Ideas to keep diggers out...

[MyRedStarz]

I just finished my coop and am looking for a way to keep predators from digging under the enclosed run. I was thinking about digging a ditch about a foot deep all the way around and filling it with cement. do you think this would work? any ideas welcome. Thanks!

 

[BlossomSilkies]

Our run is completely wrapped with chicken wire, including the floor. We are hoping that will work, however, wish now we would have used hardware cloth rather than chicken wire as I have heard that many predators can cut through the chicken wire. So far so good, nothing has gotten in or tried to get into the run.

Also, our coop is well built and also has a lining of chicken wire, should anything get through the wood. So should something get in at night into the run, it's unlikely they will get into the coop.

 

[7L Farm]

I put this apron around my coop & run. I anchored it down. Its 2 ft wide hardware cloth half inch holes.

 

[luvmychixandducks]

I had a pigeon loft with a brick apron upon which I set my sills, and "something" dug under the footing and ate all baby birds in the loft.

I placed a large rock in the hole thinking it could not possibly be moved "DUMB" and the second night the digger returned, this time it dug around the boulder and got all of the remaining eggs.

The third night I placed two havahart traps baited with chicken wings, outside my loft, and a leghold trap inside my loft, in case the digger returned to sup again.
About 2AM my brother told me there was activity at the loft, and I saw a skunk , foot in the leghold trap, digging in to try to hide.
Well, we had a shootout- I shot him, he shot me, and neither of us missed. Made for interesting conversation in the carpool the next morning.

I find that an apron made from chain link fencing salvaged or acquired on craigslist is a simple deterrrent to diggers, as they do not seem get it, that they have to back off from the coop wall to get by or under the chain link. It eventually sinks into the ground on its own, and can be mowed over easily. Zip ties connecting it to the bottom of your coop work for the open or wire part, and staples work to link the fencing to a wooden pen bottom if that's your arrangement.

 

[colebarnhart]

Quote:
Sorry for your loss, but awesome story, live and learn I guess.