Bury or not to bury??

[CoyoteMagic]

Quote:

If the sand/dirt is at least 6 inches deep. Otherwise the chickens are going to scratch right down to it and injure their feet

 

[flowerfaerie1]

Every day that I see a new rat hole I wish I had buried.

 

[My6Chicks]

It seems that my 6 chicks can move a cubic yard of dirt around the coop in matter of days. Many coops/run have hardware cloth for the floor. Don't think it will be an issue...

 

[SassyKat6181]

Quote:
I am considering this approach, but am wondering how the wire fence doesn't get caught in the lawnmower?

 

[suburbanhomesteader]

The apron idea is so much easier, if it is going to be a stationary pen.

The secret to my success is using very heavy-gauge welded wire panels of 2x4 mesh; they lay flat anyway, due to their weight, and there is no bending because they're so thick. Cut them lengthwise to around 20" wide x 16'long (you'll need bolt cutters). Cut the grass ultra-short, lay the strips down, hog ring them to the bottom of the pen, then encourage the grass to grow back up through the strips. You can even pin them down at the outer edge if you feel the need.

Not sure about the rats; never had a rat kill a bird, although I don't move my chicks to the chunnel until they're about 5 months old. I do think rats have gotten the occasional egg, but it might have been a snake, too; those are the only preds my chunnel doesn't exclude.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/fencing/feedlot-panels/horse-fence-panel-5-ft-x-16-ft--3610375

 

[krazeepolack]

I have used the surface apron/rock type perimeter.

I'm 74 years young, & this desert ground can be like Sacramento hard pan!!! I recently dug a 20 ft trench two feet deep, & that took 3 days! Needless to say, I opted for the rock (read; HEAVY rock) covered apron. My entire run is made of 1/2" X 1" welded wire on all sides, & top. I do not see this wire in any of the supply stores. The apron consists of welded wire expanding from 1/2" X 1" to 1 1/2" X 3" with the 1 1/2" placed just outside the run, & solidly clipped to same every 4". This wire was salvaged from a couple old coops that were on the property from years back. It is in remarkable condition, & best of all, it was FREE! I did have to buy the wire clips. I converted a cable tv crimping tool to work on the clips. The apron extends about one foot in/outside the run walls. Any critter digging under the outside has to contend w/surfacing on the inside, & a scoped, pump action .22 rifle. If he passes these barriers, & gets one of my chickens & lives, I'll cook the chicken for him.

 

[ekemily]

We temporarily staked our apron fencing down with tent stakes and laid down fence posts until the grass grew up through it. We have horses that like to drag their feet and they probably would have bent the wire up.
We first buried our fencing about 5 inches in the ground with concrete securing it. It didn't seem like enough with so many foxes around. So, we went back with a 2x4 welded wire fencing ground apron. It has worked wonderfully.

 

[our 5 chickie babies]

Hello All!! We built our coop and run at the first of spring this year.we are sorty city and rual but we do have some foxes,hawks and rats around.
After finishing up the coop and run I dug down 2 feet and 2 feet out away from the run.I then used some 1x1 welded wire that I ran across at a construction yard.
I pulled it up 10 inches and secured it to the coop and run.then it goes down 2ft and 2 ft out.it was then filled with about 12inches of rock and then topsoil so if the varments want to try and dig they have 12inches of top soil and then 12 inches of rock to go through and then they will hit the wire.Plus we lock our girls up at night so I sleep real well at night not haveing to worry about anything getting to our babies.It might be a little over kill but I would rather be safe then sorry.
Good luck with which ever route you decide to take.
JIM&LINDY

 

[matimeo]

my current set-up doesn't have a wire apron, just about two feet of stone pavers around the outside. They're the kind that are about 18x6x2 inches. Maybe a dumb question, but will this be sufficient, or should I go with wire as well? I guess I could just attach to base of coop and recover with pavers.

 

[Yeagin1]

I like to garden but being older than dirt and having rheumatoid arthritis, I've decided to have raised beds for veggies around the outside of my pens. This way nothing can dig in and I'll have fresh veggies to eat. With the chickens just on the other side of the fence it should help keep the bug population down too...not to mention all the fertilizer I'll have to compost.