fencing underground?

[meredithfp]

Hello all,

It's been recommended to me to surround my chicken run with 2 feet of underground fencing to prevent rats from getting in. It's looking to me like most of you haven't done this, and it does seem like overkill to me. My compost heap isn't too far away -- won't the rats just go for that instead?

So, can I just lay 2x4's on the ground and call it good?

 

[JadziaDax]

Rats aren't the only issue - other predators will dig to access your chickens. Chickens are a much tastier meal than leftovers from the compost heap.

My current tractor and future (larger) coop both have chicken wire across the bottom.

 

[meredithfp]

I thought about chicken wire along the bottom but I was told that's not good enough. Chicken feed falls through and the rats come up to get it. Chicken wire along the bottom is way easier than burying 2 feet of fencing along the perimeter!

 

[rjackh]

Are you talking 2' straight down into the earth, or a 2' strip around the perimeter just a few inches underground? I was going to do the second method on my current build. No way I am digging a 2' deep trench.


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[JadziaDax]

Definitely the latter

 

[aart]

For rats you want to use 1/2" hardware cloth.......they can probably get thru the holes in chicken wire, and other predators can chew thru it.

 

[seanengler]

I have seen people use a "hog panel" an inch or two into the dirt in the chicken run. Hog panels are heavy gauge and come in a variety of size openings to prevent different size pests and predators from burrowing in. $20-50 bucks depending on where you live and what size they are.