Wire Bottom for a Chicken Tractor?

crcfarm

Hatching
6 Years
Mar 28, 2013
3
0
7
Hi All,

I'm new to the this and my chicks are 6 weeks old today. I'm working on turning a Pawhut Large Portable Coop into a chicken tractor that I can move around the yard. It's a fenced yard, but I do sometimes have trouble with skunks, raccoons, foxes and an occasional coyote who dig under the fence and come in the yard especially at dusk when I might not be home - I have a fish pond that temps them. I also have a heeler and greyhound who are very interested in the chicks. What I want to do is add a wire bottom to the coop to keep the diggers out - I realize that perfectly raccoon-proofing something is probably impossible. I have some hardware cloth that I was thinking about using, but I also have chicken wire. Does anyone have any suggestions about which would be better? I thought the hardware cloth would be better and last longer, but there could be concerns I haven't though of. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 
Hardware cloth would be better. I've seen other people do it but I worry they'll try to scratch which they love to do and tear up their feet.
 
Thanks, I had a feeling that would be better because it seems to me like chicken wire just wouldn't last long on the ground. I figured I'll put a layer of straw inside to try and help protect their feet and hopefully they'll learn not to scratch too far down. I just know they won't last long at all if the first "visitor" to come into the yard decides to either burrow under or flip it. I've lost several koi over the years even with all the protective things I've done for the fish; I'm not going to complain though because my co-worker has a bear that likes to come to her yard for swimming and sushi and she even has her fence hot-wired to try and keep him out. I can't imagine what I'd have to do to bear proof. I've got some cement blocks to anchor it down at each end so the wind and animals won't topple it. Thanks for your response!
 

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