New chicken coop

[RedHillChicken]

View attachment 4108660I used this to put under the chicken run. Would it be completely predator
Proof?

I would suggest 1/2" hardware cloth all around, plus 1 1/2' of 1/2" hardware cloth skirt on the outside just as @DobieLover suggests above. If you have issues with snakes, you may want to put 1/4" hardware cloth on the bottom 2' up from ground level. Your run would be best to not have the concrete pad because 1) If you use the skirt you won't need the concrete, and no predator will be willing to try and dig in, and 2) Chickens love to dig. They find bits of rock and bugs there to eat, plus they keep up their immunity to disease by bathing in the dirt in the run.

 

[Chestnut Buttercup]

I would suggest 1/2" hardware cloth all around, plus 1 1/2' of 1/2" hardware cloth skirt on the outside just as @DobieLover suggests above. If you have issues with snakes, you may want to put 1/4" hardware cloth on the bottom 2' up from ground level. Your run would be best to not have the concrete pad because 1) If you use the skirt you won't need the concrete, and no predator will be willing to try and dig in, and 2) Chickens love to dig. They find bits of rock and bugs there to eat, plus they keep up their immunity to disease by bathing in the dirt in the run.

I would suggest 1/2" hardware cloth all around, plus 1 1/2' of 1/2" hardware cloth skirt on the outside just as @DobieLover suggests above. If you have issues with snakes, you may want to put 1/4" hardware cloth on the bottom 2' up from ground level. Your run would be best to not have the concrete pad because 1) If you use the skirt you won't need the concrete, and no predator will be willing to try and dig in, and 2) Chickens love to dig. They find bits of rock and bugs there to eat, plus they keep up their immunity to disease by bathing in the dirt in the run.

Wouldn’t weasels be able to go through 1/2”? I just used 1/4” on the walls and ground without concrete.

 

[ChaosMom]

Wouldn’t weasels be able to go through 1/2”? I just used 1/4” on the walls and ground without concrete.

I can’t get my finger all the way through 1/2” HWC. Are we talking about the same thing?

 

[DonyaQuick]

Wouldn’t weasels be able to go through 1/2”?

Even most adult mice can't get through 1/2" HWC (provided the spacing is true and not wonky). I've only seen quite small juvenile mice and young shrews slip through that spacing, but both of those are what chickens would consider snack size. I haven't seen weasels specifically try my 1/2" HWC, but I believe by the time they'd be old enough to be trying to get in a coop they would be somewhat bigger than a fresh-out-the-nest mouse.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Yeah i removed the concrete and just used the wire. I was gonna put lots of dirt on top would that work?

How much is "lots"? Chickens can dig down over a foot deep, so if you plan on burying it you'll need to dig down that far to install. Otherwise you're risking bumblefoot, toes and nails being torn off, etc.

It'll also rust out over time so you'd need to replace it at some point in the future. This is why aproning outside the perimeter on the surface is the general approach, as it's safer for the chickens and easier to maintain.

And what do you mean that it’s very weak?

Most 1/4" HWC is 23 gauge which is very thin wire and thus easier to break than 1/2" which is usually 19 gauge.

 

[RedHillChicken]

Wouldn’t weasels be able to go through 1/2”? I just used 1/4” on the walls and ground without concrete.

Weasels are fairly large animals, so I don't think they could go through 1/2" HWC.

 

[Chestnut Buttercup]

Wouldn’t weasels be able to go through 1/2”? I just used 1/4” on the walls and ground without concrete.

Wouldn’t weasels be able to go through 1/2”? I just used 1/4” on the walls and ground without concrete.

I have changed the wire to 1/2” 19 gauge.

Weasels are fairly large animals, so I don't think they could go through 1/2" HWC.

 

[Chestnut Buttercup]

How much is "lots"? Chickens can dig down over a foot deep, so if you plan on burying it you'll need to dig down that far to install. Otherwise you're risking bumblefoot, toes and nails being torn off, etc.

It'll also rust out over time so you'd need to replace it at some point in the future. This is why aproning outside the perimeter on the surface is the general approach, as it's safer for the chickens and easier to maintain.

Most 1/4" HWC is 23 gauge which is very thin wire and thus easier to break than 1/2" which is usually 19 gauge.

I use the galvanized wire so it takes a really long time to rust. I’ll be adding lots of dirt and refill it often.

 

[Chestnut Buttercup]

I can’t get my finger all the way through 1/2” HWC. Are we talking about the same thing?

I thought that’s what it said online. But if the weasels can’t get through 1/2” then I’ll be using that instead.

 

[ChaosMom]

I thought that’s what it said online. But if the weasels can’t get through 1/2” then I’ll be using that instead.

I wonder if the writer of what you saw was trying to say 1x2 (1" by 2") instead. I can see a determined smaller predator "weaseling" (ha) in through that size gap.