Chicken Coop Question

[so lucky]

I am seriously ready to get chickens again, but if I do, it will ground me from making any more trips. (I know I haven't been burning up the highways, but I might want to)

So I was kicking around trying to make the coop predator-proof enough that I could leave the coop door open at night. For a few nights in a row.

Right now there is a fruit-tree netting top covering the chicken yard, mostly to discourage hawks and other smaller birds who eat the chicken food.

I am wondering if replacing the plastic netting with chicken wire would be enough to keep out raccoons or possums. I know better than to trust chicken wire for the walls, but for a roof? What are your thoughts on this?

 

[canesisters]

Chicken wire won't stop anything but a chicken, sorry.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Chicken wire, hardware cloth, and other wire mesh come in different gauges and mesh sizes. Depending on the gauge and mesh size, some are a lot stronger than others. But if they can get a grip and leverage a big dog or a big boar raccoon can rip almost all chicken wire or some hardware cloth. The connections might be the weak point.

Chicken wire will provide you a lot of protection. I don't know how tall it is but a big raccoon is about the only thing in your part of the country that can climb up there and tear it. What are the odds of that? Probably low but it's either 100% or 0% depending on what actually happens.

I don't know how big that area is but I'd consider using 2x4 welded wire and a fairly small mesh chicken wire together. The 2x4 should stop anything big and the chicken wire should stop anything small.

That's exactly why I got rid of my chickens even before we started talking about moving. Finding someone to take care of the chickens while I was gone got in the way of traveling to see family. Some people don't understand how much certain animals can tie you down.

 

[Nyboy]

I know you can't board them like a dog or cat, but they should not stop you from going away. Chickens can get along with basic care. Hire someone to once a day stop by to top off waters and feed. Don't worry about cleaning or collecting eggs. A weekend trip you don't even need someone put out several waters and food. Chickens should be find for 3 day weekend.

 

[Nyboy]

I would call your local animal hospital lots of times staff will pet sit for extra cash. They could stop by either before or after work

 

[bobm]

i solved raising chicken tie down issue by raising Cornish cross chicks for 35 days for game hens, and up to 6 weeks for fryers. No hens, NO problem.... We buy eggs by the flat at Costco.

 

[ducks4you]

I played with lots of ideas but the only thing that will give them a run and protect them from hawks and owls is dog fencing panels and poultry netting.
Many predators like somebody's dog, can rip through chicken wire. I only use that in my extra pen on the inside to keep chicks from escaping.
Sorry, but I got my panels for free, and I recently priced them new, over $700.00
Honestly if you free range you will have 3 problems:
1) where are the eggs?!/!?
2) chickens walking and pooing everywhere in the yard---mine would have depositing in my loft on top of my hay and straw
3) all that time feeding and waiting for eggs and then predators pick them off
I already had a 12 x 12 dog enclosure and that is my extra pen. We did make wooden frames and covered those with chicken wire and that Did work.
Visit BYC and see if you can get better opinions.

 

[Beekissed]

I am seriously ready to get chickens again, but if I do, it will ground me from making any more trips. (I know I haven't been burning up the highways, but I might want to)

So I was kicking around trying to make the coop predator-proof enough that I could leave the coop door open at night. For a few nights in a row.

Right now there is a fruit-tree netting top covering the chicken yard, mostly to discourage hawks and other smaller birds who eat the chicken food.

I am wondering if replacing the plastic netting with chicken wire would be enough to keep out raccoons or possums. I know better than to trust chicken wire for the walls, but for a roof? What are your thoughts on this?

How about adding some electricity to your setup? A few well placed hot wires can prevent climbing of your fencing to access the top.

 

[thistlebloom]

Great idea Bee! I love me some hot wire!

I use a battery operated charger for a clients cutting garden and that unit can really send a zing! The batteries last quite a long time too. Without that there would be nothing to make a bouquet with.

 

[ninnymary]

How many chickens do you want? I have 4 and are in an enclosed large coop with 1 inch hardware cloth. Unfortunately I can't free range them. Perhaps you could build their coop large enough to keep them in while you're gone.

I fill the feeder, oyster and grit dishes, and have an automatic dog watering bowl. I can go away for a week if I use litter shavings instead of scraping the poop board daily like I usually do. All I need is someone who will collect eggs daily for me.

Last year was the first time I was gone for 2 weeks. I laid the necessary tools, an empty bucket and a bucket filled with clean shavings outside the coop door. I instructed my son to rake off the dirty shavings into empty bucket and dump in compost bin. Spread the clean shavings on board and you're done! He only had to do this once after the first week.

Mary