Help with first coop

[BOOMchickengirl]

We are turning an old car port into our run and coop. On three sides it is surrounded by asphalt. We covered the floor of the back half with concrete. I intend to fill the trench between the asphalt and the wood frame with concrete. Should I fill the trench (created to make room nail the hardware cloth to the frame), or just fill it with dirt? I'd really prefer to only fill the outer trench due to expense and effort. We need to obviously put a front and door on. The coop itself will be on stilts on the cement and reinforced with latches and more hardware cloth. My main concern is that directly behind the hill is a steep(ish) hill that leads to a creek. I worry rats will dig under the cement (4+ feet) to the dirt floor of the coop. I'll be keeping food in a metal lock box at night. Thoughts?

 

[arwoon]

I think doing dirt will be fine, you can bury chicken wire, wood... Anything underground to keep the digging pests out. I will get pic tomorrow for you.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

What are the walls made of that surround the run? In the pictures, they look like screen.

 

[BOOMchickengirl]

What are the walls made of that surround the run? In the pictures, they look like screen.

All hardware cloth. Trying to be as secure as possible.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Hardware cloth is good!

 

[CoopsNPoops]

Tightly packed soil should do just fine. However, i would pack the inner and outter trenches both. Chickens tend to dig and scratch and if theres already a trench, they will make it worse (wider and deeper). As will water and other erosion.

 

[3KillerBs]

A carport is a great conversion because of the excellent ventilation. Do you have more photos from further back to show the whole structure?

Also, where are you located (in general)? Climate matters a lot.

IMO, the less concrete the better -- it's hard on the birds' feet so you'll have to use a thick layer of bedding on top of it. You can use an anti-dig apron on the exterior so that the chickens can have access to dirt inside for dustbathing.

 

[BOOMchickengirl]

A carport is a great conversion because of the excellent ventilation. Do you have more photos from further back to show the whole structure?

Also, where are you located (in general)? Climate matters a lot.

IMO, the less concrete the better -- it's hard on the birds' feet so you'll have to use a thick layer of bedding on top of it. You can use an anti-dig apron on the exterior so that the chickens can have access to dirt inside for dustbathing.

I'm in the pacific northwest. Lots of rain and damp.

Tightly packed soil should do just fine. However, i would pack the inner and outter trenches both. Chickens tend to dig and scratch and if theres already a trench, they will make it worse (wider and deeper). As will water and other erosion.

Even if I didn't extend the hardware cloth around the base of the run? I'm pretty sure rats could easily dig under if I don't fill the outer trench with cement to meet up with the asphalt.

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm in the pacific northwest. Lots of rain and damp.

A carport should be great for you then -- keeping your run dry.

Even if I didn't extend the hardware cloth around the base of the run? I'm pretty sure rats could easily dig under if I don't fill the outer trench with cement to meet up with the asphalt.

I'm not sure what trench you're referring to from the existing photos, but the thing with deterring digging predators is that they will back up to the edge of a solid obstacle, like a pad of concrete, and go under it.

But if you use a wire apron they try to dig at the base of the wall they can see, hit the wire, can't dig through it, and eventually give up.

 

[CoopsNPoops]

I'm in the pacific northwest. Lots of rain and damp.

Even if I didn't extend the hardware cloth around the base of the run? I'm pretty sure rats could easily dig under if I don't fill the outer trench with cement to meet up with the asphalt.

I just assumed you were extending the hardware cloth already. Thats necessary regardless of how you fill in the trenches. Aside from that, concrete or cement isn't necessary and dirt will do. Just extend the wire skirting about a foot out. Its likely predators will start their dig at the edge of the frame of the actual coop/run. If you have solid concrete, they will dig or bury at the edge of that. So whatever you choose, just extend your underground hardware cloth beyond that.