buried wire floor for chicken run?

[gwenakinyi]

We have a covered chicken run built on a very root-filled area; we can't dig deeper than 6 inches. We don't know how to best handle a predator barrier, since we can't bury wire deep enough around the perimeter. We could just bury 6 inches down and set heavy rocks around the perimeter...alternatively, we could fold the hardware cloth where the wall meets the floor, so that the hardware cloth actually lines the bottom of the coop. This would prevent predators from digging up. We could then shovel 6-in. dirt or sand on top of the hardware cloth. But I know chickens love to scratch, and I worry about them scratching down to the wire and hurting their feet...

Do you have any suggestions about how to protect the run?

 

[BankerJohn]

you could line the run floor with the wire, without digging, then top it off with sand or pea gravel.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

You could put a wire apron around the perimeter of the run to prevent digging...

 

[mayberrygirl]

That coop is a beauty! If I had the $$ I would have you come build me one like that

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

Quote:
Thank You!!!

 

[gwenakinyi]

Thanks for the ideas! We decided on an interior apron (there was a fence in the way on the exterior). It's an interior-wrapped apron buried about 8", with a big middle section where they can dig happily. Hope it works!

 

[True Grit]

We buried vinyl coated chicken wire in the bottom of our run, between 6 and 10 inches deep (lots of roots too). I hope it won't hurt the chicken's feet. I was going to end with a couple of inches of sand on top of the dirt. If I hear from enough people that it was a bad idea I will have to think of something else. Thanks!

 

[Dogfish]

The only place in the run where I burried wire horizontally was at the door, 2" down and it extends in and out 24" from the door. Oaround the sides, wire goes down 12", then out 6".

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Um, I hate to say this at this point, but aprons don't really work well on the inside of the run.

The whole point is that they prevent a predator from being able to BEGIN digging.

If you let a predator get its hole started and get under the fence, I would TOTALLY not count on wire over its head deterring it from extending the excavation til it gets past the apron and into the run.

It's better than nothing maybe, but it would really be a LOT safer to do an outside apron. If there is a fence in the way, put the apron on that fence.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[newchicksnducks]

I would try to add a 36" wide fence material to the bottom of the run. (Which is what we did) Wire the piece to the bottom 18 inches of the run, and make your apron on the outside of the run. If you can't dig it down, add a dirt curb on top of the wire, in effect, burying the apron. You can then plant on top of this. I then place some rocks (but would love to get more) as decorative accents on top of the buried apron. This should keep predators from digging into your run. Good luck.