Will this be 99% predator proof?

[StarSpun]

This is already a chicken fortress...making the suggested additions will take it to DEFCON 4!

EXCELLENT! Ha ha!

 

[joan1708]

looks good to me. I also put hardware cloth under my coops wood floor. My chickens love to scratch in the dirt and I have a little yard waste compost pile just for them to scratch around in. Will yours have a little patch of dirt or compost to play in? I'm also wondering if you will travel from canada to florida and back with your birds?

 

[conny63malies]

If its down in Florida, not overkill at all. We used to live down there. You got larger pythons and lizards (waran /water monitor lizards) Florida Panthers, Gators , black bears, feral monkeys... a black bear and panther will still get through, maybe even a determined primate. Did they finally catch the one in Tampa?

 

[StarSpun]

looks good to me. I also put hardware cloth under my coops wood floor. My chickens love to scratch in the dirt and I have a little yard waste compost pile just for them to scratch around in. Will yours have a little patch of dirt or compost to play in? I'm also wondering if you will travel from canada to florida and back with your birds?

Hi Joan1708!

Yup, I will be moving some dirt/compost in all the time, in flower pots and what not. When I am out in the yard (almost all the time) I have a little portable run I will also put them in close to me. It's hardware cloth surrounded as well, but no floor so I watch closely. I'm also kinda nutty and am going the diaper/leash root so I can hang out with them real close

If you remember, message me in May and I'll let you know if they come with me or not!

 

[StarSpun]

If its down in Florida, not overkill at all. We used to live down there. You got larger pythons and lizards (waran /water monitor lizards) Florida Panthers, Gators , black bears, feral monkeys... a black bear and panther will still get through, maybe even a determined primate. Did they finally catch the one in Tampa?

I never heard about anything in Tampa....YIKES!
Where I am it's out over a bridge in a pretty residential area. Don't think there are any of the big things here....mostly just coons, massive ones. HAHA! And skunks probably. I still like to make sure though
I'm overly cautious!

 

[FloridaBasser]

Thanks Wheatlands
Hmmm wonder if we have foxes? I doubt it. Watch out for that chicken wire, apparently hardware cloth is the only thing that animals can't rip through....

yes we have foxes
and coyotes and raccoons and possums and bears

 

[StarSpun]

yes we have foxes
and coyotes and raccoons and possums and bears

Yikes! Hopefully not where I am! LOL!

 

[SusanPC]

For our pre-fab coop, we painted it with a solid-color stain - 2 coats. My husband also replaced much of the hardware (including screws, etc.) and used construction adhesive to secure everything together including using the improved bolts, screws, etc. We used the provided run, but doubled the size. We are now in the midst of expanding the coop as we got 4 chicks instead of the 2 originally planned. Those pre-fab coops can save money and time, but you need to modify, improve, reinforce, and paint/stain to create a secure and big enough area for the chickens. Below is pic of current coop (expanded pre-fab) BUT we are adding more than double the space to the coop off the back end. The way my hubby reinforced, the only thing I don't think it will hold up to is a bear and there's no chance of that here. We are more worried about raccoons, snakes, rats/mice, and hawks. Chicks are still in brooder for at least 2 more weeks.

 

[conny63malies]

Yikes! Hopefully not where I am! LOL!

Merritt island , isn't that a wildlife refuge? Pretty sure you got bears. The largest FL black bear was actually caught in the space coast. I forgot you also have weasels there too.

 

[DYarbro97]

If its down in Florida, not overkill at all. We used to live down there. You got larger pythons and lizards (waran /water monitor lizards) Florida Panthers, Gators , black bears, feral monkeys... a black bear and panther will still get through, maybe even a determined primate. Did they finally catch the one in Tampa?

Yes, they got the monkey in Tampa.

Merritt island , isn't that a wildlife refuge? Pretty sure you got bears. The largest FL black bear was actually caught in the space coast. I forgot you also have weasels there too.

I have lived and hunted in Florida my whole life (34 years) and have never seen a weasel.