Dirt in the Coop, Deadly?

[The Wolf Queen]

I have decided to raise the ground in my chicken coop to help protect them from predators digging into the coop and was wondering if buying a certain type of dirt would hurt my chickens or possibly kill them.

 

[The Wolf Queen]

Anyone know?

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

Wouldn't it easier to dig down about 2 feet around your coop and run and put fencing in. When we built our large coop my son and grandson did that for me. The coop has metal roofing as the wall and it goes down into the ground 2 feet. Then when he built the run they did the same thing. If something digs down that far they are going to get in no matter what. On the othr hand couldn't you just dig some local dirt from your yard if you still want to raise it. Why go to expense of buying something with chemicals in it. JMHO Micki

 

[The Wolf Queen]

Nuh Uh. My coop is right at the base of a big old tree with a lot of roots. And my field is full of goatheads

 

[patandchickens]

On the one hand, no normal dirt (that you could use for a veg garden, say, as opposed to fill that should be in a toxic waste site) is going to harm your chickens.

On the other hand, putting a deeper layer of dirt in your coop is IN NO WAY going to protect them from things that dig. And will require significant engineering of the boards that would retain it.

You'd be better off making a broad wire-mesh apron (use 1x1 or 2x4 galvanized wire mesh, in a heavy gauge) that lays on the ground all around the coop and is pinned well to the ground or tucked under a layer of turf or rocks or whatever. And of course attached to the base of your coop wall as well. A 3-4' apron, well secured, will prevent anything except rats from tunneling in (and nothing short of concrete is really going to keep rats out anyhow). It is relatively easy to do, and can simply be bent to fit over the existing tree roots and irregularities int he ground.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[greathorse]

That is what I did and the grass has now grown through it and you would never know it is there. Run it up the coop about 4 inches or so bend a 90 and pin it into the ground with something. I came out about 24 inches we have heavy clay soil and digging very far can be some work for predators

 

[The Wolf Queen]

Ok thanks GH