Anyone used landscape fabric?

[happyhens1972]

I agree with Miss Lydia. You should always put landscape fabric under gravel or the gravel will just be pushed or washed deeper and deeper into the soil until it is all gone. I don't have any duck experience though but I don't think it would be a problem with webbed feet. As far as draining, with 40 odd years in the landscape industry I haven't know the fabric to impede the drainage.

Water drainage isn't a problem....mine is very heavy duty but it still lets the water through (though much slower than normal) but it doesn't allow the poop to wash through so you get a 'mat' of poop between the gravel and the fabric and it can get quite unpleasant! This was with quail....and ducks poop bigger and more copiously and also have a lot of water around so you could end up with a yucky 'poop soup' in there

OP....I would definitely go with hardware cloth, just make sure it's small enough mesh to not allow the gravel through xx

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Seems like the 1/4" might do it. Actually even maybe 2 layers of the plastic stuff. Would be tighter weave I think.

 

[lazy gardener]

I absolutely despise LS fabric, though it does have it's uses. I find that over time, it degrades, and the fibers, b/c it is a synthetic can be quite long, almost never ending. This could cause all sorts of digestive blockages if the birds were to ingest it.

Do you have option of putting the run elsewhere? If not, I'd go for the hardware cloth and put a nice DL over that. Good thing about HDW cloth: You get double the bang for your buck: block rodents from tunneling in, AND block the birds from that nastiness buried in your soil.

The other option, which IMO would be the long term, permanent fix instead of a bandaid approach, would be to excavate that soil out of there, and haul in about 6" of gravel.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I absolutely despise LS fabric, though it does have it's uses. I find that over time, it degrades, and the fibers, b/c it is a synthetic can be quite long, almost never ending. This could cause all sorts of digestive blockages if the birds were to ingest it.

Do you have option of putting the run elsewhere? If not, I'd go for the hardware cloth and put a nice DL over that. Good thing about HDW cloth: You get double the bang for your buck: block rodents from tunneling in, AND block the birds from that nastiness buried in your soil.

The other option, which IMO would be the long term, permanent fix instead of a bandaid approach, would be to excavate that soil out of there, and haul in about 6" of gravel.

Yes! Go for the longterm fix not a short term bandaid.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

I absolutely despise LS fabric, though it does have it's uses. I find that over time, it degrades, and the fibers, b/c it is a synthetic can be quite long, almost never ending. This could cause all sorts of digestive blockages if the birds were to ingest it.

Do you have option of putting the run elsewhere? If not, I'd go for the hardware cloth and put a nice DL over that. Good thing about HDW cloth: You get double the bang for your buck: block rodents from tunneling in, AND block the birds from that nastiness buried in your soil.

The other option, which IMO would be the long term, permanent fix instead of a bandaid approach, would be to excavate that soil out of there, and haul in about 6" of gravel.

That is really the best spot. I have yard room but hate to be winter shovelling paths all over, nice to consolidate. Plus it would really crank my materials cost to not use the 3 existing structural elements that are there.

Digging 6 inches won't do much I think, I was easily ten inches down finding glass and bones. Could go down 2 feet for all I know. Could be the old cow barn or pig barn burned and buried . They definitely did stuff like that here. You get excavating, always turning up something. Adventures!

So I think locking the garbage under with HC or maybe fiberglass window screening? then 6 inches of gravel. Its a bit of a wet spot anyway. Those flags under the ground could have been trashing the drainage I guess. Maybe it'll improve now.

Deep litter good for ducks? I like that solution for the top layer, nicer on the feet.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Only place I have used the heavy duty landscaping material is around the water stations. and it works very well there. Been there for many years and haven't had anyone try and eat it. lol. My rocks are straight from the river so they are flat and larger than what you find at home improvement stores. We live above a mt river.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Only place I have used the heavy duty landscaping material is around the water stations. and it works very well there. Been there for many years and haven't had anyone try and eat it. lol. My rocks are straight from the river so they are flat and larger than what you find at home improvement stores. We live above a mt river.

That sounds like a great set up!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'll get you a pic. if you want.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

There's no rush at all, my power is out so I'm only on sporadically today.(Could be days away I'll be happy to see whenever) But I'd love to see your stones and water area. Thanks so much.

 

[lazy gardener]

That is really the best spot. I have yard room but hate to be winter shovelling paths all over, nice to consolidate. Plus it would really crank my materials cost to not use the 3 existing structural elements that are there.

Digging 6 inches won't do much I think, I was easily ten inches down finding glass and bones. Could go down 2 feet for all I know. Could be the old cow barn or pig barn burned and buried . They definitely did stuff like that here. You get excavating, always turning up something. Adventures!

So I think locking the garbage under with HC or maybe fiberglass window screening? then 6 inches of gravel. Its a bit of a wet spot anyway. Those flags under the ground could have been trashing the drainage I guess. Maybe it'll improve now.

Deep litter good for ducks? I like that solution for the top layer, nicer on the feet.

I would expect it is good for them. I've not had ducks in over 30 years!