burying "apron" around coop, and hardware cloth question - Page 2

To the OP and others who responded, THANK YOU for this thread.

I lost two today to a raccoon who dug a hole under the bottom frame in their run, and pulled them out. For tonight, we've reinforced their pen with an apron made of bricks and cinder blocks. Tomorrow, we step it up and bury some hardware cloth.

Thanks.

- Kim

I also love the rock idea, both the practicality as well as the aesthetic appeal.  Nicely done.

I'd like to know from the ones losing the hens to coons, are these chickens out at night in the run of in the coop? I'm trying to fix mine so nothing can get in but these chickens that are getting killed have me confused as to where they are when they get caught. I the coons getting into the coop?

At least 6 inches, alot depends on the soil and how hard it is to dig though, I like the edges bordered with rock, going to use that myself, nothin getting through that, even  che chickens themselves:)

Can't speak for others, but mine were in their run. There was nowhere for them to hide once the coon got in. I'm lucky it stopped after two, and didn't take all eight.

- Kim

Thanks. That help me with my planning.

The rocks are lovely! We are working on making our coop more secure after last night's break in. (We think raccoon) This idea is a great one.

We staked the apron down, then covered it with gravel. So far, so good. Bok.

Do you think a weasel, if only the bottom 2 or 3 feet of the run's fencing were enclosed in hardware cloth, would be able/likely to climb up to the top of the hardware cloth and then enter through the openings in the welded wire fence?  Are they climbers?

I don't know about weasels climbing, but racoons climb up my mom's trees.

The apron around my chick's run is 2ft out, screwed in with big fender washers every 6in. covered with cement blocks, rocks, and bricks in front of the doorway. I chose to design the entire run with hardware cloth. The only digging I did was to flatten the area a bit so the wire would lay flat; and that wasn't digging at all, just moving aside some dirt with a handshovel.

"older photos" (We've done alot since these were taken they are the "in process" pics, I finished the rocks along the back edge below - and did alot more painting, put in pop door, etc.)

My brother is an animal trapper and has to prevent coons, skunks, opossums and varies other  creatures from digging under decks etc... they all dig and would all enjoy a chicken meal.  he digs down a foot and out a foot and used 1/2" hardware cloth and never has a problem.  the key to detering diggers is to create a corner where the run meets the ground.  these diggers go right up to the fence etc and start to dig, once they encounter the cloth the will back up away from the fence and continue digging a few inches.  if the wire is still down there they bail.  I only put mine down between 3-6 inches and out around 10-12 inches and so far so good.

I too would like to thank everyone at byc for all the info I have received over the past year