I've heard that raccoons and opossums can dig... Is this true? Will they dig underneath the pressure treated base? If so, what can I do to prevent this?Thanks in advance for your advice!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Will my chickens be safe in this coop?
Calling all chicken raisin' people! Please advise me on the safety of my chickens. They have quickly made the transition from 'livestock' to 'pet'. (Ok, so this happened before I even reached the checkout counter at the feed store :) But I need to know if they will be safe in this coop:
I've heard that raccoons and opossums can dig... Is this true? Will they dig underneath the pressure treated base? If so, what can I do to prevent this?
Thanks in advance for your advice!
I've heard that raccoons and opossums can dig... Is this true? Will they dig underneath the pressure treated base? If so, what can I do to prevent this?Thanks in advance for your advice!
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7 comments:
Jackie, I am not one of the chicken raisin' people, but I tell you - if I was a chicken, I'd love to live in that coop!
Your chicken coop is such a dream cottage for your chicks.
If the coop doesn't have a bottom could you nail chicken wire to cover the bottom? That way you can still move the coop and bird droppings will drop through. I worry that predators including neighbor's dogs are very tenacious in getting at chickens.
Jackie, we use 1/2 inch hardware cloth on all of our coops, including the bottoms. For the sides it will prevent mice and small birds from getting in the coop and stealing/fouling feed. We caught a bobcat climbing our run, and the hardware cloth was strong enough to withstand that!
On the bottom, hardware cloth lasts much long than poultry wire, it's thicker, and is strong enough to stop anything from tunneling in. Cute coop by the way, I love it!
1/2" hardware cloth will prevent raccoons from reaching through and killing birds, which they will do if they can get to them. If the little coop house is predator-proof then they're probably okay. To be totally safe, you'd attach hardware cloth to the bottoms and extend it 6" down and about 10" out, in an "L" shape to discourage diggers.
Rats are a nuisance, but only hurt chicks, not chickens.
Great coop! I also have a small "chicken tractor" style coop, and we attached hardware cloth to the bottom. That definitely helps against predators. We have coyotes and raccoons, and neither have made it though the hardware cloth.
Thank you so much everyone for your helpful suggestions!
I'm a little late coming in here, but I also have a chicken tractor. They're safe enough in the run during the day, but i shut them up in the coop at night. I also take the food in the house at night I don't want to encourage vermin.
Deirdre
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