Predator proofing, apron or buried

[yyz0yyz0]

Hey all, looking for some opinions here.

I'm starting to build my coop/run and want to make the run predator proof. I'm using 1/2" HW cloth for the run.

looking for opinions on which is better at the bottom:
1. Bury the HW cloth 1.5ft into the ground, for this method I also plan to back fill the outside of trench with rocks I have dug from other places in the yard.

2. bend a 1.5ft apron of the cloth to the outside of the run and stake it down.


To my thinking #2 is certainly easier than digging down 1.5 ft all around. Plus I'm thinking that I'll have to fill fewer holes if an animal starts to dig and hits the hw cloth right away vs being able to dig a big hole then hitting the buried cloth and having to stop.

What have others done and how has it worked out for you?

thanks

 

[MoonShadows]

Take off the layer of grass and an inch or two of soil. Attach and bend 2 feet of hardware cloth, then replace the soil and grass. That will be sufficient. The 1.5 trench backfilled with rocks is overkill unless your predators have access to a backhoe.

 

[nursebecky99]

How high up on the sides of the run is hardware cloth absolutely necessary? I plan to apron out at least a foot of it onto the ground, and was aiming for 3ft up the sides. Then covering the top half with 1" chicken wire. It is 6 ft tall, still working out what to use for hawkproofing on top.

 

[yyz0yyz0]

How high up on the sides of the run is hardware cloth absolutely necessary? I plan to apron out at least a foot of it onto the ground, and was aiming for 3ft up the sides. Then covering the top half with 1" chicken wire. It is 6 ft tall, still working out what to use for hawkproofing on top.

My suggestion is to go 2-3ft up with the HW cloth but I would also use something stronger above than chicken wire. Racoons can climb and they might climb up to the CW and rip through it.

something like this picture from the Maxwells House coop:

 

[aart]

How high up on the sides of the run is hardware cloth absolutely necessary? I plan to apron out at least a foot of it onto the ground, and was aiming for 3ft up the sides. Then covering the top half with 1" chicken wire. It is 6 ft tall, still working out what to use for hawkproofing on top.

That oughta work for diggers and to keep raccoons from grabbing thru with wire at birds on the ground, might not keep a determined large dog out if they had time and a raccoon can climb up and tear thru the chicken wire, weasel will go right thru 1".

If it's for daytime only - probably good, night time - I wouldn't trust it. Chicken wire will work on top for hawks, or some kind of heavy netting.

 

[nursebecky99]

That oughta work for diggers and to keep raccoons from grabbing thru with wire at birds on the ground, might not keep a determined large dog out if they had time and a raccoon can climb up and tear thru the chicken wire, weasel will go right thru 1".

If it's for daytime only - probably good, night time - I wouldn't trust it. Chicken wire will work on top for hawks, or some kind of heavy netting.

My girls will be in secure coop at night...so chicken wire on the top should be ok? We have a small dog who thinks he is big and bad, and he pretty much wont let another dog on our property.

 

[nova022]

My run is completely enclosed in 1/2"x1/2" hardware cloth, top, bottom and sides. It may be over kill, but it withstood a three hour attack, recorded on my game cam, by two large labs who were determined to have a chicken dinner. They jumped on it, clawed it and dug under it, but could not get in. We also have raccoons, bobcats, possums, fox, hawks and owls, so to me it is worth the extra cost for the peace of mind.

I do have a large area that is fenced with welded wire and covered with netting that I feel is safe enough when I am home, but my girls love to dig and a foot and a half is nothing to them. I constantly have to fill in the hole. I realize not everyone has the light sandy soil that we do, so digging might not be a problem for everyone.

 

[nursebecky99]

My run is completely enclosed in 1/2"x1/2" hardware cloth, top, bottom and sides. It may be over kill, but it withstood a three hour attack, recorded on my game cam, by two large labs who were determined to have a chicken dinner. They jumped on it, clawed it and dug under it, but could not get in. We also have raccoons, bobcats, possums, fox, hawks and owls, so to me it is worth the extra cost for the peace of mind.

I do have a large area that is fenced with welded wire and covered with netting that I feel is safe enough when I am home, but my girls love to dig and a foot and a half is nothing to them. I constantly have to fill in the hole. I realize not everyone has the light sandy soil that we do, so digging might not be a problem for everyone.

I want to eventually use hardware cloth for the whole thing, but right now, the cost is prohibitive. What kind of netting do you use?

 

[nova022]

I want to eventually use hardware cloth for the whole thing, but right now, the cost is prohibitive. What kind of netting do you use?

I use orchard netting as I am mainly concerned with keeping the hawks out and my flighty Andalusian in because they are only in that pen when I am home. I would not recommend it for night time protection. Raccoons and fox are both good climbers not to mention weasels and their kin. I would use the strongest wire you can until you get the hardware cloth.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: Why would you want to move all that soil, when simply laying the wire on the surface accomplishes the same end result?