predator proof fence for the run

i'm new so pardon my ignorance. i have tried to do some research, and keep getting hung up on 1 point. everyone says to bury at least a foot of the fence for your run; but do i need to attach it to something before i bury it? like a piece of treated timber, or do i just bury the bottom half of the frame? or do i leave extra wire hanging from the bottom of the frame and bury the extra? i also saw something where the guy built the run and then dug trenches a foot deep and filled then with chunks of rock. just not sure what is the best idea.

am I being too obsessive? I live in los angeles (in one of the few green areas), and we have coyotes, hawks, skunks, raccoons, feral cats, possums, and I have a border collie. not too worried about putting together the coop, but want to make sure that the fence around the run is as good as I can make it. i have a really big yard, so would like to make a nice roomy run for them. since we have so many hawks, I was going to cover the top as well.

thanks for your help.

I think most folks just leave extra hardware cloth out the bottom (or chicken wire or whatever) and bury it going out away from the run for digging predators (dogs, foxes, etc.) to stop them from getting under.

It should go down and out, away from the run, like a flange.

I just piles big stones around my banty run, so they would be in the way, should a predator dig.

I wouldn't worry all that much unless you feel these animals are going to get in your yard while the birds are in the run- in my case, the banty run is part of a single unit with the coop, and it's one line of defense I wanted to bolster. It's part of the Banty Shanty.

Our main run is built off of the main coop, but protecting the run in that way was pointless, as nothing like that will strike during the day, and the birds are locked tight in the coop at night- predators could throw a party in the main run and I couldn't care less, as it doesn't impact the safety of the main coop.

And we're all new at one point, so ask away!! You found the right place- Welcome!

I ran my chicken wire about 12" in the ground and then about 6" out. I then backfilled some of the trench with rock. Lastly, I filled in the dirt. Seems to be working good. I have had a few attempts at getting in by some critters but they hit the rocks and give up. I also reinforced the bottom couple of feet (exposed) of the run with 1/2" hardware cloth for a little added security. Good luck and.......

from Cape Cod, MA!!!

I ran my hardware cloth a foot down and another foot out. Then I returned all the dirt, and topped it all with 2" (large) gravel, going about 8" up from the bottom of the fence and out about 16". I don't think anything will get into my run from the bottom, and it looks nice also. (Nice colored landscaping stones would look even better!)

Now I need to figure how to cover the top without having to take out a second mortgage! $$$$$ My run is 40' x 30' and I have just added another run beside it, about the same size. Will I ever be done with all this hard labor???

Good luck, and welcome from Missouri ! !

Okay, here's the easy way--use welded wire, make an apron about 18" wide to 2', fasten it to the bottom of your run (hopefully you have a 2 by 4 or something along the bottom). Get a bunch of 6" landscape pegs (u-shaped) and peg it down. Find some large rocks or old beams to put over the top, and bark over anything that sticks out beyond that. Now you have an invisible barrier.

awesome answers, i completely get the idea now. thanks so much.

If you live in an area with ground like I have, where even the gophers live above ground, electric fencing is a great option. The only way to dig a trench around here is with dynamite, or a backhoe. An electric fence keep curious noses from getting any ideas.

First we trimmed the grass down real short around the edge of the run with a grass trimmer out about 2 feet. Then we attached poultry netting to the bottom of the run. Laid it on top of the ground stretched out about 18 inches to 2 feet. Then we pinned down the wire with a few u shaped pins and put about a 1 inch layer of dirt on top of it. It's been a month and the grass is growing back through the netting and dirt. I think it will work great. We shall see. Also did this around the coop as we have a dirt floor. I love the dirt floor. It works great with the deep litter method. We just stir it around occasionally. Minimal odor, stays dry, easy maintenance.