Has this been invented? Would it work?

[Britt007]

There are so many great tractor type coop designs but all share the risk of predators pushing under or digging under the perimeter of the run section.


If you had spikes (similar to my awful childhood vacation tent memories- ha) that you could stick through the hardware cloth, into the ground -creating a sharp spike deterrent to diggers- could it work? The spikes would be about 10 inches, slammed down with a sledge hammer or regular one.
(stop laughing at my drawing) It could be double spiked or just shoved into the ground with the short end looping the pen. At it's worst, it would hold the coop down a bit- but if you had a one in every square it would be like sunken hardware cloth. It would also let your tractor be mobile.

 

[PolkaDot77]

We use spikes like that to attach the chicken wire to the ground. The wire comes out at a 90 degree angle laying on the ground and is attached about a foot out from the coop so that if a predator digs right at the coop, they are going to dig into the wire. Good thought!

 

[PolkaDot77]

and P.S. I didn't laugh at your drawing!

 

[aart]

..or you could make a hinged apron.....apron is a great digging deterrent, it would need to be hinged where it meets the wall of the run/coop so the tractor could be moved. Easier to flip up and hook aprons rather than removing and replacing dozens of spikes.

 

[Britt007]

Polka Dot,
what kind of spikes and is there a way you can explain the angle a little better. thanks!!!

 

[Britt007]

thanks, Obsessed. I'm gonna look into that design. Looks very effective.

 

[Chemguy]

I used the apron approach, too. It is much easier and provides good security. But, there were a few little gaps that I wanted to cinch up, so I used the hook idea that you mentioned. They're called landscaping staples, though I made some myself from some stiff steel wire.

 

[PolkaDot77]

Polka Dot,
what kind of spikes and is there a way you can explain the angle a little better. thanks!!!

Like ChemGuy said, I use garden staples or jut bend some sturdy wire into the U shape. The wire on my run comes down past the point where the frame meats the ground and out onto the ground at a 90 degree angle from the sides of the run. It extends about 12 inches and then I use the staples to secure it to the ground. The way it works is pretty much demonstrated in aart's post. When the predators dig at the coop, they go right up to it, not realizing they are stepping on the chicken wire that is attached to the run and not going to be able to dig in. I've seen several smaller whole attempts where the predators were not able to get in! Works great. Good luck!

 

[OScarlet]

I use steel tent pegs from walmart to hold the welded wire apron down

1) so animals can't pull it away from the coop while trying to dig
2) so I don't trip over the edge of the wire
3) to connect the ground of our hotwire system to it so any animal standing on the wire apron and touching the hot wire gets a jolt.