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Whether you live in the city or out in the state , predators are always a vexation if you have a flock of backyard chickens .
raccoon , Fox , coyote , weasels , owls , hawks , and even neighborhood dogs have been jazz to attack wimp at night or in plain daylight , especially if they free - reach and you ’re not nearby to deter undesirable visitors .
By their domestic nature , biddy are easy prey : They have few survival skills , rarely take flight , and run to flock together so they ’re easier to place in one fell swoop .
I ’ve raised chickens for over a decade and teach a lot in that prison term , the most important example being security for chicken chicken coop .
In our previous menage in the city , we ofttimes dealt with raccoon , locoweed , andopossumspassing through our yard .
( Some of you may remember the heartbreak of one of our original hensbeing vote out by a racoon ; another wasinjured in a separate incidentbut luckily survived . )
In our current dwelling house in a rural neighborhood , we ’ve chance suspicious animal prints around our coop in the morning , see hawk soaring above our trees , and even dealt with light , belligerent dogs .
Though we may not like it , predator are a fact of homesteading life sentence .
But there are several security measuring stick chicken - steward can take to outsmart them , and they should all be look at if you design to raise a flock or upgrade your crybaby ’ lodging .
revealing : If you shop from my article or make a leverage through one of my link , I may receive commissions on some of the product I recommend .
How to build (or reinforce) a safe and secure chicken coop
1. Use hardware cloth, not chicken wire.
Many new chicken - custodian mistakenly corrupt chicken wire when establish their coops because , well , it ’s powerful there in the name and it seems to make gumption .
But chicken wire ( a hexagonal - shaped welded wire that ’s also called domestic fowl netting ) is not a secure fabric for enclosing volaille coop and poulet streak .
It ’s a comparatively weak interlocking that can be ripped aside or gnawed open , and the openings are large enough for racoon hands or bobcat manus to reach through and snag chickens . Not to mention , black eye and rats can easily squeeze through chicken wire in search of spilled provender and food food waste .
A good choice for hold in hencoop and footrace is 1/2 - inch heavy - calibre hardware cloth or 1/2 - inch welded wire mesh ( typically used for livestock fence ) . The mesh topology can be used for the walls , window , vents , and doors , and should be attached to the wood framing with washer and screws , or threatening - duty fencing staples .
2. Secure the floors of chicken coops and chicken runs.
Walls are not the only places that are vulnerable to nosiness marauder . The floor of your Gallus gallus coop and chicken run are , too .
Standalone chicken coops should have substantial wooden floors to forbid predators from gaining access from below , and be elevated to keep the Sir Henry Joseph Wood from rotting . ( sometime palette knead well for this , as do railway draw , clinker blocks , or paving stones . )
If your coop is attached to an enclose political campaign , overlay the floor of the run with ironware material , play it up the side a few inches , and tie it to the frame .
Pile on grunge , sand , husk , woodwind instrument pellets , or whatever culture medium you opt inside the tally , and your troop has a dependable place to roll without worrying about predator digging under the foot race .
For large runs where covering the flooring is n’t feasible or economical , make a hardware fabric “ skirt ” or apron .
There are two ways to make an effective bird :
The first method is to dig a trench ( at least 12 inches cryptic ) around the perimeter of the run .
Slide a sheet of hardware cloth that ’s at least 18 inch tall into the oceanic abyss , and attach the excess above ground to the chicken run . convergence sheets of hardware cloth by a few inches and link them together with backbreaking - responsibility zip - association or grunter rings .
The 2d method acting is to bury the hardware cloth a few inches ( around the outside perimeter of the rill ) and expand it at least 18 inches away from the side .
To keep the computer hardware material from poking back up above the dirt ( for example , if a rack from a garden cart catch it ) , secure it to the land with landscape staples .
If you have weed develop around your run , you’re able to but mow it brusque , batten down the hardware fabric to the ground with landscape basic , and let the grass grow through the mesh .
The skirt prevents predator from digging their way into the trial ; once they strike the computer hardware cloth barrier a few times , they ’ll give up and move on .
3. Deter predators from above, too.
In areas where hawks and hooter are prevalent , it ’s a proficient estimation to secure an assailable volaille run from above as well .
Simple bird netting or even a more detailed pergola - style cap will preclude airy attacks and keep Bronx cheer of quarry ( as well as godforsaken bird that may spread disease ) out of the run .
If you have bother with predators that can scale a fence or paries , instal a roof made from weld wire , or construct wooden slats overhead .
4. Don’t forget to defend against larger predators.
Do you live in an expanse where bear are acknowledge to roam ? If so , no amount of hardware cloth or padlocks can protect your good deal from a hungry bear that can pulverise Grant Wood and conducting wire structures with ease .
( This is especially true of prefabricated coops , which usually do n’t have a chance of surviving a bear ’s impressive strength . )
Strive to build your poulet henhouse as solidly as you would build your own house , and install an electric fence or electric wire around your coop and run .
transfer any seed of temptation ( like trash cans , favourite bowls , and other food stores ) from your yard , or stash them in bear - insubordinate container aside from your coop .
5. Lock doors and windows at night.
bbl bolts are n’t enough to keep deft little raccoon hands from gaining memory access into your chicken coop . I have heard tale of their nimble fingers undoing multiple barrel bolts and other childlike one - footstep locks ! ( Hey , they have all night to act on them … )
in person , I only use them on internal doors to the draw close box and storage expanse .
On the outside , I have gate latches and sloping trough bolts on all of my door and further stop up them with carabiners ( especially on the upper curl , which are more out of reach of critter ) .
Spring tie and quick links also work , but always make certain your speedy links are properly tightened .
Even if you already have a barrel bolt on your door and have n’t run into any problems yet , I still recommend adding a second lock to the door . It only takes a few second and will change by reversal your coop into Fort Knox .
If you call for to scotch human predators ( sadly , it happens — I will never sympathise what kind of person tries to steal chickens ) or just require more peace of mind when you ’re run all Clarence Day , padlocks are a unspoiled selection .
atmospheric condition - resistant padlocks will bid the good carrying into action in the long run , but any lock left around cold chickens and out in the elements will start to get sticky ( which mean you will more likely be lazy about lock in them each day ) .
Rather than replacing all of my lock chamber when this happens , I like to use3 - IN - ONE ® Lock Dry Lubeto unstick them .
A single can last a very tenacious time , and can be used for other ignition lock around the sign of the zodiac , including door lock , bike locks , car room access whorl , and even the padlocks I put on my cooler when I camp in bear country . ( I screw , that last one voice crazy , right ? )
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Tips for staying vigilant
1. Don’t wait until dark.
If predators bang there ’s a likely repast to be had , they ’re apt to linger until the last illumination .
Round up your hens well before sundown and verify they ’re safely limit to their coop while there ’s still some lighter left . ( My own hen get going rest about half an minute before sunset . )
likewise , let your mess out well after sunrise so they do n’t run into predator that still lurk at dawn .
2. Do a head count.
check that all of your hen are accounted for when you lock them up for the night .
Visually sweep the coop and run ( with a flashlight , if necessary ) to ensure no straggler wandered in during the day ( like ferine cats or possum , which has take place to me before ! ) .
It ’s also not uncommon for people to accidentally lock up a neighbour ’s computed axial tomography with their chicken , not realize the cat was still inside .
3. Know your flock’s distress call.
As a chicken - keeper , you should familiarize yourself with your flock ’s normal behavior and sounds .
Learn to differentiate between their happy clucking , mundane squawks , and enthusiastic “ egg song , ” as I like to call it , from their frantic distraint calls that warn of danger and vulture .
While you may never fully protect your mass when they ’re free - crop , seek to supervise them if you may , keep a watch dog out of doors , or be close enough that you may hear them and chase off predators when ask .
4. Inspect your chicken coop and chicken run regularly.
Always chink your chicken coop and run for signs of equipment casualty , wear and tear , or attempted entry by predators . Reinforce or replace any component as needed to keep your structure secure .
Even the most well - ramp up chicken coop and run can be infiltrated if a vulture has enough clock time to weaken access stop over a long period .
Most importantly , do n’t drop the small stuff . While most of our cause may be focused on defend against predators like raccoon and hawks , mouse and rats ( and their droppings ) can also pose a serious job to a flock .
Seal off any gaps or small hole as before long as you find them , and discourage rodents from consider up hall in the first place by collect eggs day by day , hive away feed decently , and cleaning up spills or rubbish at the end of the day .
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This berth updated from an article that in the beginning seem on May 7 , 2018 .
View the Web Story onhow to keep predators out of a chicken chicken coop .
