Chicken run

[Carly koudys]

Hi everyone
My husband and I are very new to chickens ! Please go light on us !
we are working on a new coup and currently researching the perfect run
It will be an enclosed run with roof to prevent pests and predators
We are worried about mice and rats or any other animals digging down under the dirt and getting into the run
Is this a common problem ? If they get in is there poop dangerous or toxic to the chickens ?
what do you suggest for a covered run ?
is it bad for the chickens feet to lay down patio stones and than sand ?
If we put sand how do u prevent it from blowing out ? Or falling out through the mesh ?
Does anyone suggest how to keep all pests out !

 

[Peppercorngal]

To be sure predators do not dig into your run it's best to add an "apron". You can put rocks on top or bricks or whatever you have available. After time dirt will settle on top and it won't be noticeable. Like this:

I used chicken wire, but you can use hardware cloth too.

 

[Carly koudys]

To be sure predators do not dig into your run it's best to add an "apron". You can put rocks on top or bricks or whatever you have available. After time dirt will settle on top and it won't be noticeable. Like this:

View attachment 2138043

I used chicken wire, but you can use hardware cloth too.

Will this hurt there feet or claws from digging ?

 

[Mamatomany123]

Will this hurt there feet or claws from digging ?

You put that on the outside of the run so anything digging in will hit the wire. I would use hardware cloth because chicken wire will be easily broken and that defeat the purpose.

 

[Carly koudys]

Ok so not inside the run ? And patio stones inside the run under the sand is a bad idea as well ?

 

[Peppercorngal]

Will this hurt there feet or claws from digging ?

No, this is put on the outside of the run. Not the inside. The chicken wire has worked for me for YEARS, it's cheaper than hardware cloth too. You decide.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Ok so not inside the run ? And patio stones inside the run under the sand is a bad idea as well ?

What do you mean patio stones? Pavers? My run is dirt and I give the chickens straw to tear up periodically and that helps with rain and mud. Sand is ok, lots of people use sand! Most folks don't want a concrete or paver run.

 

[Carly koudys]

What do you mean patio stones? Pavers? My run is dirt and I give the chickens straw to tear up periodically and that helps with rain and mud. Sand is ok, lots of people use sand! Most folks don't want a concrete or paver run.

Yea pavers is what I meanT
My husband thought it would help keep mice out

 

[aart]

Mice don't generally dig, but other rodents and predators do.
Mice are not an immediate threat, but you don't want to be feeding them.

Good examples of anti-dig apron installation.
If rodents are prolific, burying the apron ~12" would be good.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wire-around-coop.1110498/#post-17093528
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

Pavers along the inside of run wall will keep chickens from digging out, yes it happens.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/excavation-by-birds-a-word-of-warning.1086535/

 

[rosemarythyme]

Rats and mice can carry pests and diseases, plus they eat feed and can even attack chickens in rare cases.

To exclude rats, you need to have no openings larger than 1/2" - mice can possibly get in even with that, though it'd take a smaller mouse. So I would skip chicken wire completely as the openings are too large, and it's not very good protection against bigger predators either. Covering the entire run with either hardware cloth or small opening welded wire would be recommended, with some excess saved for aproning around the run. To do so, bend your wire mesh in an L shape where it meets the ground and lay it down on surface of ground, then secure in place with landscape staples. Go out at least 12" (24" would be much better).

If you are going to add some decorative rock to hide the wire, use gravel or sand rather than pavers, large stones, etc., as those artificially reduce the coverage of the apron. The way the apron works is the pest would normally start digging at base of run, maybe move back a bit and get frustrated because it doesn't know the edge is 24" out, and quit. If you put large items on the wire to hide it, now the pest will start digging at the edge of the rocks/pavers, and then move back a bit, etc. - however the distance is now shorter because of the space the pavers took up, so there's a greater likelihood of a breach.