**This story doesn't have a great ending... if you are sensitive to the reality of our flaws, proceed with caution.
I have to admit that I was both proud of my newly constructed chicken coop/enclosure and anxious to put it to use. Too anxious, I know now.
We already talked about building the coop in this other post, but of course, one structure is never enough... there's always room for more. In all of my readings about chicken rearing, one common thread was 'Beware the Wiley Raccoon.' It put a fear in my heart with horrid visions of the masked bandits defiling my little ladies. If you've never read on the topic, the concern is real. Apparently the critters are fond of good ole fashioned be-headings.
I was warranted to be worried, we've lost many a koi and goldfish to Rocky Raccoon. I've seen the corpses and paw-prints to prove it. I've seen that cute little masked face mock me, peering over our roof's overhang, as I hiss and throw pine cones with futility. Raccoon are indifferent.
So with our best intentions, we created an enclosure. We buried the wire deep in the ground so the 'coons couldn't dig under. We installed gate latches and John and I each endured a learning curve in mastering their operation... because raccoon can learn to open anything according to the interwebs. The final result looks to be attractive and quite useful... I suppose ultimately it has been. Let me be the one to inform you that for most projects you dive into, the prototype will not be without flaw. If you are the sort who IS able to create flawless prototypes, I both envy and pity you... how will you ever feel the sharp pains of disappointment and the satisfaction after successful solution-scrambling? It is better to have tried and failed and fixed, than to never have failed at all.
I know, you are itching with wonder; "This beauty, whatever could be wrong?"
Lucky you, I'm here to tell you:
Door = Too Low, Header Edges Too Sharp
Space Between Fence and Coop 'Designed' for Bike and Mower Storage = Too Narrow
Compost Bin = Too Poorly Braced
Hog Wire for South End Enclosing = Too Big and Installed Upside Down
Gaps Between Coop and Ground = Too Gappy
I've banged my head on the door header, causing an explosion of expletives and raw scalp. Chicken-sitters have also fallen victim to the booby-trap. I still haven't taken the time to soften the edges to mitigate the damages.
The bike storage houses barely 1 bike, awkwardly at best. We've since had a brand-spankin'-new-bike stolen from our backyard... I blame inadequate bike storage.
The compost bin regularly twisted, contorted, and tried to collapse due to the lack of cross bracing and diagonal bracing. We have fixed this one! Compost is important, so is a basic understanding of bracing if you are going to DIY.
The hog wire and gaps under the coop were flaws which obviously contributed to the anti-functionality of Chicken Enclosure 1.0. Welded Hog Wire has smaller gaps that go on the BOTTOM, near the ground, the bigger gaps go up higher so the hogs don't stick their snouts out.
You may be speculating on what happened next, though if your guess is that the anti-raccoon precaution was for naught, you might be wrong. Since adding the chickens we haven't seen any sign of raccoon in our backyard (knock on wood).
In fact we had the perfect storm of ineptitude.
Prematurely Cooped Pullets + Gaps in Enclosure + Dog Run Gate Left Open + Humans at Work = Chicken Mortality
Long story longer, here is what happened:
It was on a Monday. The pullets had been sleeping in the coop over the weekend, but were still new to the space and exploring. A few had figured out they could squeeze through the hog wire and under the coop to the greener grass on the other side. I had made plans after work that day to gather rock from my sister's house to create a barrier under the coop so that the raccoon couldn't get in.
John, before leaving town for the week, had advised me to leave the chickens in the house for the day, but 9 week old pullets are smelly and good escape artists. I was tired of cleaning up after them in the house and I was going to have the solution by the end of the day. Right? I even left the dog gate open to the yard so the chickens would have defenders in case a raccoon or a bold feline came around.
Now you are starting to see this fall into place...
Apparently Maggi was not their champion but instead their antagonist. I came home after work, with a truck bed full of rocks, and found feathers like snow, two dead chickens, three remaining skittish birds, and two sheepish dogs. I was able to piece together the general events. The chickens squeezed out of their space then Maggi came outside to see their fluffy bottoms. Knowing that there was no one home to tell her 'No', she was free to do what dogs do best.
I felt awful. I was glad John wasn't home so that I had to bear the solution myself and clean up my own disaster. At first I thought Simon was the instigator because he looked so guilty, but in hindsight I think he just knew that something really bad went down. It was another week before I saw Maggi get a mouthful of fluff (leaving the chicken with a few less feathers, but otherwise unharmed) then I knew for sure it was her. We had a stern talking-to with her, and some intensive nose-to-beak time dog-to-chicken. I definitely don't trust the mutts 100% anymore and have learned a good lesson about guarding against the faults we have at home instead of only focusing so strongly on potential or unknown threats.
The remaining three chickens developed into good laying, funny, curious, big birds. We now have Chicken Enclosure 1.5, Dog/Chicken Run 2.0, and have upgraded to Flock 3.0. I'm glad to be able to learn for our future flock.
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| Tinkerbelle, Jezebel, and Cindy-Lou in the dog/chicken run, begging for treats at the kitchen window. |
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