- Avoid chicken wire. Surprisingly, chicken wire is built to keep chickens in although not predators out. Some predators, like fisher cats, raccoons and snakes, can certainly access your chickens with the bigger links within the wiring. Rather of chicken wire go for 1/2 inch hardware cloth rather.
- Consider diggers. Some predators, for example fox and coyotes, have access to the coop within a few minutes by easily digging beneath the enclosed outdoors part of their housing (chicken run). To assist combat this kind of behavior, simply surround the chicken’s run having a 2 feet wide apron of hardware cloth. Bury it a couple of inches underneath the ground’s surface. Or bury the hardware cloth straight lower 12-18 inches deep in to the ground.
- Place a roof onto it. Predators that fly or climb have access to the coop with an uncovered "ceiling" within the outside run. Putting a roof within the run is the easiest method to keep predators from landing or climbing in to the chicken run. Netting will also help to discourage but it’s not necessarily failproof.
- Batten lower the hatches. Every single day, make sure the chickens are securely locked to their coop from dusk until morning. Also inspect the coop and repair any small holes. They are access points for sneaky predators for example rats, weasels and snakes.
- Use quality locks. Replace easy open latches with predator proof ones. Most of them possess a two-step locking and unlocking mechanism. Bear in mind that raccoons can determine locks that 2-year-old children can!
- Think about a rooster. Although roosters aren’t for everybody they perform a wonderful job at keeping their women protected from danger. Whenever a threat arises it’s not uncommon to determine a rooster ushering his flock to safety after which coming back to battle and battle threats.
- Install motion activated lights. Night time predators don’t take care of well-lit areas. They like to "work" underneath the cover of darkness.
- Electrify it. If you reside in a place with large predators, for example bears or bobcats, consider all around the coop and run with electric fencing.
Resourse: http://hgtv.com/outdoors/gardens/creatures-and-wildlife/
Predator proof the coop
Video COMMENTS:
tpfmike1976: lay the chicken wire on the ground and extended it 2 feet out. use spikes to hit it in place.\nwe never lost a chicken in 12 yrs due to animal attack
TheOldLookOutLodge: Pretty smart, bud. Looking forward to seeing how it works. Liked and subbed.
morpheus 7s7s7s: You could use plastic coving over the chicken wire then it be easier to clean out great video..!
Redneck Wannabe: Since that video I've put down around 6" of wood chips and I have no smell. I have just continued to add to the wood chips.
Rocco Hilly: Chicken wire is just for chickens , any predator can chew through it .
Carl and Dawn Homestead: We just came across your videos and we love them. Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work, we will follow your progress. We also subscribed! If you get a chance please take a look at our channel and subscribe. I think this video, https://youtu.be/Gykuw3hYnWA is one of favorites. Thanks, Carl and Dawn
joe young: good ideas but it has been my experience that whatever predator will try to dig under is usually strong enough to tear through chicken wire.
Redneck Wannabe: I don't think I'll be able to stop all predators from getting in. My intent is for it to take enough time so that it makes enough of a racket for the dogs to let me know what's going on.
Cameron: my impression is that is going to be a bear to clean, but, i don't know that from experience. I guess you will know soon enough :-)
David Goodridge: Good luck with the improvements to the new coop.
Chicken coop plans manual | Related Posts:
Comments are closed here.