Very similar to photo above, but not as . Your chickens could even decide to range on top of your car, in your garden, or in the middle of the road. Finally, another way to help protect your chickens is to keep the coop clean and free of food scraps. Their natural desire is to protect their ladies. Hey all, I'm rather new to chickens, I have 16 between the ages of 4 and 8 weeks. Chicken feathers insulated them from the shock. These are often constructed by digging a trench down 12 around the entire perimeter of your chicken run and burying the hardware cloth beneath the ground. A reel of poly wire and a portable solar charger are an inexpensive option that can save you and your flock from devastation in the long run. Circo Innovations offers MOTHER EARTH NEWS readers specially priced kits with all of the fittings and pipes cut to size, as well as kits of just the needed fittings. Wherever you would use chicken wire, such as window areas for ventilation, around the bottom, or to make the run, use hardware cloth instead. Total price should be about $300. Not only will they take out your whole flock, but they can wreak havoc on your coop itself. This portable predator proof chicken coop DIY is low-cost and easy to make for just about anyone. Both coops use the durable corrugated plastic to provide shelter for the chickens. To have a predator-proof chicken tunnel, youll need wiring that is designed to protect your chickens. Roosters can be a great way to protect your backyard chicken flock from predators. Netting should never be used because it offers no protection. If you opt for enjoying the benefits of free-range chickens, youll need to provide them with cover. A predator apron is simply fencing material that is installed above the ground and runs along the perimeter of the chicken coop and enclosed run. Use pressure treated wood. Other colors are available but cost more. These dogs naturally seem to be paranoid and spend time patrolling the property, barking at anything that comes on their radar, and peeing all over the place to let others know theyre there. To make a secure chunnel, youll start with a 4-foot-wide roll of 16-gauge, galvanized wire mesh. The open floor has lots of advantages, the main one being that your flock can graze directly on grass and veggies or scratch around in the soil. We dont mow, ever. It's 1x2 rectangle fencing wrapped in chicken wire 4 ' long. This material is strong and flexible, simple to work with, and is easily cut with an X-Acto or utility knife. Try taking your dog to pee near the chicken coop. You will need to provide the welded wire mesh and other materials. When chickens feel safe, they will be more productive with their egg laying. Growers Supply sells the 4-millimeter twin-wall corrugated plastic we used to form the coops shelter. Id like to say that quarter inch hardware cloth is the best choice. By paying now with a credit card, you save an additional $5 and get 6 issues of GRIT for only $21.95 (USA only). Having only one method of keeping predators away from your chicken coop is not ideal. I kinda like to use fresh dirt to surround my chicken coop. Try motion activated lights to spook predators away. The eggs of free-ranging chickens are much tastier and nutrient-packed. Do you have a plan to keep your flock safe during a storm? Adding lips to the 18-inch holes will allow you to utilize the cutouts as lids. They love to explore, scratch in the grass and hide under large plantings for afternoon naps. Prevent birds of prey from swooping into the run. My favorite way to lock raccoons out of the chicken coop is with a weatherproof, titanium lock (Amazon) and a hasp (Amazon). I hope this idea works well for him. If a predator breaches coop security at night, we have failed our pets." I know I told you above to make sure your chickens had cover to run to in the event an aerial predator like a hawk or owl is scanning the ground for lunch. Of course, if youd like to use your own materials, you can see detailed diagrams on Circos website. Widely regarded as an expert in small-scale chicken breeding and raising, plus how to put chickens to work, Ussery also discusses ducks, geese and other kinds of poultry within the book. The less space you allow, the more prone your chickens will be when a predator reaches in to grab your chickens. To cinch the mesh to the plastic framing, we used 17-gauge smooth galvanized wire, which is easy to bend yet durable. Keep your hens safe with these 24 features youll find on a predator-proof chicken coop. Planning is the most fun part of building your chunnels because theres no limit to what you can do. As long as you have a decent-sized backyard and a little bit of free time and patience, you can enjoy raising chickens and their delicious eggs. By positioning your tunnel in the right place, your garden will have fewer pests because chickens love insects! This has to be the coolest component of chunnels that we have seen! Something to consider when building your chunnel is that the frame and covering should be durable enough to withstand predators standing on it or reaching through. If you prefer to just build a run for your coop, thats fine too. Raccoons are so smart that they can open any lock that a 2 year old child can. Ussery discusses how to grow your own poultry feed, and how to use chickens in the garden to build soil health. Free 4x4x8 Chicken Coop And Run Plan For Four Chickens, FREE Chicken Coop Plan With Planter Box For Two Chickens, FREE 620 Chicken Coop Plan For Up To 15 Chickens, Free Chicken Coop Plan For Three Chickens, FREE Chicken Coop Plan for Two to Four Chickens, FREE 48 Chicken Coop Plan For 10 Chickens PDF (low design), FREE Chicken Coop Plan For 6 Chickens (or more! For example the runs are made from extra heavy duty steel weld mesh and have anti tunnel . In just 15 minutes, you can disassemble this run from one tree and reassemble it around another. The other thing I got were deterrent spikes (Amazon). In days gone by, rulers of kingdoms would protect themselves by ordering a few thousand serfs to build a moat around the family castle. Well, the simplest way is using one of the four shapes to form the framework. An electric training collar can be an invaluable tool if your dog is bred to go after chickens (like a retriever). Chili has a long history in American cooking and Southwestern culinary tradition, with simple ingredients and broad appeal. When predator proofing, it is important to think like a predator as you build your chicken coop and consider incorporate some of these designs and ideas. It, too, is so light that anyone can move it easily, and is big enough for four birds. Heres how to keep your hens safe. Position your trap near your coop and entice the predators with bait that is even more luring than the chickens themselves will be. When they grow to be too large, our hens would pace the perimeter searching for the smallest breach in the fence so they could scoot underneath and find freedom. We had a flock of guinea fowl that refused to come into the coop at night to roost. Assisted hatch. (See the resources section later in this article for more information on the Circo kits and to find the corrugated plastic and the 5-gallon pail nest box.). From the aforementioned motion activated lights to ultrasonic devices, to predator lights meant to look like eyes (and other eye deterrents), ground spikes, and reflective tape (or aluminum pie pans), there are a lot of products on the market. What is the material covering the ground in your outside run? For the most protection (vs things short of a bear) hardware cloth on any opening larger than 1/2". If you are planning to leave them and let them stay in it you'll want to make sure its predator proof. Circo Innovations offers three styles of coop frame kits to MOTHER EARTH NEWS readers (see list below). When an animal tries to dig underneath your coop, theyre not going to dig at the outskirts of the apron. "Every coop should be predator-proof. Profit from rainy days with a system that will collect and store your rainwater for future use on the homestead. Some predators dig, while others burrow. For others these might include large cats and bears too. The Ultimate Guide to Raising Chickens for Eggs. It can be made from wood and shingles, corrugated metal, or even plastic sheeting used in greenhouses. The chicken moat provides a clean edge around the garden, keeping down the migration of unwanted grasses, weeds and insects into our plot. Find the center, and, using a 4-foot piece of string as a guide, scribe an 8-foot-wide circle on the boards. If budget is an issue and you're mainly concerned about raccoons reaching in, then hardware cloth up the bottom few feet of the run only. Predator proofing the coop Your coop should be made of strong, sturdy materials that cannot be penetrated by digging paws and gnashing teeth. Youll need to adjust this for every tree. The Litts are the founders of the Urban Farm Store in Portland, Ore., and have loads of experience helping beginners raise their first birds. May not be reproduced without express permission. In just one day, the young chickens in this chicken tunnel cleared the path to bare dirt. This circle will provide the space for a young tree to pass through. For this green coop, we simulated the shape of the classic hoop house or high tunnel. Wire mesh can also be used to cover any openings in the coop, such as windows and vents. Follow when to start seeds indoors, zone 6 tips, and a calendar for your successful indoor seed starting. Coop & Run - Design, Construction, & Maintenance. for your chicken tunnel. This portable coop with a welded iron frame is solid and predator-proof indeed, and it will last forever, but Long reports the steel frame makes it too heavy for some people to move easily (and youd have to find a welder to build it for you if you dont have that skill). Lay down the hardware cloth and cover it with a layer of topsoil. Theyre always on the lookout and will set off an alarm call that sends the rest of the flock running for cover. If keeping an extra large dog on your property simply isnt an option, you might be able to mimic having one. Unless you plan to use this system with meat chickens or, as in our case, your chickens are still young, you could expand upward. Coop & Run - Design, Construction, & Maintenance, https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208, https://www.backyardchickens.com/thder-2020-version.1529488/page-7#post-25809665. Just in case a predator like birds of prey come sailing overhead. These large chicken tractor plans are perfect for raising broiler chickens. Now we have a new and improved incarnation of the portable chicken coop with your choice of shapes. Rot creates weak areas in the coop's infrastructure. Make sure you check your state and local regulations to learn the best way to manage the predators you capture. It can be made from wood and shingles, corrugated metal, or even plastic sheeting used in greenhouses. I think youre right. It scares foxes, deer, wolves, coyotes, skunks, bears, and many other nighttime predators. This is great except when youre planting fruit trees that cant compete with the grass. Chickens naturally roost in trees for protection. Construct your coop with a solid floor. There will be less bullying and picking at each other since the tunnels provide room to roam and spread out. It wont take long before they recognize your call and the promise of goodies will have them flocking to the coop at dusk every evening. Finally, when there was just one guinea left, it decided the coop was the safe place to be and guess whos still alive today? Make sure to pay close attention to the corners where you attach the seams of the fencing material together. Both coops have handles for easy moving. Shipping and taxes calculated at checkout. We invite you to join Kimberlee and her family on their homesteading journey. (Feed that frugal bone of yours when you start finding creative ways to save money on your feed bill.). Make sure you read reviews and find the most reliable products to meet your needs. Thats what it looks like. Mark one circle in the middle, overlapping the two plywood pieces. TESTING a Predator PROOF Mobile Chicken COOP Subscribe to our Channel ~ New Videos Weekly! Man, some of these guys are crafty! I set out to create a coop design that would be low-cost, easy to build, light enough to move easily and scaled to fit well even in small backyards, Long wrote. Various materials are used in constructing a chunnel which range from wire to netting. Nothing better than having free entertainment right in your backyard! Growers Supply also offers 4-by-8-foot sheets of 8-millimeter material, which is slightly less flexible. Create a digging barrier. What Can I Put Around My Chicken Coop To Keep Predators Away? I guess they would have to be changed out pretty often. This will prevent raccoons from lifting the top. When you build your chicken coop, be sure that you keep it elevated off the ground. Many chicken predators are omnivores and just as happy to snack on your feed as they are on your chickens. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $5 and get 6 issues of MOTHER EARTH NEWS for only $17.95 (USA only). buy a bunch of 1/2x1/4 hardware cloth, AKA cage wire. Small coops can be encircled with electric poultry netting to keep predators away. The protection of the enclosure, for the most part, keeps predators at bay. Put your chickens safely out to pasture with this chicken tractor DIY project. Lauren Arcuri Ware is an expert in homesteading, including raising chickens for eggs and meat, keeping bees, growing fruits and vegetables, and preserving. Circo offers a discount of 30 percent on orders of four kits or more. But not only that, chicken wire is only designed to keep chickens in not predators out. Its going to take a good bit of work to build your moat: Construct it of durable materials so you wont have to do the job again later. So youll need a complicated lock, a padlock with a key, or a combination lock for your chicken coop. Now, youre ready to assemble the fertilization station. It can take only one predator to completely wipe out your entire flock in a night. And one last tip (the old free breakfast trick): Leave some old boards in the moat, and flip them over with a hoe handle each morning to expose hiding slugs. This added security will prevent raccoons from ripping the staples out. Beyond the usual chicken husbandry and health information, the book also includes great tips on how to put your flock to work to build soil fertility, plus information on how to draft and pass local laws to permit laying hens. DIY Home Biodiesel Production: Make Your Own Fuel. Although a bit more expensive, it will last longer and be more resistant to rot and deterioration in the elements. Although this design is predator-proof, it's not permanent. Predators who might dig their way in won't dig a tunnel, they'll just dig enough to get under the frame in order to get in. Many chicken keepers have dirt floors in their chicken coops, which we cant recommend. You can have signs of predators all around you but none will dare come near the coop. This protective enclosure for the garden uses chickens as an effective garden pest control along with a moat to protect your crops. Keep posting like this. The easiest way to do it is to let it run along the fence, starting from the coop. This step helps to reduce the number of mice, rats, and snakes that can creep into the coop. It sits neatly on a 4-by-10-foot raised garden bed, with a little room to spare so the chickens wont throw all the dirt out of the bed. I suspect they may work at first, but once nothing happens, predators will realize theyre harmless. Various materials are used in constructing a chunnel which range from, Chickeneers put their thinking caps on and come up with some. Consider insulating your home to save money on heating and cooling costs. And yet, we still dont mow, partly because we never seem to have enough time and partly because the lawn becomes a meadow for bees and fodder for animals. If you have cats, elevate your coop floor about a foot off the ground. The Walk In Chicken Run is the safest place for your chickens. Youll begin by cutting 1 1/2 inches off the ends of two of the 1-by-3 boards. This pen is framed with 1-inch Schedule 40 plastic pipe, and its walls are covered with 1-by-2-inch welded wire mesh. This allows the chickens a small protected area to eat and drink, even in the early morning or the evening. See, you can develop creative ways to enhance your chickens environment while having fun doing it. In white, it comes in 8-foot-wide rolls and costs about $10 per foot. I fenced both fowl and cropswith a chicken moat. I personally dont use chicken wire because predators can easily tear through it. We used leftover pieces of mesh and wood to fill in the area between the tree and the plywood. Cheap Predator-Proof Chicken Run A safe run equals happy chickens, and you want happy chickens or else you won't get any eggs. Pre-drill a hole through each pair of wooden stops for a locking screw. Step 2. Leave at least 3/4 inch of mesh overhanging at each end of the boards. In her spare time, she is a hand-spinner, knitter, weaver, homebrewer, cheese maker and avid cook who cures her own bacon.