Anti Dig Mats

[Ruralhideaway]

I'm working on my duck yard today. It needs to be night time predator proof.

I'm doing the ground level anti dig skirts and hardware cloth attached to stockade fencing for walls, a hardware cloth roof, plus a hot wire or two.

Anyone think I should trench wire in as well? I really don't want to see rats in there or worry about this area. Or what about laying anti dig mats inside the perimeter covered by landscape fabric?

Advice appreciated!

 

[cavemanrich]

I have no idea on how rats dig their tunnels and from where they start. The HC on the outside perimeter should keep out burrowing predators like fox, coyote and similar. I think it would be more effective if covered, or hidden by something like bark or other form of mulch. This way the predator starts to dig as close as possible to the vertical wall. Encounters the HC and can not proceed. They are not wise enough to step back 2 feet and start again. If they can plainly see the surface barrier, they may decide to start where barrier ends..
A anti dig mat inside may only be partially effective. Once the predator has dug for quite some distance and encounters an upper barrier, may continue to dig horizontally until succeeds an exit.
WISHING YOU BEST....................

 

[Ruralhideaway]

I have no idea on how rats dig their tunnels and from where they start. The HC on the outside perimeter should keep out burrowing predators like fox, coyote and similar. I think it would be more effective if covered, or hidden by something like bark or other form of mulch. This way the predator starts to dig as close as possible to the vertical wall. Encounters the HC and can not proceed. They are not wise enough to step back 2 feet and start again. If they can plainly see the surface barrier, they may decide to start where barrier ends..
A anti dig mat inside may only be partially effective. Once the predator has dug for quite some distance and encounters an upper barrier, may continue to dig horizontally until succeeds an exit.
WISHING YOU BEST....................

You might be right about that. I had the thought because when I've had rats get into the chicken coop its always been within a foot of the walls. They tunneled under from mostly I have no idea where, possibly inside the barn that shares one wall. I trenched wire all around and believe it's solved now.

I am going to cover the ones you see in the pic with chips, just waiting to extend them around that fence. Maybe I should just trench one in vertically along the barn wall to be safe as that seems to have worked in the coop.

Thank you!

 

[RonP]

If a rat wants in, it will find a way.

Stop rats from establishing a colony (poison, traps) and deal with predators that will attack your precious birds.

Seems like an excellent start!

 

[Ruralhideaway]

If a rat wants in, it will find a way.

Stop rats from establishing a colony (poison, traps) and deal with predators that will attack your precious birds.

Seems like an excellent start!

I trapped a few big ones, cleaned up some stuff, then my barn cats found some juveniles. Left as presents where I couldn't miss them. Quiet since, only getting moles from the cats since early winter. So the never ending population might be controlled. Maybe. For a minute anyway.

But if rats can get in so can weasels so my goal is to exclude down to their level. I think I'll need to at minimum trench along the common barn wall, the concrete is old and cracked in unknown underground places so it's always a vulnerability.

Here's where I'm at so far. Ceiling isn't pretty but should be effective.

 

[MROO]

When we converted our playhouse to a coop and run, we tried to use a lot of materials we had on-hand. One such windfall was a small pile of concrete mix bags from an aborted patio project.

We dug a trench, about 8 inches deep and wide, all around the base. My son then dumped bags of dry concrete mix into the trench. We ran water into the trench, mixing it as we filled, and let it cure for a few days before covering it over with several inches of soil. The result is a solid, below ground level concrete barrier all the way around the coop and run.

I have since discovered a few bonuses to the predator barrier. After raising the level of dirt over the concrete by another inch or two, I now have a virtually weed-free barrier around the structure - which let us plant marigolds just beyond the concrete. Once they fill in, the girls will be able to reach through the run's sides to pick their own treats and we can harvest all summer.

In addition to providing a garden barrier, we've also used the concrete base as a footer to support a large brooder/transition/hospital coop along one side of the lower run. That bugger is not going anywhere anytime soon!

 

[Ruralhideaway]

When we converted our playhouse to a coop and run, we tried to use a lot of materials we had on-hand. One such windfall was a small pile of concrete mix bags from an aborted patio project.

We dug a trench, about 8 inches deep and wide, all around the base. My son then dumped bags of dry concrete mix into the trench. We ran water into the trench, mixing it as we filled, and let it cure for a few days before covering it over with several inches of soil. The result is a solid, below ground level concrete barrier all the way around the coop and run.

I have since discovered a few bonuses to the predator barrier. After raising the level of dirt over the concrete by another inch or two, I now have a virtually weed-free barrier around the structure - which let us plant marigolds just beyond the concrete. Once they fill in, the girls will be able to reach through the run's sides to pick their own treats and we can harvest all summer.

In addition to providing a garden barrier, we've also used the concrete base as a footer to support a large brooder/transition/hospital coop along one side of the lower run. That bugger is not going anywhere anytime soon!

8 inches deep is enough to stop the digging vermin? Whichever way I go that will make things easier.

 

[MROO]

I'm not really sure about rats. Like RonP says, if a rat wants in, it's coming in. The most efficient way to address that issue is by eliminating the rats. Easier said than done, I know, but as The Bard aptly put it, "Therein lies the rub!"

Our main issues here are a persistent fox who digs from the surface, right next to the baseboards, and voles, which aren't so much a hazard as they are a nuisance (they go after the feeders.) Foxes also hunt voles, so we're hoping to eliminate the draw. If we shut down the restaurant, they won't be as likely to come back for dig-through chicken!
Regardless, you could go deeper, if you'd like. It depends on how much muscle ... and concrete mix ... you can come up with!