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.

 

[8isenoughchickens]

Hi. I have a good sized coop and run for my 6 (soon to be 8!) girls. It's secure and predator proof. But I didn't take rat proofing fully into consideration when it was built.
The coop/run sits on dirt and this last spring we had a rat problem. It's under control now but I was thinking about making it rat proof byburying hardware cloth around the entire perimeter of the coop/run which is 8' x 22'.
How deep do I need to bury the hardware cloth down vertically to prevent them from digging underground and into the run?
Anything else I should consider?

Attached are a couple of photos.

I know this is not what you asked for, but rats come in because they are going after the feed. It will save you time and cost way less, to simply rat-proof the feed, by adding Cayenne pepper. Works amazingly well. Birds are immune to the heat it creates, but rodents can't stand it. Mix a little in with the feed. You'll be giving the birds extra nutrition from the pepper, without hurting them, and you will never have a rodent in the area again. Every time you replenish the feed, mix in more Cayenne pepper powder.