Has anyone lost any chickens using wire skirting/aprons around run?

[chickgma]

I am brand new to raising chickens & they arrive mid-June. How do you attach the hardware cloth apron to the side of the run and how do you secure it to the ground? Also, I've heard about the deep litter method. What is it and what's the advantage to it?

 

[ll]

I have a 2ft apron of hardware cloth around our entire Hen House -and- the run.
The rear side has boulders on the top of it and cement blocks.
The front has a brick path that is 2 layers of bricks thick.
We still ended up putting hardware cloth in the run, and it's now entirely secure- especially from burrowing things. I sleep well; they are safe and nothing is stealing their food either. Do it if you can!
I have photos on my page of the process, if you would like to see the link is below.
Good luck with yours!

To answer chickgma: We attached with screws and 1-1/2" fender washes to the foundation of it all.

 

[chickgma]

Thank you so much for all of your help. I have really studied your pictures (of the shed to coop) and it has given me alot of great ideas. By the way your finished product looks great! I think I will do just as you have cause I sure don't want to lose any hens.

 

[Jaxon4141]

I am brand new to raising chickens & they arrive mid-June. How do you attach the hardware cloth apron to the side of the run and how do you secure it to the ground? Also, I've heard about the deep litter method. What is it and what's the advantage to it?

To attach an apron/skirt to the fence run can be done with wire, hog rings or zip ties. Anything to attach it securely to the run fence. For the outside edge you can use U shaped pieces of wire to pin it down or weight it down with rocks, pavers or anything that will keep it down until vegetation grows up through it. Once vegetation grows up through the fencing it will disappear without having to bury it. As far as putting fencing under chickens I do not feel that is the best thing for chickens. Chickens like to dig and fencing that is thin can cause problems to there feet. If you do a good job of securing the outside of the run there is little reason to put fencing under them.

 

[chickgma]

Thank you for your help! Can't wait to get the shed and start redoing it.!

 

[foglong]

https://digdefence.com Along with an apron method should be rock solid defense from diggers...

 

[daxigait]

We'll be constructing a new run soon with 1/2 in. hardware cloth, enclosing the whole thing with it. My thoughts  were to cover  the run floor with it also, which would then have several inches of dirt and sand over it.. Like all of us, I want the run super secure, especially since we live surrounded by woods with every type of critter (no bears or mt. lions) to worry about. Those of you who have experience with skirting (aproning) the wire down and out, has a predator ever been able to get in? If so, using those methods, how could it have been avoided? What would you have done differently?
Alternately, does digging straight down 12" or so work just as well? I have one area where an apron won't work due to space restrictions.
Thanks in advance

I love my skirting and I have not lost any birds yet. I would go at least 18 inches if you are going down hello. Going down works well too I used it along the edge with the barn. Skirting is just much easier especially in parts of the country like mine were you have a dusting of soil and then it's beat your way through rock. My skirting goes out to feet from The Coop and then I covered it with dirt and let's grass go up through it and in one section I also covered it with gravel.

 

[daxigait]

I used a few poultry staples and then screwed boards to my run and coop structure with the run cloth in between for easy of insulation and eventual replacement.

 

[jeria]

I have lots of coons in my area next to the woods as well as other small critters, foxes, and neighborhood dogs (including my 2 who are diggers). Planning stages for me only. I have most of a roll of "rabbit" fencing not as strong as welded wire 3 foot tall. Would that work for skirting? FYI my dogs can bend and jump over it so am not using it in my gardens as planned.

 

[lvie]

I have lots of coons in my area next to the woods as well as other small critters, foxes, and neighborhood dogs (including my 2 who are diggers). Planning stages for me only. I have most of a roll of "rabbit" fencing not as strong as welded wire 3 foot tall. Would that work for skirting? FYI my dogs can bend and jump over it so am not using it in my gardens as planned.

Hi Jeria - have you laid a foundation about 12 inches into the ground? I did dig 12 inches down, laid hardware cloth, put cement block around the edge with the hardware cloth wrapping up the out side of the cement block and then bent out about 12 to 18 inches and buried a couple inches deep. That seems to have worked wonderful. The covered run is wired with hardware cloth stapled to the 2 x 4's . BUT! squirrels will naw on the wood and chew through the wire. I don't know if this is what you were asking about. Coons are smart and the locks on the gates must be two to three steps to open at least.