Hardware cloth

[Sarahdive]

Hi! We built a 6x6 coop that is sitting on top of stone. Plywood floor on pressure treated 2x4s. Ready to install the hardware cloth to keep digging predators out. Planning on attaching to the outside of the coop a foot or two up, but how far should it go down and out away from the coop under ground? Trying to figure out how to dog out around the coop to install?

 

[CalBickieMomma]

I only buried mine straight down about a foot around the run/coop and haven’t had any issues. But I live in a rural area zone industrial and our acre + yard is fenced AND we have dogs, so we don’t get a lot of predators. The worst I’ve seen is where the dogs have dug down about 6 inches trying to get to gophers. If you are in a more rural area with frequent digging predators you might want to do more than what I did. Good luck!

 

[bill3607]

Hi! We built a 6x6 coop that is sitting on top of stone. Plywood floor on pressure treated 2x4s. Ready to install the hardware cloth to keep digging predators out. Planning on attaching to the outside of the coop a foot or two up, but how far should it go down and out away from the coop under ground? Trying to figure out how to dog out around the coop to install?

If it is a plywood floor then how are predators going to dig in? Or, I am misunderstanding.

 

[Sarahdive]

If it is a plywood floor then how are predators going to dig in? Or, I am misunderstanding.

Maybe dig or burrow underneath the coop?

 

[bill3607]

Maybe dig or burrow underneath the coop?

Well if it a closed up plywood floor they still could not get in the coop.

I have a dirt floor in my coop. So, I did dig down 1 to 1 1/2 feet straight down. However, If I had a wood floor I would not worry too much about it. It would offer you even more protection, though. Redundant protection is good since you cannot really have too much.

So, yes, you could dig down a foot or more. Some also lay some wire flat on the ground to deter digging. If you really want to deter it, though, you could put you a strand or 2 of electric fencing wire with 1st strand couple inches from the ground and maybe 1 more strand about 3-5 inches above that one. That will certainly deter digging.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you're placing it on the ground (as opposed to burying it) you'd ideally want to extend it 18-24". Bare minimum 12", if that's all the material you have.

 

[aart]

Show us your coop and run.
Meanwhile....
Good examples of anti-dig apron installation.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wire-around-coop.1110498/#post-17093528
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

 

[Raindawg]

Hi! We built a 6x6 coop that is sitting on top of stone. Plywood floor on pressure treated 2x4s. Ready to install the hardware cloth to keep digging predators out. Planning on attaching to the outside of the coop a foot or two up, but how far should it go down and out away from the coop under ground? Trying to figure out how to dog out around the coop to install?

Another option is to attach the hardware cloth to the underside of the plywood floor. That will keep the rodents from chewing through the plywood floor.