digging protection question

[compuroo]

I've just finished building our new coop, and left about an extra foot of chicken wire overlapping the perimeter walls, but have not buried it yet.

My question is, does the wire have to be buried to prevent digger predators from getting in? Or can I just leave it laying at ground level?

Digging is hard work, the coop is 8x24' and I have a bad back. If one foot of wire on the ground is not enough, I could even add another 2 foot roll just rolled out and layed down on the ground along the outside of the coop walls...?

Please let me know what you think - advice appreciated.

Compu

 

[SpottedCrow]

I've heard that burying the wire a foot down and having another 6 inches to a foot at a 90 degree angle will help digging predators.
I would also use anything besides chickenwire. That stuffs good for keeping chickens in, but nothing else out...Welded wire or hardware cloth is the best.

 

[panner123]

If you have the wire in a L shape away from the coop, you should cover it. I just put a couple of inches of whatever is handy over it. The L should be at least a foot out. I have never had anything back up and dig agian.

 

[SandraChick]

panner123 is correct....the L shape works well.

I also need to say the same thing as spotted Crow...

CHicken wire is good for keeping chickens in.....but it will NOT keep predators out. Switch to welded wire as soon as you are able.

Sandra

 

[Tinkerchick]

I'm glad you said that about using welded wire instead of chicken wire, we were just about to lay chicken wire down tomorrow. But what do you mean in an L shape?
Tink

 

[silkiechicken]

kind of make a skirt with the extra wire on the bottom so that when you press it down to the cage and the ground. If you look at it perpendicularly, it is an L shape.

 

[bassfishrman]

I buried my wire 12 inches straight down. I used chain link fence. The first few nights, predators, probably coons tried to dig under in numerous places. They almost succeeded. After a few nights of unsuccessful digging, they quit and haven't tried since.

 

[Tinkerchick]

I get it. Thanks.
A few days ago I bought all this chicken wire, what if I Layererd it at the bottom?

 

[chickflick]

My DH actually didn't bury the hardware cloth. He just attached 4 inches to the posts and bent the wire and layed in on the ground. Put lots of staples to attache it to the ground and let the grass grow thru it. Digging was way too much work, especially since we both has recent surgeries and couldn't really medically dig yet. Seems to be working out fine so far.

 

[Smoky73]

I buried mine in the ground. However, I do a perimeter check every AM, and if I see even a START of something wanting to dig, I fill the hole with Quickcrete. Eventually, my husband says we will have a solid foundation under the coop LOL. Since I started this last year, I havent had anything try digging anymore since last August.