Thoughts on Safety

[llombardo]

little background..

My yard is fully fenced with a 6 ft vinyl fence. Around the whole inside perimeter there is about a foot of river Rock. River Rock is also under all gates. I built an enclosure that is about 20x25 and 5 ft tall. It's 1/2 inch hardware cloth from top to bottom all the way around, heavy duty netting on top, hardware cloth all the way around the bottom stapled down.

The coop is a pre-fab(attaching a manufacture picture). The coop is inside the enclosure. I have the coop backed up to the duck house with a fence in between, so no way in there.



I put another layer of hardware cloth across every area in the front including the large window. There is also a hardware cloth apron around the bottom. I added two hook and eyes(pretty tight fit)to that window. On the right two areas looking at the pic I did not add hardware cloth(yet) but there is a iron gate panel there that blocks it off. On the bottom left I did not do hardware cloth(this would be the area I worry about) I also put a carbinier clip on the nest box lock.

Now the question. Would it be safe enough to let them roost on the bar that is above the ramp at night and not close that door to the inside area? A couple of them have taken to roosting out there and I have thought about leaving them, but I'm nervous about it. The two doors are locked and I can add more locks but due to rain and/or heat, those doors are not easy to open without pulling(I was going to fix this but this works in my favor I think) The known predators here are raccoons, fox, coyote, opossum, skunk, Hawks, owls. I also have several dogs that are very alert. On decent nights they can can come in and out through the screen door, so they would be my first alert if something was out there. I think their presence is pretty obvious to any of the predators.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Would it be safe enough to let them roost on the bar that is above the ramp at night

I have a hardware cloth screen door on my coop that protects my flock at night through the summer nights. I have had no issues with predators. I would vote "YES".

 

[townchicks]

It sounds pretty secure. There seem to be no guarantees where raccoons are concerned, however. A raccoon can climb to the top of the hardware cloth and rip the netting, thus breaching the outer run. If possible, and you really want complete piece of mind, a hardware cloth roof on the outer run, seems like it would make your setup about as safe as humanly possible. Maybe lowering the outside roost bar a little, might make them prefer the inside roost, thus making leaving them outside moot.

 

[llombardo]

I worry about the snow with the hardware cloth over the top. I think it would cave? The weather here is very unpredictable. If I knew it could hold snow I would do the hardware cloth immediately.

 

[jthornton]

Got a photo of your setup?

JT

 

[PirateGirl]

I'm having problems envisioning the whole thing. The potential weaknesses that crossed my mind when reading through are as follows.

Hook and eye does not equal a secure lock, unless they are the ones like this with the little spring and the extra piece that slots across.

https://www.grainger.com/product/1W...6437!&ef_id=WOJrUAAAAKnW1vhD:20180628161520:s

Coyotes can easily dig under/through river rock, but it's better than nothing. I have seen the rocks they move in my field and the rocks my own dogs dig up regularly to try and get to prey.

I'm not sure how your hardware cloth is attached to the frame, etc. Yes, hardware cloth is generally secure, but only if it's properly secured to the structure. So what you have built may or may not be as secure as you intend. Not all staples are created equal.

I read through again though and it sounds like you have multiple lines of defense. Overall a very well thought out and secure setup as best I can tell. As previously mentioned, the items I pointed out above are just potential weak spots to take a look at. Without actually seeing your setup, it may already be more than secure enough.

 

[llombardo]

The 2 hook and eyes are in addition to the two sliding things on there already. So 4 locking systems. I made the hook and eyes opposite of each other.

I did not use staples. I used those self drilling screws with washers for the hardware cloth on the coop. For the enclosure I used and I'm not kidding about 1000 zip ties and 100 plus screws/washers.

 

[llombardo]

Here are a couple pics--not great but general idea..if you blow up the second picture with the gate to the coop you can see the screws/washers I was trying to explain. That is what I drilled in for the hardware cloth. In that second picture you can also see the cloth on the ground in the one area by the gate. The rest is the same but grass already grew over it. In the third Picture, you might not see it, but the netting comes down to the middle pole all the way across too.

 

[PirateGirl]

After seeing your picture, I would say put a second latch on your human door down near the bottom corner somewhere. Critters can be good at prying at corners. Overall looks great!

 

[llombardo]

After seeing your picture, I would say put a second latch on your human door down near the bottom corner somewhere. Critters can be good at prying at corners. Overall looks great!

I did think about that and I can certainly do that but in that corner and on the other side I actually have hardware cloth sticking out(almost like barb wire) so the only way to reach in would cut whatever it is up pretty bad. Silly me accidentally did exactly that...