Creating fencing for run that predators cannot dig under?

[904am61]

Good luck with your fencing project. I too am new to life in the country and have recently added chickens to our menageri. Our chickens roost in a converted horse stall and outside we have a large paddock area completely enclosed with chicken wire to protect them from preditors. The chicken wire runs about 4" underground. Our problem has been the chickens are digging under the fence and squeezing out into the yard. We have lost several recently who have escaped this way. We have a hawk and large barn owl who have taken notice of them. I'm looking for a solution to keep them from digging their way to freedom and into something elses belly!

 

[mtnviewfarms]

When we constructed our chicken house and covered secured run, we completely went around the base/perimeter with used tin.

Take the tin - use the crease that is in the center and fold it into an L shape. Let half of the piece of tin lay flat on the ground and fasten the other half of the tin to building or posts or however you have constructed the fence/building.

Be sure that you have enough tin so that you can overlap a couple of feet with each piece you put down to ensure that
there are no gaps predators can use for entry.

When finished, the half piece of tin that is parallel with the ground needs to be covered with several inches of dirt - enough that people won't cut their feet on it.

This will keep pretty much anything from digging into the pen/run/building from below.