How deep for the hardware cloth - reality check?

[smudge]

I have really sandy soil. REALLY sandy. And lots of tunneling critters roaming about. So, I'm thinking the hardware cloth should be 18" deep. Would that be deep enough? Or could I really get away with something half as deep (like my neighbor claims)?

Thanks!

 

[chfite]

I laid the fencing on the ground 24 inches out from the bottom.

Chris

 

[aart]

Agrees with chfite....An apron will work better than burying the bottom of the run/coop wall.

You can go down and inch, or so if necessary, then out away from the run/coop wall 18-24".
You can stake the mesh right on top of the ground outside run/coop wall and grass will grow right up thru it too.

Here's a good thread on the subject of apron vs buried

 

[cosbackyard]

Agree on the apron. And it's a heck of alot easier to implement, too.
I went an inch or two down and 18" out from the bottom.

 

[smudge]

Agrees with chfite....An apron will work better than burying the bottom of the run/coop wall.

You can go down and inch, or so if necessary, then out away from the run/coop wall 18-24".
You can stake the mesh right on top of the ground outside run/coop wall and grass will grow right up thru it too.

Here's a good thread on the subject of apron vs buried

Good - I read that thread before. (Was half thinking of doing both apron and burying, but that'd take forever!)

I'm also thinking of initially using chicken wire on top (since it's easier for me to obtain) and then upgrading. (Same neighbor is using that plastic netting stuff, but I found it's only good for catching small birds. Certainly wouldn't be raccoon proof if it tried approaching from tree above.)

I've been really worried about the digging animals since several box turtle clutches were just shredded this spring. The saddest was when my 7 year old observed the mother turtle digging to lay her eggs by our front steps... She was still going at it 10:30 at night, but when I got up the next morning there were egg shells scattered and empty. Not a nice thing to have to tell the kid at the breakfast table!

 

[aart]

Good - I read that thread before. (Was half thinking of doing both apron and burying, but that'd take forever!)

I'm also thinking of initially using chicken wire on top (since it's easier for me to obtain) and then upgrading. (Same neighbor is using that plastic netting stuff, but I found it's only good for catching small birds. Certainly wouldn't be raccoon proof if it tried approaching from tree above.)

I've been really worried about the digging animals since several box turtle clutches were just shredded this spring. The saddest was when my 7 year old observed the mother turtle digging to lay her eggs by our front steps... She was still going at it 10:30 at night, but when I got up the next morning there were egg shells scattered and empty. Not a nice thing to have to tell the kid at the breakfast table!

and not necessary