Predators and Pest

Keeping predators out was at the top of our list when building our coop. We have an abundance of critters where we live, from raccoons, coyotes, foxes, hawks, snakes, to neighborhood cats. All animals are a danger to our flock. The first thing we did was use hardware cloth instead of chicken wire. While chicken wire will keep chickens in it is not strong enough to keep predators out. It is more expensive but well worth it for the better protection it provides. We wrapped the entirety of the run in the hardware cloth and placed it over all vented areas. We also put it over the windows so we could open them in the summer for extra ventilation and nothing could get in. To enforce the hardware cloth and make sure no animal could pull it off, we ran screws with washers to hold it firmly in place.

Then we dug a trench around the entire run, 12 inches deep and around 10-12 wide. We then ran the hardware cloth all around the bottom, down the length and width of the trench and filled the trench back in. This will help keep any animals from being able to dig their way in. Next, we installed motion lights on each side of the coop. We were able to find cheap ones at our local hardware store. I will say they don't really seem to deter raccoons, but it has helped to alert us a couple of times to them being out when we see the light come on, and we have been able to run them off. For a last touch, we put a camera on the run and one in the coop. While not at all necessary and probably overkill, I like to be able to check on the flock when I'm at work or on vacation. It just adds a nice peace of mind for us.

Now that we have covered keeping the large pests out, we need to focus on the small. We provide a dust bath that has Diatomaceous Earth in it to keep the chickens bug free. It seems to be working well so far. We also use first Saturday lime in our coop and in the run. We sprinkle a layer under the bedding and another thin layer on top. We also put it all along the flat spots on the framing inside the coop and, as of now, we haven't had any issues with bugs, aside from the occasional spiders, which are okay with us. We have, however, run into a small issue with mice. We are still trying to figure out the best ways to get rid of those guys. While we have only actually seen one mouse I know where there's one there's more. We put red pepper flakes in the chicken feed and small traps commonly used for chipmunks set up but haven't caught one yet, so we will probably have to switch tactics.

Above all other things our dog Rayna Bell and rooster Mr. Scarlette are what keeps our ladies safest! While we are always outside when then they are free-ranging, predators are sneaky and chickens are tasty. Rayna runs any living thing off the moment it crosses our property, and Mr. Scarlettes always on guard, eyes on the sky and on his girls. The closest call we have had was a hawk swooping down but our rooster was on it immediately and flogged it saving the day. So between safety measures we've taken in the coops build and our wonderful rooster and dog, I feel our flock is pretty safe but time will tell. Now I will leave you with these photos of our MVPs!