Ground protection from predators

[heathersarkis]

Hello! I am pretty new to this chicken thing. So far I have been lucky that I have not had any overnight coop break-ins. Unfortunately, we did lose our favorite Cuckoo Maran to some ninja predator while she was ranging in our yard. That being said, I am no longer letting my girls free range. This means I have a new project ahead--building a large enclosed run.

I need to make something that is moveable, since we are likely moving in the next few months. We are also moving someplace where I think there will be more aggressive nighttime predators. I have read about needing to prevent the coop from digging underneath. I am not interested in digging underground to bury wire at this point.

I was thinking of building a border of cinderblocks (about 8" each) with herbs grown in the holes. Would this be sufficient to protect my coop? How wide of a border would be suggested?

Thank you!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The wire perimeter doesn't need to go vertically into the soil. It works just as well laid on the ground outward from the pen wall. The predator will dig at the edge of the pen and hit the wall, likely giving up.