What should I be looking for?

[b_eckman]

I'm just beginning to plan for chickens and I need some help. I live in North Central Florida in the Gainesville/Ocala area. I know that we have fox, raccoons, possums, and a variety of "domestic" predators. Is there anything else that I should be aware of when I'm building my coop and run?

 

[peckndirt]

Owls,Hawks,and snakes.

 

[Miltonchix]

Neighbors and/or feral cats.
Fire Ants

 

[CMV]

Rodents.

 

[pedro24]

dog and wild pigs not so sure about the wild pigs thou

 

[kartking22]

There's so many predators out there that it's almost impossible to keep everything out. This is like asking how to understand a woman.

It's always a never ending battle and once you think that you know everything, the rules change.
No one mentioned alligators yet.... it's possible!
I have a list a mile long of predators in my area. I can't protect them from all predators but compile a list of most threatening and most abundant. This should get you started.

 

[chicks4kids]

I think everyone has the list down pat for you...all I can say is do NOT just use chicken wire. It's designed to keep chickens in...not predators out.

My chickens free range during the day, and their coop has a 40x 12 ft. run built out of 2x4 welded wire fencing along with netting across the top (this is for when we go out of town). I lock their coop up in the summer at night, however, during this cold weather, I have a kids swimming pool with a de-icer in it out in the run and leave the back pop hatch open half way for them to go out and get water. I also set a trap every night...this may be something to consider. With the 2x4 welded wire, I can tell you that a cat has to literally ring its' neck to get in or out of that. However, snakes can def. get in there.

I suggest using poultry nails (little u shaped nails) rather than a staple gun for any fencing you decide to use either on the windows, ventilation, or whatever. It is much stronger. Hope that helps.

 

[gsim]

Could be that you have building code restrictions as to what you can and cannot do. Best look into that first or one phone call by anyone can end up costing you some money and wasted time to boot.

I did a 6 ft welded 2 x 4 wire fence set in cement. It also has a fence charger with 4 courses of hot wire all around including the gate. I installed a 2 ft tall roll of chicken wire all around the pen INSIDE at ground level to keep the chickens from poking their heads out. I also do a lockdown at dusk year round. No losses yet.

Had a chicken hawk looking over the whole flock one day tho. I have a really big run so do not have any netting overhead.