons, and hardware cloth secured, I'm worried I won't be able to rest peacefully if they have free access. I would rather not have to let them in and out of the coop all the time eventually, but for now it's necessary either way. Do you get over this, or is it part of chicken parenting?






4x6 coop with 8x8 run as well as 4x6 under coop space (88sq feet outside!)


All 7 learning to use the ramp and bonus pic of a wet silkie pullet.

 

[iwiw60]

Cute coop and run, but I don't see any hardware cloth. I enlarged your photo and all I see is 2" x 4" wire fencing, and possibly a little true hardware cloth down around the bottom of one side of the coop.

If you've seen a coyote please be aware that the 2" x 4" fencing you're using will not keep him out...he can tear through that like butter. Wishing you all the very best...

 

[Odyssey]

You are absolutely correct that the hardware cloth is not surrounding the entire run yet. One wall is against the house and I will be blocking the narrow passage between them, and the front wall and door will be getting secured this week assuming I stop having to stay late at work. Elsewise it will be finished up this weekend with stakes on the aprons and everything.

On a high note, they put themselves up in the coop tonight without any help from me. They tried to roost in the run last night and I had to heard them in. I tried putting them on the roosting bars tonight, but they all hopped down and went right back to their old favorite corner in a big pile.

 

[Folly's place]

Hope you have hardware cloth on the run, and a solid foundation, or buried heavy-duty wire to prevent digging into the run. Mary