Creating fencing for run that predators cannot dig under?

[SmittenChickens]

So I'm brand-new to the chicken world; don't even have any hens yet. I'm hoping to start building the coop/run this weekend.

I'm really kind of lost when it comes to the run and making it predator-proof, especially digging animals. I was thinking I need to dig a trench and kind of set the fencing down into the ground, but will the fence posts be sturdy enough when I fill in the trenches back with dirt? I don't want them being wobbly. Is it neccessary to use cement or something?

I was also trying to figure out if I could use t-posts and woven wire? It's a cheaper, more weather-proof option.

I've NEVER built a fence before... no idea what I'm doing! I have shovels, and that's about the extent of my fence-building supplies, LOL.

 

[Melabella]

Congrats on joining a great Website! Good Luck with your new endeavor!

I'm a newbie, too. I admire your drive to try and build a coop. Mine is going up this weekend for my 10 7 week old girls this weekend. Can't happen fast enough, they are so big, they need their own space! I am paying my handyman to do it for me. Just the supplies for it put me right under $1000! I live in the northeast, everything is so expensive!

Wish I could be more help, but just wanted to welcome you here!

Let us know how it goes, post pictures!

MB

 

[SmittenChickens]

Thanks very much Melabella! I'm excited to get into chickens. I moved out to a small farming town so I figured I should get a few hens now that I'm allowed to have them!

I'm also thinking about just putting some sort of solid flooring down, so nothing can dig in. That may be easier than burying fencing. I'd just have to put some sort of substrate on top to make it easy to clean, and to give the hens something to dig in. Maybe some rubber horse mats with 6-8 inches of sand/pea gravel ontop or something?

 

[JackE]

I'll tell you what I did. After a couple of daylight fox attacks, I bought 400' of electrified poultry netting from Premier. It can't be any easier installing a fence than this. You just step the fence spikes in and move along to the next. No digging and burying necessary. You can power the fence with household current or go solar if you want. I have a 110V powered charger and I'm getting over 7000V over the fence. I seen a dog test the fence, and it was pretty funny. He turned and ran halfway across the yard before looking back, when he nosed into the fence. I've had the fence since early Apr and it has worked great, no losses. In addition, I have a 100X100' run, and I still have GRASS in the run. I seen on here where somebody was looking at over $2000 to have somebody build something like a 12X20' wood framed, hardware cloth covered run. I put mine up for less than half that. Check out Premier's website.
By the way, Welcome to BYC.
Jack

 

[SmittenChickens]

Unfortunately electric really isn't an option I'm comfy with, way too many kids in the neighborhood and I don't want angry parent neighbors, LOL.

 

[JackE]

The fence will not cause any permanent injury, no burns or anything like that. Besides, if somebody does come in contact with it, they will remember NOT to do it again. Anyway, just a suggestion for an easy fence to install.
Jack

 

[carolwfuller]

Hello! The Omlet Eglu is made from a fairly rigid side and top mesh. At the bottom it is bent into a 12 inch ell (L) that you then use earth staple to hold onto the ground. They call it fox proof but it is varmit proof as the 12" is to far to burrow through with the weight of the staples and pen on it.
Good luck!

 

[Melabella]

Horse mats are a great idea I would think, just need to weight it down around the perimiter, as I guess a digging predetor wouldn't let that stop them after doing all that work. I saw a wonderful picture here somewhere in here where someone dug down two cinder block rows and put a whole border of the cinderblocks filled with pea gravel. They were flush with level ground all the way around the run. Looked nice too, and I am sure it was great for drainage after a good rain.

Keep us posted!

MB

 

[confused]

When I build my fences, I make the out of stucco wire. Along the bottom I make and "L" out of a half of a roll of wire. 1/2 of this lays on the ground. The other half is tacked to the posts. If it doesn't lay flat until the grass grow up through and anchors it, tent pegs or some other hook shaped devise will hold it down. This stops all digging preditors and coyotes but I found out this summer that it won't stop foxes. They go over a fence just like a cat. People tell me you need something higher than 4 feet to stop them.

 

[ailurophile23]

The hoop coop concept is one that appeals to me for its ease of installation - if you search "hoop coop", you should find a number of threads with pics. The reason I bring it up is that I think it would also make a great run that could be attached to a house-style coop. Basically, you use cattle panels to form arches and anchor those to the ground (with lumber or t-posts...). You can then add hardware cloth over those for added protection and predator-proofing. Whether you do this or build a run with wooden posts and some sort of wire covering, I would suggest adding a hardware cloth skirt around the bottom edge - it can be buried in the gorund but it does not have to be. You can anchor the "skirt" on top of the ground and then cover it with gravel.