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Chickens are not only human’s best choice of meal. Animals like raccoons, weasels, hawks, and others also seek ways in which they can feast on chicken, thus we end up calling them predators. If you have a farm or you store chickens in the backyard to cook them later then it becomes a priority to keep them safe from such predators. Here are a few ways that might help you make the chicken coop predator-proof
- Elevate the chicken coop either by building a strong coop or using a good lock system.
- The opening is where all the risk lies so try securing them with hardware cloth.
- Simple way to do this is to automatic coop doors. But they might get on the expensive side.
- Store the feed with attention
- The good way to do this is to consider the location of your chicken coop.
- It is important to keep the flock safe. You can get a dog to guard it and keep it away from potential predators.
- Getting a rooster might also help in this case
- If you are not getting an automatic chicken coop, then using a good latch or carabiner is the most advisable option to get on board with.
A good latch or carabiner can help save the flock from predators. But how do you execute this? How to know the best latches or carabiners for chicken coop doors. Well, here are a few ways that might guide on these lines –
Get a Latch to Fool the Predators
The real purpose to get a latch is so that chickens stay safe from predators. That is why it is advisable to get cheap latches that come with the spring. The predators get confused with the spring system and the act of opening the chicken coop door becomes a dream.
However, while purchasing the latches, it is important to focus on size. There are two sizes that you can go for. One is used by the rock climbers to stay safe from falling on the ground, we don’t want this one as they are too expensive and can be cumbersome to open even by you.
Get the other one that has a gate loaded with spring as it is easy to use and doesn’t come expensive. Also, there are lower chances to lose this as you can attach them to the door handle once you have removed them. You can easily get them at a sports store, Walmart, or places where camping equipment is sold.
Let The Latch Get Along With Hardware Cloth
Hardware wire is also known as chicken wire or poultry wire which can be used to make your lock system stronger. The wire is kind of welded and is quite inexpensive in nature. To unwind this wire, one has to focus on the small openings which is not a cup of tea for predators. Raccoons have a reputation to tear the chicken limb by limb while reaching through the wire but hardware wire is quite durable and is not easy to tear apart.
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There are two ways in which you can place the wire all over the vents and windows to the chicken coop predator-proof.
Get a Roof
The chicken coop should have a roof or else it is at the utmost risk. You can use this hardware wire to build the same or you can get a traditional tar to create a roof that will provide shade. The wire will create the roof but will not protect from other elements.
Build a Skirt
Predators are smarter than you think. They can dig down to get into the coop. To avoid this, you can build a skirt at the bottom of the coop which should be at least 6 feet deep and around the chicken run to ensure maximum safety.
Installing a Good Latch System with Carabiner
A simple latch is easy to open for predators like raccoons, they have a thumb that can be used to open these latches. That is why it is important to add a carabiner which will be a challenge to open. In a nutshell, anything that requires two hands to get the job done should be used to safeguard the chicken coop. There are many such chicken coop door ideas that will help you in building a predator-proof chicken run.
Make a Quick Door
Once you have made the coop instead of making a big gate you can make a small gate depending upon the size of your chicken. Only one bird will be able to move at a time. This will make it predator-free like never before. You can place a plank inside the coop for birds to move easily.
Attach the little door with two strong hinges and then use a latch to lock the same. Even if predators unlock the gate, they will not be able to feast on your flock. This solution is opted for by many of them. However, this might be a bad thing for your flock as they will stay deprived of sunlight.
Conclusion
There is a number of ways that can help you to use a latch in a manner that will make your chicken run predator-proof. We keep coming up with content like this every now and then. Keep browsing through our articles to keep your chicken coop safe by using a latch in a proper way.
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