Hardware cloth apron for digging protection?

[Erin K]

Do I do it like a 7 or like an L. I thought a 7, but DH wants it to be like an L so that the wire doesn't work its way out of the ground and mess up his mower or get stepped on by kid feet resulting in a cut. These concerns make sense but, besides being a ton more work would the L thing protect my chickens as much?

I have to balance what is best for my chickens with what my husband wants because I promised him they wouldn't be too much bother.

Right now I have it about 10 inches deep and then about 4 inches out away from the coop, a few inches down from the surface.

I offered to do the cute thing where you make a coop border with rocks/bricks or whatever, but he hated that plan. Not sure why.

 

[Alethea]

We made an L, staked it down, then covered it with gravel. The gravel wasn't meant to be cute. We figured no one would want to dig in it and, if they did, they'd hit wire.

 

[bertman]

Mine is screwed to the 2x4 that runs along the ground them bent at a 90° angle on the surface and extended out 20 inches. It's covered with rocks and leaves, etc.

Your approach going down ten inches seems like it would be a good one even if it extends out only four inches, but I don't know the digging habits of some of the critters who enjoy chicken meat and are willing to dig for it. Maybe someone else can help with that.

If your husband is a patient man you might try running it farther out along the surface, then putting a bit of soil and grass seed on it and letting it grow to be a cover over the wire. Several other BYC'ers have used that method successfully.

Good luck.

 

[jamband]

from what i know animals want to dig at the barrier ie wall, door, etc. but if there is wire there to deter them they are not smart enough to back up and dig where the wire ends......so wire on the ground will work fine.....also wire in the ground rusts and breaks but you wont know.

 

[BellevueOmlet]

What is a 7 and an L?

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

What is a 7 and an L?

The shape of the wire

It doesn't matter how you do it as long as it ends up flat on the ground.

Cover it with an inch of dirt, and it will never be hit with the mower because grass will soon anchor it down​

 

[fisharescary]

can the apron be effective if it is flat on the ground along the perimeter on the inside instead of outside? I can save myself the cost and effort of half a run by using a preexisting 6' solid wood fence along the edge of my yard, but that means no room for an apron on the outside of the wood fence without infringing on other people's property.

 

[ChickInDelight]

Quote:
x2 - I am lost here even after a couple of explanations, and I am about to lay wire around my duckhouse. I thought I would lay a 2 foot wide curtain of chicken wire, snug up against the walls and flat on the ground. Then, I planned to put gravel over the wire against the walls and dirt over the rest.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[ll]

an L

some just go flat and cover with mulch

good luck!

 

[ChickInDelight]

So the long Leg of the L is up against the wall, and the short leg is on the ground?