How to secure Hens and Roosters from predators

Predators of all kinds(neighbors dogs,coyotes,hawks,etc) can easily damage and minimize your flock of hens and roosters,unless certain steps are taken to keep them safe.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Dogkennel,
• shadecloth,
• doghouse,
• 2"x2" boards,
• nestingboxes,
• food and waterbowls.
• Hens and Roosters

1. Set up a big dogkennel,6' high,and at least 20' x 20' in a location of your choice.
2. Cover the whole kennel with shade cloth pulled tight over it.
3. Place a large doghouse inside the kennel,
   1/3 filled with straw,hay or wood shavings.
4. Get your 2"x2" boards,the longer the better,and stick the ends through the fence at an angle,in different heights,starting about 3' off the ground.These will be their roosting boards.
5. Place the food and water dishes inside the kennel,fairly close to the door,to make it easy to refill them.
6. Hang the nesting boxes from the fence in a row,about 4' from the ground.
   The boxes need to be covered to keep rain and snow out.You can use a sheet of plywood,or a tarp etc,to do this
   Or build covered nesting boxes
   (see related EHow article)
7. Let your Hens and Roosters into their new home!
   No predators can now harm them,you can rest easy,and go collect your fresh country eggs knowing you have a happy and safe flock at hand.

Tips & Warnings

• Instead of 2"x2" boards,you can use branches and limbs from trees,in different thickness and length.This makes it look more natural,kind of like an aviary.
• For severe winters,a heat lamp can be installed inside the large doghouse,centered in the ceiling,as long as it is protected by a wirecage,and not too close to the straw below,nor the walls of the doghouse.
• The heat lamp can only be used if the doghouse is very large,and there is plenty of space between the lamp and the floor,walls and ceiling.Beware of fire risk.
• A regular light bulb gives off some heat aswell,and may be safer,as long as it too is covered by a wire cage.