Will predators be able to get in?

[Chickymamacita]

Hello chicken fam! I built a coop last weekend in my backyard in Colorado. We put pavers (12 by 12 inch cement squares) down as the foundation and then built the structure on top of that. Question: will predators be able to dig below the structure and push up the pavers to get to the birds? Should I be worried and if so, does anyone have any ideas/solutions?

Thank you so much!

 

[sourland]

The addition of hot wire provides another level of protection.

 

[Acre4Me]

It is possible that rodents can dig burrows underneath and get in between pavers. They need very little room to get in somewhere. Over time weather can shift things like pavers. Not sure where you are located and white kind of predators you might get otherwise.

 

[DobieLover]

I would install a predator apron that is firmly secured to the coop, conforms tightly to the pavers then out along the ground another 2 ft beyond the paper edges and is pinned along the outer edge with heavy duty landscape staples. Then you can just let the grass grow up through it.

 

[sybonbon]

It's more predator safe than free ranging. It sounds like a good idea.

 

[aart]

Hello chicken fam! I built a coop last weekend in my backyard in Colorado. We put pavers (12 by 12 inch cement squares) down as the foundation and then built the structure on top of that. Question: will predators be able to dig below the structure and push up the pavers to get to the birds? Should I be worried and if so, does anyone have any ideas/solutions?

Thank you so much!

Pics would help here.

 

[David61]

Yes, predators can dig in and undermine. Metal fence apron in the ground out 18"-24" will stop them for a few days. Check your perimeter for digging in or chewing on fencing. Predators can chew a hole in metal fencing or dig in even with an apron if they keep at it for a few days. It gives you time to beef it up and run them off. I had a opossum chew on my hardware cloth in the same spot every night.
I double the fence in that spot and started a late night patrol with the bulldog. Thats how i know it "WAS" a opossum. My bulldog is trained to look for live squeaky toy around the coop at night now.