Is your chicken coop predator proof ?
Building a chicken coop that is predator proof should be a primary concern for anyone planning to raise chickens. Raising your own chickens can be fun, exciting, and rewarding, but it can also be disheartening, disappointing, and sad if predators get to your birds. This article looks at some of the things you can do to protect your chickens.
The following statement may be hard to take for those who are new to raising their own chickens, but it is true and needs to be said. Chickens, for the most part, are easy prey to many types of predators. These predators will attack your birds as well as the eggs that have been laid. The only real protection your chickens have is the protection you set up for them.
When it comes to protecting your chickens you have two issues to address: the chicken coop itself and the chicken run.
The chicken run is the outdoor area where your chickens get fresh air, food and water. The chicken coop is where they live, sleep, and brood (sit on their eggs).
Most commercial chicken coop plans have already taken into account the problem of predators. If you are new to raising chickens, you may want to buy a set of chicken coop plans instead of trying to figuring it all out by yourself
An important issue to think about, when it comes to predators, is where you live and what predators are in the area. For example, if you are raising your chickens in an urban area, you may not have many snakes, but you may have a lot of rats and mice. If you live in a hot climate area, you may not have many foxes but may have lots of coyotes.
Virtually everyone who raises chickens is vulnerable to airborne predators such as hawks.
As a general rule, you always want to get your chicken coop off the ground.
Building your coop off the ground will go a long way in preventing many predators from entering it. You want to add mesh wire to all of the windows and any other opening. The size of the mesh should be determined by the specific type of predator that may be in your area.
If you build your chicken coop off the ground, make sure you also add a ramp for your birds to use as they go in and out. All doorways into the chicken coop should be secure and tight.
Your chicken run should be made of wire mesh and if you have a hawk problem make sure you add a net roof or wire mesh roof. This will keep the predator birds away from your flock.
If your family is involved with raising the chickens make sure they all understand the importance of keeping the gates, doors, and hatches closed.
Constructing chicken coops that are predator proof is one way of protecting your investment and your birds. The more effort you put into protecting your chickens the better the results will be so make sure you build your chicken coop right the first time around.