Will this be 99% predator proof?

[StarSpun]

Hi all

So we're working on the coop. There was an existing run in our yard when we bought the house. I got a little prefab coop that I am going to modify and open for serious ventilation. All hardware cloth of course. I still have to paint the coop a nice color, and then I am wrapping all the edges of the run in bamboo and finishing with a tiki top roof!

What I'm going to do:

- Reinforce all the hardware cloth that is existing. Got the new 'staples'....not the standard kind, the right kind

- Cover all edges and stapled areas with wood trim screwed in with fence screws. Then cover with the bamboo edges.

- Surround all around the coop with a paved path (we have a mold to make it look nice, like laid stone).

- Put on some sort of roofing over the hardware cloth....then cover with the tiki roof.

-Reinforce the door with latches that were suggested on the forum here, one is padlocked. So probably three in total, top middle, bottom.

-The floor right now is laid with 2 x 6 pressure treated wood. Will be screwing it down into the edges, then covering with hardware cloth and stapling it securely to the side walls. Also covering with plywood which will be rubber coated with that roof coating stuff (blackjack)

- Inside, the coop will be raised up so I can put a secondary run in underneath and out to the side. Will be screwed to the floor and surrounded by hardware cloth.

-reinforcing the egg box and stapling more hardware cloth underneath.

So basically, if they get in the first Fort Knox, they still have to get into the second line!

What do you all think? Anything else? Overkill? Should I lay out an apron under the cement border? LOL!

Thanks in advance

 

[Odelia]

To me this sounds like over kill. The set up you have now could use some sort of roof to keep part of the run dry. I would want to make sure that the door was properly secure. Otherwise they already look 99.9% safe. What kind of predators do you have? Wolves? If it is bears you need electric fencing. They can tear anything open if they want.

 

[wheatlands]

Hi, I'm from the UK so the only predator we have is the Fox. I love foxes but not enough to let it have one of my girls! When we moved to the smallholding, my first priority was to make the chicken bit safe. We have a 6 ftfence of chicken wire, with an extra ft buried uunderground secured with cement and a ft overhang at the top to stop foxy climbing over! Hopefully that's foxy sorted, but now I have a buzzard eyeing up my girls, so have scarer balloons hanging across the run and cds spinning in the breeze.
Enjoying keeping chucks, hope they stay safe

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

As long as I read everything correctly I think you'll be just fine. If you have the money and WANT to do all of that then go for it. Nothing wrong with making sure your coop/run is secure.

 

[Trefoil]

It sounds good,if possible, putting the hardware cloth under the wood floor would protect the wood from getting chewed on. Also, I have a small coop very similiar to the one in your pics and if you haven't already you will want to put some sort of finish on it, what they come with won't last a season. With a setup like you describe you'll be able to enjoy your local wildlife without having to worry about your chickens. That makes life soo much more fun. Good luck and enjoy

 

[StarSpun]

To me this sounds like over kill. The set up you have now could use some sort of roof to keep part of the run dry. I would want to make sure that the door was properly secure. Otherwise they already look 99.9% safe. What kind of predators do you have? Wolves? If it is bears you need electric fencing. They can tear anything open if they want.

Hi Odelia!

It is totally overkill, I know Ha ha! We have big coons, big dogs next door (they are fenced in though) but I don't want to chance it. I feel like going overkill is the only thing that will let me sleep at night. I even have a night vision baby monitor, will be hooking that up too, LOL! The door had my concern at first but I think we found a way to get it nice and tight. The hardware cloth is coming off in areas, so will for sure have to do that.

No bears that I know. We're pretty much in the city, on an Island so to speak. Just real big coons!

 

[StarSpun]

Hi, I'm from the UK so the only predator we have is the Fox. I love foxes but not enough to let it have one of my girls! When we moved to the smallholding, my first priority was to make the chicken bit safe. We have a 6 ftfence of chicken wire, with an extra ft buried uunderground secured with cement and a ft overhang at the top to stop foxy climbing over! Hopefully that's foxy sorted, but now I have a buzzard eyeing up my girls, so have scarer balloons hanging across the run and cds spinning in the breeze.

Enjoying keeping chucks, hope they stay safe

Thanks Wheatlands
Hmmm wonder if we have foxes? I doubt it. Watch out for that chicken wire, apparently hardware cloth is the only thing that animals can't rip through....

 

[StarSpun]

As long as I read everything correctly I think you'll be just fine. If you have the money and WANT to do all of that then go for it. Nothing wrong with making sure your coop/run is secure.

ChirpyChicks1, exactly. I'll pay good money for peace of mind, ha ha! I have way too much anxiety as it is

 

[cstronks]

This is already a chicken fortress...making the suggested additions will take it to DEFCON 4!

 

[StarSpun]

It sounds good,if possible, putting the hardware cloth under the wood floor would protect the wood from getting chewed on. Also, I have a small coop very similiar to the one in your pics and if you haven't already you will want to put some sort of finish on it, what they come with won't last a season. With a setup like you describe you'll be able to enjoy your local wildlife without having to worry about your chickens. That makes life soo much more fun. Good luck and enjoy

Hi Trefoil! Thanks

Yeah, we can get the hardware cloth under the wood, good point on the chewing. Would be better to get it under there. Most of the wood flooring is loose and can be lifted up right now. Will have to get in there and staple all the hardware cloth in!

Yeah, the prefab ones, just waiting to pick out my paint color. Gonna prime it, paint it, and seal it At least it will be under the main roof, but yeah, it for sure needs finish. What did you use? Some people rubber coated the roof! I may put the tiki stuff on the roof of it as well....