Ground level hardware cloth?

[QuackerOats]

Instead of digging down and putting hardware cloth underground, would it be okay to keep the hardware cloth ground level and have a few inches of sand on top? It would be held in by the base of the coop. The ground here would take ages to dig through all the roots and rocks and my parents aren't crazy about the idea of having a 2-3 foot apron.

Thanks for your help.

edited to change wording in first sentence.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Instead of digging down, I'd suggest an apron. I used 2" x 4" welded wire, laid it flat on the ground, and used J-clips to attach it to the bottom wire of the run.

Alberta Aprons
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex916

 

[BankerJohn]

you may have an issue with predators digging under. There are many different methods that work. I like the idea already posted of adding a bottom and j clipping. You may also want to consider laying wire then topping with rock then topping with sand. Rock will help with water drainage from the sand making the flooring less moist and less prone to harboring diseases.

Best of luck and please share with us what you finally decide to do.

Banker John

 

[chauqg]

We nailed 1/2" x 1/2" hardware wire on top of the floor joists then put 5/8 marine plywood on top of that. The hardware wire extends under the walls and completely covers the floor area - a bit of extra work on the walls, but a very secure floor. Also the floor does not run under the walls and is easily replaceable; this took extra joists on the open sides of the floor, and I believe replacing the wood floor is now a snap! I doubt anything is is getting up under the floor then through that wire, then into the coop which is 15" up off the ground. These are my thoughts on how we protected the bottom of our coop from predators, not knowing your circumstances I could be dead wrong, but this has worked for our coop!

Goos Luck

 

[underground chickenman]

Lift up two feet of sod all the way around the run, lay the wire down flat and attach the edges closest to the run to the bottom wire of the run, then lay the sod back on top of the wire The grass should grow fine over the wire and you have an out of sight apron protecting your run.

UGCM

 

[WoodlandWoman]

You can cover the wire with sand, gravel, dirt, lift the sod and put it underneath or just let the grass grow through it. Grass grows through it just fine and then you don't even notice it. They all work. To have grass grow through it, you might need to weight it down at first or anchor it to get it to lay flat. I flatten it by walking on it, with the curled edge digging into the ground.

 

[babyblue]

over our apron I just threw uncomposted horse poop and bedding and watered it a little. uncomposted it has a ton of grass and other seeds and grows into a very thick patch of lawn very quicky. its even done nicer then the products from lowes at quickly regrowing grass and the grass over my apron is nicer then the rest of the yard.

 

[QuackerOats]

Thanks everyone for your help!

I now have a lot of ideas to think about.