Burying hardward cloth

[Seaecho]

Sorry about the confusion. Yes, I'll have the 1/2" HC 2' high on the inside of the run, and the 1x1" wire going out as the skirt. The stakes will go down 2.' (Just asked my husband). Sounds as if, from what has been said, that this should be sufficient. Don't have mink or weasels here. We won't be having any tiny chicks, just bantam pullets. We just bought 6 concrete blocks at Lowe's today, thinking it would be a good idea to lay them on the skirt! Well, at least they weren't expensive. I'm glad to hear the 1x1 wire will lay flat! AT least I did something right! LOL I think this is going to work out after all!

 

[aart]

The stakes will go down 2'....

Thought this was overkill, but with sand maybe not.
Driving them in at an angle might help too.

The concrete blocks can come in handy for other chicken things,
under bottom of ramps to lessen angle steepness, full and/or half blocks to raise feeders/waterers, putting them in places where the chickens dig big holes, or just set them out in the run to jump up on, they'll not go to waste.

 

[Seaecho]

Thank you aart. I'm already thinking of uses for the excess concrete blocks and pavers. And yes, the stakes are because of the sand. Can I ask why concrete blocks or pavers should not be laid down on the skirt? Reason I asked is the HD cloth I have to be used as the skirt is curling, and I thought the blocks might do a great job keeping it flat. I can't use landscape pins, as it wouldn't work well with sand.

 

[aart]

Thank you aart. I'm already thinking of uses for the excess concrete blocks and pavers. And yes, the stakes are because of the sand. Can I ask why concrete blocks or pavers should not be laid down on the skirt? Reason I asked is the HD cloth I have to be used as the skirt is curling, and I thought the blocks might do a great job keeping it flat. I can't use landscape pins, as it wouldn't work well with sand.

I thought you were using stakes to hold down skirt?
If you put blocks on top of edge of skirt,
animal may dig at side of block and end up underneath the skirt.

 

[Seaecho]

I didn't mention that the runs I have are just SITTING on the ground. They have no bottom, thus I'll be using stakes. I'll also run the stakes through the hardware cloth, and J-clip the 1x1" wire to the hardware cloth. Here's a pic of the coop and run minus the stakes, hardware cloth and skirt, to give you an idea. The run is kind of hard to see due to the position of the sun.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

We are getting ready to put up our hardware cloth around the run. We will also have a skirt around it. Is it necessary to also bury the hardware cloth, even though there will be a skirt? We have the 2 ft. high 1/2" 19 gauge, 120 lb. weight capacity, and we are planning on running stakes through it and into the ground. But is just a few inches deep okay? (Should have gotten the 3 ft. high stuff, but wasn't thinking).The stakes will go deeper, but I'm talking about just the hardware cloth. We will be using 1 inch wire for the skirt, out 3 ft. and will cover it with a few inches of our desert sand, and put concrete blocks on the top of it. Is this sufficient protection from digging predators?

Use a garden tiller to dig up the ground on the outside of your coop. Rake the loose soil back a little more than 2 feet. Lay the apron or skirt down on the tilled area, attach it to the vertical wire of your run or coop, then rake the lose dirt back over the apron. Finally tamp the lose dirt down onto your apron using your foot.

 

[Kingerrrr]

We are getting ready to put up our hardware cloth around the run. We will also have a skirt around it. Is it necessary to also bury the hardware cloth, even though there will be a skirt? We have the 2 ft. high 1/2" 19 gauge, 120 lb. weight capacity, and we are planning on running stakes through it and into the ground. But is just a few inches deep okay? (Should have gotten the 3 ft. high stuff, but wasn't thinking).The stakes will go deeper, but I'm talking about just the hardware cloth. We will be using 1 inch wire for the skirt, out 3 ft. and will cover it with a few inches of our desert sand, and put concrete blocks on the top of it. Is this sufficient protection from digging predators?

I worked in wildlife control for years, keeping raccoons, skunks, foxes, etc out of where they shouldn't be! Dig down one foot into the ground and one foot out and screen it in a L shape. Heavier gauge of screen the better!

 

[Seaecho]

Thanks for the ideas. I'll be sure to make it as safe as I can!

 

[aart]

I worked in wildlife control for years, keeping raccoons, skunks, foxes, etc out of where they shouldn't be! Dig down one foot into the ground and one foot out and screen it in a L shape. Heavier gauge of screen the better!

Welcome to BYC @Kingerrrr !
Curious, from your wildlife perspective, why the need to dig down 1 foot?

 

[STxChickenman]

I buried about 8 inches of hardware cloth and boards to keep critters from scratching their way to your chickens and/or eggs.