How to Make Your Chicken Coop Safe From Predators

A rooster will guard your hens, but he needs your help to keep the flock safe.

Chickens are tasty birds with few natural defenses. Even a large rooster can't protect itself or your hens from a determined predator. Chickens are vulnerable to hawks, dogs, foxes, raccoons and even bears, depending on where you live, To fully secure your coop, you need to think about predators that can fly, dig or even grab your chickens through the wire portion of your coop.

Things You'll Need

• Ruler
• Hardware cloth with 1/4-inch openings
• Heavy duty staples
• 6 to 12 old compact disks or DVDs
• Spade or small shovel
• Solar powered garden lights

Instructions

1. Use a ruler to measure the opening width of the wire mesh that makes up part of your coop. If the holes measure more than 1/4-inch wide, cover every wire surface completely with hardware cloth. Secure the cloth with heavy duty staples. Small predators like raccoons can grab your chickens right through larger openings, the hardware cloth will eliminate this possibility.

2. Look at the roof of your coop. If it is not made of a hard surface like wood or plywood, or if it is open to the elements, cover it with hardware cloth. Flying predators like hawks can swoop down and grab bantam breeds and chicks.

3. Scatter old CDs or DVDs with the shiny side up on the roof, the reflected sunlight will further deter flying predators.

4. Use the spade to dig a trench at least a foot deep around the perimeter of your coop. Bury chicken wire or hardware cloth in the trench to deter diggers like foxes and dogs.

5. Place inexpensive solar powered garden lights around your coop, at least one per side. Lights will deter predators and keep your chickens from sleeping so deeply they won't wake up if the coop is under attack.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider installing predator lights on your barn on next to your coop if you have been sustaining losses at night. The lights come on when motion is detected and will scare off most four-legged pests.

• Don't forget to put your chickens away in the coop at dusk. Even the most secure coop won't work if the chickens aren't safely inside.

• Despite the name "chicken wire" will not protect your chickens from raccoons and other grasping predators; the openings are too large..

References

• "Raising Chickens For Dummies"; Kimberly Lewis, Rob Ludlow; 2009
• Chicken Coop Advice: Protecting Coops from Predators