Getting started

[Mims]

Thanks for all the excellent advice. One more question.

Any tips on how to make sure all the posts are the same height above ground?

 

[aart]

Thanks for all the excellent advice. One more question.

Any tips on how to make sure all the posts are the same height above ground?

Water level.
Get the first post set to the proper height, then use the water level to set the rest even with the first.

Looong piece of clear tubing approx 1/2" diameter, filled with colored water and ends capped with rubber stoppers.

You have to take the stoppers out for it to work....
.....then stop them back up before lowering the tubing or you'll lose you water(ask me how I know this hehehe).

 

[qhlover]

Got the wood for the door cut but forgot the screws so it did not get finished. Started digging the trench around the run to bearie the fence, found the digging very difficult I am thinking I may need to fife a way to dig it with our skid steer.
Not my most productiv day

 

[aart]

Got the wood for the door cut but forgot the screws so it did not get finished. Started digging the trench around the run to bearie the fence, found the digging very difficult

I am thinking I may need to fife a way to dig it with our skid steer.
Not my most productiv day

If you use an apron, you don't have to bury it but a couple inches if that....get it low enough that you can mow over it if needed.
Take the mesh out 12-18", more effective against diggers and much easier to install.

Corner mesh is not to scale in the graphic, but don't forget the corners.

 

[qhlover]

Tha

If you use an apron, you don't have to bury it but a couple inches if that....get it low enough that you can mow over it if needed. Take the mesh out 12-18", more effective against diggers and much easier to install. Corner mesh is not to scale in the graphic, but don't forget the corners. [COLOR=B42000] [/COLOR]

Thank you I was going to bury an apron 6 inches only needing to go down an inch or two would be way easer thank you for the information

 

[aart]

Tha
Quote: I left mine right on top of the ground, in most places it works out fine mowing over it.
In other places not so much...burying it after mangling it with the mower was not fun.

 

[Wise Woman]

I am going to be putting hardware cloth under my run and am planning on putting pavers around the outside. Do you think I still need to put hardware cloth under the pavers as well? Seems like one or the other would do. I would like to save a little money where ever I can.

 

[aart]

I am going to be putting hardware cloth under my run and am planning on putting pavers around the outside. Do you think I still need to put hardware cloth under the pavers as well? Seems like one or the other would do. I would like to save a little money where ever I can.

HC under the run might cost more than around the edge as an apron depending on size of run......
it sure will keep things out, but may also damage the chooks feet once they dig down to it especially once it starts to rust and break up.

 

[Wise Woman]

HC under the run might cost more than around the edge as an apron depending on size of run......
it sure will keep things out, but may also damage the chooks feet once they dig down to it especially once it starts to rust and break up.

So I don't need to put it under the run at all? Can I just use pavers around the perimeter instead of the HC? That would be much easier for me and it will look nicer as well. This coop is going to be very, very close to my house and we will have to walk past it going to and from the house, so I want it to look as nice as possible as well as be predator proof. If I don't have to buy all that extra HC, I can put that money into nice pavers.

 

[aart]

Quote: I don't like the idea of burying mesh in the run itself, it will rust and break up and chickens can dig pretty deep holes.
I don't know if pavers would work the same as a 12-18" mesh apron or not.

The theory of the apron is that an animal will dig down right where the wall meets the ground, hit the mesh and not knowing to move back away from the wall to dig will move over to try again, eventually giving up. It makes the most sense to me....but everyone has to decide for them selves what's best for their situation and resources.