Do I need to bury fence if my chickens will be locked up at night?

[texandziggy]

So I'm currently working out the details on a coop and run for 15 bantam chicks that are a week old. I'm building a very secure (I'm a carpenter and pretty much over-build everything) coop that they will be in locked into every night, so they will only be out in the run during the day. I will be using hardware cloth for the sides and also for the top.

My question is, with my chickens locked up in the coop at night, do I really need to bury the fence or have an apron to deter daytime predators? We have weasels, skunks, racoons, and foxes in the area, but they are all primarily nocturnal creatures. I know people in the area who don't have a buried fence, lock their chickens up at night, and have never had a problem. Have they just been lucky and you really do need to bury fencing for a run that is only used during the daytime, or is it not necessary?

 

[elmo]

If it was me, I'd go ahead and put an apron around the run. It's not that hard to do (no digging), and then you'll have protection against the digging predator problem. What if you're late coming home one night (or forget) to lock your chickens inside the coop?

 

[schellie69]

I would go ahead and bury the wire or use an apron its better to be over protected then lose birds and have to go redo something. rather plan ahead and not give the predators a chance because once they have gotten in they will keep coming back. good luck with your chickens and welcome to the addiction call chickens. lol

 

[annie3001]

yes i would bury the wire. its worth the time in the end, just in case.

good luck and

from ct.!

 

[teach1rusl]

It really just depends on how lucky you are, and how willing you are to take risks. Dogs are diggers, and will try to tunnel under. It's been said before, there are people out there lucky enough to never lose a bird with just a chicken wire run without a top. So do you feel lucky???

 

[mdbokc]

I used an unburied apron and electric fence. No problems to date with predators except for a couple of their screams when they hit the electric fence.

 

[Dogfish]

Predators are out all day long.

 

[kindir]

depends. I haven't buried anything, but I know that there is always a chance something will come along. I also have 5 dogs that go out frequently, so the chances are pretty slim that anything would make it to the coop without my dogs sounding the alarm and scaring them off. Without the dogs I'd be more concerned.

 

[babyblue]

I have seen foxs, raccoons, skunks and possiums all out and about during the day around my place. not because of illness but because the food supply, chickens and the feed for the stock is out during the day. I most likely dont even want to know whats crawling around at night.