Rat proofing - how deep to bury hardware cloth?

[DAttard]

We've had issues too, and skirting did not help. We ended up flooring the run / stapled on sides/interior with 1/4" hardware cloth then backfilling again.

 

[PimsGarden]

I don't have any anti-digging mesh that spreads out from the perimeter of the coop/run.

The rats were both digging from just outside the run, under the wood, then popping up right on the other side. But they were are also digging from directly underground where their burrow holes would show up in the middle of the run.

Might be a shot in the dark but if you know anyone or could find anyone with a terrier that hunts small game they could prob do some good work on the existing population while you work on other solutions for defense. Just a random idea.

Also if you find a rat snake, and aren't afraid of them, I like to carefully carry them to the coop area and set them free to do my rodent pest control hehe.

 

[PimsGarden]

We've had issues too, and skirting did not help. We ended up flooring the run / stapled on sides/interior with 1/4" hardware cloth then backfilling again.

This is prob the move tbh.

For future coop building, I built mine on 2ft legs with a ramp and that really helps keep out rodents. That and I never keep food in the coop, only at night do I place their feeder in the coop with them to not attract opossums etcetc from wanting to break into the run area. Then I'm the morning I put the feeder back outside when I let them out, might be a little extra but I don't want other animals to learn that breaking into the run might have a reward.