Just as my Parrots, Dogs, Pony, Goats, Bunny are my pets so are my chickens. I've had chickens since 2005 and had never ever had any problems with predators. Unfortunately that run of luck ended this year, 2010. We thought we had the problem solved, until we lost a second hen. I unfortunately was the one who found both of my friends who had been killed and it's not something I ever want to repeat. The solution we decided was to make some serious doors and everyone is getting shut in overnight. I also walked my entire pasture and used stakes to post the pasture fence down so nothing can come back underneath, which I will be watching regularly, the goats had been lifting the wire fence up to eat underneath, which was allowing predators to crawl below the fence.
I hadn't ever before built doors, ever. After going to several different home improvement stores and explaining what I wanted to do, and letting them know I had helped put siding on a home in the past, and knew how to use tools, etc. the following are images of what I did, all by myself. I must say I'm pretty darned proud. Especially since I made 11 doors over a very rainy weekend. I also purchased plexiglass for the winter which I've already installed over the inside of each door which screws in and can be removed for the summer months. The difference will be tremendous on their comfort level, which I know my older hens are already appreciating.
This is Donald & Daisy's Door
This is Donald watching me take photos!
This is Fozzy Bear's Door (He's a Black Silkie Rooster)
This is Leia one of Fozzy's hens coming out the door
My dad has been awesome helping me weather proof a building I had found for free on a local website. It was actually a terrific building it just needed to have some type of weather resistant siding. I wanted to use the cedar siding, which he convinced me out of due to the expense as well as upkeep. My dad suggested instead using a 30 year roofing which looks really similar and won't require any upkeep. You'll see a photo I took which shows a side done on the building and the front which is waiting to be done. IT LOOKS AWESOME, it's exactly the look I was wanting and I won't have to paint or stain to keep it maintained.
As most of you know, I'm a rooster rescuer. I have a lot of them and try to get everyone to get along by balancing hens with roosters. Every once in awhile I get one that won't play nice with others or humans. In order to keep one of those safe from predators and to give us a way in and out without having to get attacked I built my first run. :0)
For my very first try I was extremely pleased with how it all came out and I find it really relaxing to build for them. I just recently fixed his roof with some asphalt sheeting in red which I also put on the other buildings to keep the rain out. It's inexpensive and can be purchased at Home Depot or Lowes and it looks really nice! I have still have more roofs to work on, many of them have the metal roofing and I'm always cutting my hands on it.