I just went out to work on the coop (my girls are growing by the minute... why didn't I build first?) and found a weasel snacking on a lunch of two garter snakes. Can weasels sense chickens even before they've moved in?
What I'm wondering is...is it possible to prevent a determined weasel? Do I need to wrap my entire coop in hardware cloth? I've buried hardware cloth 2 feet down around the perimeter of my coop - and I am now going to put wire over the dirt floor and bury it. I am going to put 1 foot high flatstock (metal skirting) around the base of the coop and put metal flashing on all the corners and wall to roof joints. The windows will be covered on the inside and outside with hardware cloth (so I can open them and still not have the glass broken). The roof is metal.
When the girls start laying (if they survive that long)...is anyone interested in a $10 egg ($120/dozen)?
What I'm wondering is...is it possible to prevent a determined weasel? Do I need to wrap my entire coop in hardware cloth? I've buried hardware cloth 2 feet down around the perimeter of my coop - and I am now going to put wire over the dirt floor and bury it. I am going to put 1 foot high flatstock (metal skirting) around the base of the coop and put metal flashing on all the corners and wall to roof joints. The windows will be covered on the inside and outside with hardware cloth (so I can open them and still not have the glass broken). The roof is metal.
When the girls start laying (if they survive that long)...is anyone interested in a $10 egg ($120/dozen)?