Predator Proofing the Chicken Run

[Karen711]

With the reading I have done I plan to use hardware cloth to enclose the run with it continuing 18" out (skirt) all the way around. On top of the skirt will be dirt then concrete square stepping stones to avoid digging predator's. Any other idea's would be great I need to know they'll be safe should we have to go out for the entire day

 

[enola]

Make sure you also cover the run with wire, many predators either climb or jump when they find out they can't dig in.

 

[amanda1]

Yes, you must cover the top. We never saw Hawks around here until we got chickens. We had 3 hawk attacks within a 3 month period. I have run fishing line every foot over mine. Had some of it down to do some tree trimming. Was thinking every foot was overkill and maybe I didn't need to out it all back up. Then a hawk got in. It's back up, every square foot.

 

[aart]

No need for pavers on top of wire apron,
they kind of defeat the apron functionality as they'll try to dig down at the edge of paver.
Just stake them down if needed until grass grows up thru.

 

[Cacique500]

I agree with aart on the skirting...that's what I did. I tried using pavers on my first coop on top of the skirting, and I was rewarded with massive ant colonies who seemed to like having a stone roof over their nests. On the new coop, I just did the skirt with the lawn staples and the grass is growing through it nicely...without the ants.

Make sure you REALLY look closely for any small holes, especially around the top of the run. I've got 1/2" hardware cloth everywhere and thought I was good...until I noticed rat droppings near one of the feeders. Luckily I have a camera system and was able to watch the little !@#$% getting in. There was an approx 3/4" x 3/4" gap between the run and coop wall and that was it's access point. A Ruger MKiii with CCI shotshell ended their little escapades. After that I very carefully went over every area and there are now NO gaps. Haven't seen any rat droppings in over a year now, despite leaving the food out 24/7 in the covered run.




They were accessing the top left back part of the run at the roof line...hole is now plugged, as well as the rats!

 

[ellenscoop]

Use lots of steel anchors from lowes or Home Depot (sold in packs of 3, they are not the pins, but actual anchors you have to hammer into the ground) (they are in the gardening section) - got the idea from an awesome infographic I found on PoultryDVM.com about keeping foxes out - http://www.poultrydvm.com/featured-infographic/poultry-predator-the-red-fox

Good luck!