Hardware cloth on the ground vs. burying

[cheapcheepcheep]

Hi,
Living in New England, the ground is a mess of roots and giant rocks. (We had to change where the coop was going to go because we hit a huge rock just digging a spot to sink a cinder block for the foundation of the run.) I know the option besides burying the hardware cloth is to extend it out a foot or two on the ground. I have a couple of questions about this, and I'm having trouble searching for answers.

1. How do you deal with the corners of the run/seams? I'm having a mental block on how this actually works. Do you leave a foot or two at the bottom of the H.C. for the sides and lay it out, or do you use separate pieces for the ground? I'm having a hard time picturing how the corners work folded out, given the flexibility of hardware cloth.

2. Can you use something other than hardware cloth on the ground? Our Agway has a bunch of different roll fencing, and there may be a cheaper option, if it's safe. I was going to cover it all with gravel once it was down.

Thanks!

 

[gardendufus]

I buried my HC about an inch down.........well actually, I laid it out on top of the ground and then covered it. To go around corners (I had 4' hardware cloth going up the sides of my fence 2', then bent so 2' laid on the ground) I just cut the part on the ground at the corner post up to the bend. This leaves a little triangle at the fencepost without hardware cloth, but anything trying to dig in would be blocked by the fencepost. I hope this is clearer than mud.

I have a friend who just laid scrap pieces of chain link fencing beside the outer edge of his run fence. Over time, the vegetation (grass) will grow through it and secure it in place. This would also happen with HC. I've read on this forum of people using many kinds of wire including utility fencing instead of HC. Just DON'T use chicken wire, it is much too flimsy.

Like I said I used a single piece, but separate pieces would work well.

 

[bigT88]

i used hardware cloth on the outside run of my coop. Overlapped the corner and tied with zip-ties and then burried the cloth with bout 4 or 5 inches of top soil.

 

[Bulldogma]

You can use pretty much any kind of welded wire for the "apron" to prevent diggers from digging into your coop - just be sure the spaces between the wire are small enough to prevent possum, racoons, weasels and the like from getting through it.

You can also use metal tent pegs anywhere there aren't rocks in the ground to hold the apron down.

If you're really worried about the corners or have some VERY tenacious pests, just cut two, 2' lengths and overlap the corners. use twist ties to hold them together, and then twist tie or wire these "corner patches" to the rest of the apron. (Hope that makes sense.)

 

[cheapcheepcheep]

I was just thinking bout tent pegs! Glad to know I wasn't too far out there.

This is all good stuff. I think I may be over thinking it, but we do have a lot of critters around, so I want to make sure they are kept out.

 

[gladahmae]

You can also use wire clothes hangers (un-twisted and the bent to form a U shape) to hold down your hardware cloth......just like landscape staples, but long enough to actually DO something, and if you have the hangers, FREE!

 

[cheapcheepcheep]

Boy do I ever have a lot of wire hangers. This is a great idea, thanks!

 

[lesley7244]

Thanks for the ideas on this thread! I've just about finished sewing the pen together with hardware cloth. I too had to lay the cloth on the ground due to tree roots. Love the tent stake/wire hanger ideas! I was just wondering what to do about holding the cloth down. I don't have enough stone.

 

[cheapcheepcheep]

I'm not done with my coop yet, but I tested out the coat hanger idea to hold down the corners of the hardware cloth while we're getting it attached, and it's great. Such a good idea.

 

[Bulldogma]

Super idea, and glad it's all coming together! Perhaps I'll try the wire hanger idea myself