Chickens digging holes by fence.

[remist17]

I have 7 hens and 1 rooster in a 15x15 run and a 10x8 house. I have 2x4 weld wire around the entire run and chicken wire sunk in the ground and turned out. I also have some plastic 1/2" mesh around the bottom of the wire. I put some rocks around the inside of the fence.

This was great until the chickens started digging by the rocks. Now they are moving the rocks and digging under the fence. I keep putting the rocks back. Is there anything I can do to prevent the chickens from digging in this area?

 

[gryeyes]

Put a ton more rocks there, maybe even some concrete blocks.

Chickens naturally dig to make their dust bathing spots.

 

[teach1rusl]

And they love digging near the edges of stuff for some reason (safer maybe - not in the open?)...edge of the run, edge of the house, edge of anywhere. I built mine a huge 4 x 8 sandbox in my run. Where do they dig at least half the time? Right along the edge of the sandbox - OUTSIDE of the sandbox.

More rocks or tacking on a small, inside skirt of wire are really the only ways I can think of to prevent digging along the edges.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Bricks would do the trick maybe?

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

A wire apron will stop them

 

[ridgewood chickens]

I have the same issue, they dig huge holes next to the edge of the run but never in the middle! I just watch it and if the holes get too big or go under the edge of the run, I bill them back in, not a big deal.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
<*giggling*>
My ducks bill things all the time. They even dig in the dirt. So, forgive me for getting that odd mental image ..... Upon reflection, I realized you meant to say you FILL the holes back in....

 

[Patricia Jane]

Mine do the same thing except the run sits inside of an old cement foundation so I'm lucky that they can't dig there way out. Try digging around the inside edge of the run and place bricks around and cover it. It is a lot of work but that should do it. Then maybe they will dig next to the bricks.

 

[mpare]

I put fairly large tree branches, as straight as I could find, on the inside of the run. They still dig by the branches, but at least their fox holes are now more in the center of the run. They also seem to enjoy jumping up on the branches.

 

[theoldchick]

I know what you are talking about:

I put heavy rocks along the edge and the problem resolved.