Ground cover ? for where im going to put my coop'

[rgearhead]

Having only 2 chickens i began leveling an area next to my shed (my yard is a small hill) i put some timbers in to hold the ground and back filled with some old clay and dirt from all the post hole's we dug for a front deck, I know we have a fox as well Raccoons in the area, so was thinking before i put final layer of clay-dirt for leveling i would put down-embed a double layer of chicken wire to prevent digging < what you think.. ok and was wondering what i should use to cover the last layer of clay-dirt like =sand, pea-gravel, straw, wood chips,ect ect....what would work best ??

sorry pic's are from cell phone...
this is where i want to put the coop..


and this is the view the little boogers will have..


thanks for your input'' Bob..

 

[Aeropennchick]

Beautiful yard!

You will want something that allows for drainage - too much mud is not healthy for them. I have read posts where some people love sand, but if you get freezing temps in winter (which I'm sure you do in chicago!), you will probably have to replace most of the sand each spring.

Our pen is just dirt. We use sand inside the coop.

 

[rgearhead]

thanks, i went with about 3-4" of sand in the run, i was putting straw and Hay in the run over the sand, but found if you dont turn over the hay-straw after a rain, it gets funkey and takes days for it to dry out...my coop and run are 75% in the shade.. soo far it's working out great, and yes i will have to keep addding sand as time goes on, but sane is cheap : )

 

[chfite]

Wire in the floor of the run will restrict the chickens natural tendency to dig and bathe in the dust. Wire laid on the surface of the ground around,outside, and connected to the edge of the fence will keep predators digging. You can throw some soil on the wire to keep it in place. This will keep predators out.

Chicken wire is suited for keeping the chickens in or out, but is not protection from predators.

Chris

 

[rgearhead]

I understand.. but what i did was , when i got the old dirt and clay packed down to level where i was to put the run, I took a long 4' wide roll of chicken wire, and cut it wider and longer than the run, and doubbled it up and over lapped it, It extends out around 2' on all sides of the run, then built the run on center, used 30" rebar that i heated and made into a j-hook, to stake the run down threw the wire on all sides...10 J-hooks total threw the wire into the earth.. then put 3-4 inches of dirt and sand in the run...chickens seam to like it so far..It's a Dog run 5' X10' 6'tall

? do you think somthing could come up threw the floor of the run ?





thanks Bob....

 

[UrbanBYC]

Ive seen alot of people using chicken wire as the floor cover but with sand on top of the wire so there is no difference on the surface. Predators should have a hard time going through two layers of chicken wire that is packed underground. i think your plan sounds good as long as it is covered with sand, so the chicken wire is not on the surface. Beautiful yard!

 

[rgearhead]

thanks, I also electrified the top of the run at night, to keep anything from climbing on top of the run at night...