Tips on protecting our flock w/ list of our local predators

[LemonberryMoon]

We are in Oregon and have raccoons, opossums, skunks and hawks all within the neighborhood for sure. We plan on enclosing the sides and top of the run with hardware cloth and putting a layer on the ground under the concrete blocks that border the run as well. Does anyone have any specific tips for protecting against these predators?

 

[Alaskan]

I couldn't visualize how you are doing the edge...but the rest sounds great.

Only other thing, remember that raccoons have little hands, are super smart, and very strong. You will need extremely good latches/locks on all openings.

Good luck!

 

[LemonberryMoon]

I couldn't visualize how you are doing the edge...but the rest sounds great.

Only other thing, remember that raccoons have little hands, are super smart, and very strong. You will need extremely good latches/locks on all openings.

Good luck!

Thank you! We will have wood posts and the hardware cloth stapled to those, with a solid roof to protect from rain as well.

 

[RoxyBird]

I have been told to bury wire (vertically) a good 12" below the external soil line to prevent digging animals from getting in, and to attach boards on deep stakes/rebar or (as you mentioned) cement blocks at the bottom to deter digging animals. We actually did two different things (2 coops on different properties). I'll tell you about them... just in case it's helpful

For the city coop/run I have boards along the ground and wire walls wrapped under and stapled to the boards with electrical staples (heavy duty). I'm digging a narrow 2" wide x 8"+ deep moat around the run and just pouring cruddy cheap concrete to provide a rust-proof barrier to diggers.

For the county coop (more predators in the neighborhood) we dug out the yard and put down chainlink (on the ground) under the entire coop and run, and attached it to the walls of the coop & run... so that nothing can dig up from underneith. Then we buried it with all the dirt we dug up plus some rock/gravel/pebbles that we had on hand/on the property already (so that it's raised slightly from the surrounding ground- keeping water from pooling, hopefully). We will cover this with some sort of litter for the birds to run/scratch around in and rake out periodically for the compost... probably sand in a portion of it and straw/pine shavings in the more covered portion.

The city coop has motion detector lights around the outside, to both wake up the birds (who will wake us up- being 20ft from the bedroom window) and startle/call attention to predators at night (works on loose dogs and probably raccoons- the local cats haven't set them off so I assume a possum wouldn't). This doubles as a house security measure, as it's an urban environment and the backyard is rather dark. Thinking about doing this on the other coop as well. The only issue is making sure the birds themselves don't set the detectors off... so that they will go back to bed... lol. And... we might have a rooster at the less urban coop... in which case we might *not* do the lights... since we don't want to wake up the entire neighborhood if a leaf blows by (it's not within city limits, but just being neighborly).

Agree about the locks- we just have the same masterlock on everything (bought a set of identical keyed locks) and an extra key on the keychain, plus one extra key hanging on the coatrack nearest the back door. No big deal there.

 

[greenmulberry]

We are in Oregon and have raccoons, opossums, skunks and hawks all within the neighborhood for sure. We plan on enclosing the sides and top of the run with hardware cloth and putting a layer on the ground under the concrete blocks that border the run as well. Does anyone have any specific tips for protecting against these predators?

This is what we have done, it works great and is easier than burying it. It's held up against raccoon attacks for as long as I have had chickens.

 

[WitchyAng]

A moat of buried concrete? What a unique solution to deter diggers! Could such an idea really work?

 

[RoxyBird]

A moat of buried concrete? What a unique solution to deter diggers! Could such an idea really work?

Thanks! I am sure the next homeowners here will be less than thrilled, but it's pretty quick and easy (well, as easy as mixing/pouring concrete can be... with an old wheelbarrow, a hose and a 5 gallon bucket). I imagine it will break apart eventually due to the rough winters we have here, but it seemed like a good experiment. I'm going to keep an eye on it at ground level and watch out for buckling due to the freeze/thaw and whatnot. It definitely keeps dogs out.