Would this idea work to keep out digging predators?

[DebB11]

I was looking at coop designs last night and noticed a couple of them had paving stones and large rocks around the bottom perimeter of the run/house. If you run out the fencing along the edge, use the landscape stapes and then place the large paving stones/large rocks around continously around it wouldn't that be secure enough to deter any digging?

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Having paving stones or large rocks around the bottom would be better than nothing, but probably not the best solution. The rocks would have to be pretty large to prevent something from moving them. Consider how strong some dogs are. I think the best solution is a wire apron around the bottom. I used 2" X 4" 14 gauge welded wire to make a 20" wide skirt that surrounds my coop and run. I buried mine out of necessity (high traffic area and plantings) but it doesn't have to be--you could lay directly on the surface of the ground. Also keep in mind that the wire needn't be perfect, I used old bent up pieces salvaged from another project. You can read a more detailed account of what I did to predator proof my coop and run on my byc page. BTW,

 

[ralleia]

I wouldn't count on rocks sitting around a perimeter of fencing to keep predators out. Things get shifted around, small gaps form, and things can get through. They'll work to prevent short jobs (the equivalent of the smash and grab break-in), but eventually something's going to get through.

We have hardware cloth around the bottom of the the chicken run buried to a depth of about 6". That's the only type of security I would count on to dissuade digging animals from getting to my chickens.

 

[ralleia]

That coop is a magnificent work of art and engineering, Gallo del Cielo! I'm going to study it carefully--we're considering re-building closer to the house. I'm getting tired of falling down the hill in the snow or mud trying to get to the chicken coop.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
I'm so glad I don't have that problem!

Thanks for the compliment.

 

[c is 4 cochin]

Maybe this is an idea for you. Yrs ago we had a dog that would always dig out under the fence and tired of her getting out all the time we dug down under the fence line about a foot an a half to two foot deep –4 inches wide and filled it with concrete. I don’t know about wild critters, but I know that dogs once they start digging and they can see a small gap or hole forming they will continue to dig. They stop digging if they can’t see any “daylight” from under the fence.

If I was having a critter problem I would pour a 4 inch wide footing 2 foot down under fence line with a concrete curb a foot and half wide like the photo in the link below. I say pour concrete because rocks and cement / cinder blocks can be dug up and / or moved. I would also sink some of the fencing down into the footing.

http://www.hubcityfence.com/Images/concrete footing.jpg

 

[mulewagon]

My FIL has a large basset hound (80-100 lbs) that could dig out of anything. He finally built a pen lined with railroad timbers, and that's kept him in!

But if you don't feel like hauling railroad timbers, the wire skirt is the way to go...

 

[BWKatz]

I think the blocks on top of the apron would be fine as long as u extend the apron out several feet. The animals stand on it to dig down and don't have enough sense to back up. I assume u mean for the timbers of the coop to be resting on the blocks to prevent them from being moved.

 

[CopperCT]

Quote:
X2 I built an apron of hardware wire from the bottom of the run ( PT landscape timbers) to about three feet out on the ground and covered it with wood mulch. I have seen evidence of critters trying to dig into it but none has had any luck getting in. So far so good. I would think pavers with wire underneath would serve just as well to stop any digging in. Good luck with your build.

 

[MysticScorpio82]

Quote:
X2 I built an apron of hardware wire from the bottom of the run ( PT landscape timbers) to about three feet out on the ground and covered it with wood mulch. I have seen evidence of critters trying to dig into it but none has had any luck getting in. So far so good. I would think pavers with wire underneath would serve just as well to stop any digging in. Good luck with your build.

X3 Except I didn;t use any mulch over the top

A few large rocks and I staked it down, then covered it with dirt. I figured once the grass started growing again the root system will help to hold the apron strong and in place