concrete in the ditch?

[garye5007]

Hi!
putting hardware cloth over chain link, burying about 10" and bending out 6-8". would it help any to throw some concrete in the ditch
before back filling with dirt?
Can't see that it would hurt...
Any opinions?
Thanks, Gary

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I'd rather have more width and less depth.

10 inches isn't deep to a determined predator

I also wouldn't put cement unless I was going to pour a wide band of it

 

[garye5007]

I'm using 36" high cloth, how high can i get away with to leave more for the bottom? (wider than deeper) and still keep chickens out of the "grab zone"
Thanks, Gary

 

[CoyoteMagic]

You don't have to bury it down at all. Lay it flat on the surface. Wire it to the run fencing. Tack it down with landscape staples or cover with mulch or dirt. I plant shrubs on top of the wire to hold it down even more. You need to go out at least 2 ft.

 

[garye5007]

ok can i put hardware cloth out 2 ft,up chain link 1ft and then small chicken wire 3 ft all around to try to keep cost down?
thanks again, Gary

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

hardware cloth out 2 ft,up chain link 1ft and then small chicken wire 3 ft all around

That should work just fine.
The odds of them being grabbed through the wire in the run are slim anyway​

 

[patandchickens]

I dunno, chickens get grabbed *through* run fence more oftne than one might expect, to go by posts int he Predators and Pests section.

What you propose sounds real good to me, though. Honestly you may not need *hardwarecloth* as your buried part; 1x1 or 1x2 or 2x4 mesh is not meaningfully less secure, as an apron, and cheaper.

I'd skip the concrete, personally.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[garye5007]

Thanks, I'm gonna skip the concrete and see what i can come up with for the apron.
thanks, Gary