Can someone clear this up for me?

[yellowchicks]

We did option A, put 1/2" hardware cloth down on the entire bottom and nail it to the frame of our 4' x 10' coop/run footprint area.

We chose to do so was because there are a lot of tree roots in the yard, hard to dig down. Another more important reason was that our friend in NC warned us of his experience. He did option C like most people, but had some massive predator who ripped out of the 1/2" hardware skirt, dug down and in, and wiped out all his chickens in one night. We didn't want to invest all that work and found out some animals can out dig us. Thus the complete fortification all around.

I did worry about chicken walking on the wire mesh, but after putting down 2" of pine shavings as a start, then do deep litter method ever sine, there are quite a few inches of bedding materials for the chickens to scratch and walk comfortably. In fact, we had to add 2 stacks of 4" high vinyl landscape edging to keep the shaving from spilling out, and hauled out some of the shaving when it become hard to rake everyday.

One other unforeseen advantage was that our yard is very wet, area around the chicken coop often floods. Having the entire bedding "sitting" on a wire mesh "tray", it keeps the bedding dry even when the ground is soaked.

 

[HennaRose]

Flooding and tree roots are things I hadn't taken into consideration. It's very sandy where I am and with heavy summer rains our yard tends to become a little swampish, and there are remnants of roots from a tree we had to cut down years ago still in the ground where the coop and run will have to be. I was interested in using the deep litter method too, and was unaware that I could make the whole run floor covered in bedding. I had originally interpreted the laws for where I am as saying the coop had to be elevated, but in reading it again it says it must be "secured from predators on all sides, including the bottom." I think a wire floor is pretty secure, especially if I can find 1/4" hardware cloth.

The more I think about it and read replies the more I think a combination of A and C seem like the best solution. I could lay a floor of hardware cloth 18" past the perimeter of the run area on all sides, secure it with landscaping pins and cinderblocks, and build the pen up from there. And then further cover that wire with soil and make that part of the run a garden bed, with brick pavers for the entryway. The picture in my head is turning out to be very pretty indeed!

Thanks, all Now that I know what I want it to look like, time to start gathering materials and get to work. My chicks will be here in a little less than two weeks, and I expect to have them outdoors by early April.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

We're just finishing up construction on our run and we're doing an apron. Instead of flat soil or blocks on top of the apron, we're installing raised garden beds over it. Whatever decides to try to dig in will either have to begin its digging before the raised bed to try to dig under it or dig down through the raised bed and then try to dig through the wire.

The garden beds will hold vining vegetables, probably pole beans and squash, to provide both shade and snacks - plus veggies for me - during the summer. As I have hardware cloth on the bottom 4 feet of the run, the girls won't be able to eat the greenery.

 

[aart]

..... I think a wire floor is pretty secure, especially if I can find 1/4" hardware cloth........

I'd go with 1/2".....the wire is heavier and it won't rust out as fast.

 

[HandsomeRyan]

I'd register another vote for the 'apron' approach. I use chicken wire on my run and an apron of it 12-15" out buried slightly underground. I've never lost a bird or egg to a predator getting inside the coop and I've only had a couple instances of anything even trying to dig in but they stopped when they hit wire.

 

[RonP]

I forgot to add, my apron consists of 2"x3" fencing, not hardware cloth.

All my predators who will dig, will be big...

As for the chickens digging...my run is deep litter, 8"- 24" deep, held in by the 1/2" hardware cloth.

When it turns to fine compost, the chickens "digging" screens it out of the run for collection.

I find all the holes they dig filled in and replaced with others daily.

They are not even close to digging out.

 

[henless]

I vote option C too.

We put 2"x3" square wire for our apron. We put it 2' out around the run. I also plan on putting raised beds up against the run on two sides. You can see the cinder blocks in the background where I have my first raised bed in front of the coop.




We tacked it down with metal tent stakes.




My raised bed at the end of my coop. Just another deterrent in the war against chicken thieves.

 

[Primo]

Option c. But I use chain link fence cut with a bolt cutter into 2 foot wide strips. Lot sturdier and cheaper than hardware cloth. No need to bury