I'm fairly useless at digging a hole.

[NatJ]

Ditto Dat!

Just read another thread about how they can go feet deep too.

Although I notice OP has decided they have gopher-resistant soil in that area, so an apron (to deter predators) may be enough to keep their chickens safe.

I'm pretty sure the gophers are not really a "predator" of chickens, but since they would be happy to eat chicken food, there is still some reason to keep them out-- native soil doing the job does save a lot of work!

 

[Shmemums]

Although I notice OP has decided they have gopher-resistant soil in that area, so an apron (to deter predators) may be enough to keep their chicken safe.

I'm pretty sure the gophers are not really a "predator" of chickens, but since they would be happy to eat chicken food, there is still some reason to keep them out-- native soil doing the job does save a lot of work!

To be honest my husband and I are elated we don't have to dig so much. We're going to cap the sprinkler over there and keep that ground nice and dry and hard as a brick to keep those gophers from thinking anything great is over there.

 

[Chicken Heel]

Regarding manual digging of any type, I highly suggest the use of a break bar or San Angelo bar. My 16 lb one does a nice job of breaking up the hard clay soil here along the Central VA/NC border allowing for much easier shoveling and post haul digging.

 

[Krugerrand]

Although I notice OP has decided they have gopher-resistant soil in that area, so an apron (to deter predators) may be enough to keep their chicken safe.

I'm pretty sure the gophers are not really a "predator" of chickens, but since they would be happy to eat chicken food, there is still some reason to keep them out-- native soil doing the job does save a lot of work!

I believe the bigger concern would be weasel-like predators using the tunnels to get to the chickens.

 

[rjmyooper]

Tell the neighbor kids you pay $1 a piece for dead gophers then fill that gopher hole with concrete embedded with gopher bones and you won't see any for years.

 

[perkolator]

I believe the bigger concern would be weasel-like predators using the tunnels to get to the chickens.

Weasels, ferrets, rats, snakes, etc....

We had this issue with the gopher/mole holes and it was rats coming in every night to eat any feed on the ground, which brought more rattlesnakes. The first year we moved in I tried filling in the holes with dirt, rocks, bricks, pavers, balls of hardware cloth, sheets of hardware cloth over the top, etc and they kept re-digging them. Wanted a new coop anyway and so I overbuilt the new one to take care of these things and no more issues in that department.

 

[Krugerrand]

Weasels, ferrets, rats, snakes, etc....

We had this issue with the gopher/mole holes and it was rats coming in every night to eat any feed on the ground, which brought more rattlesnakes. The first year we moved in I tried filling in the holes with dirt, rocks, bricks, pavers, balls of hardware cloth, sheets of hardware cloth over the top, etc and they kept re-digging them. Wanted a new coop anyway and so I overbuilt the new one to take care of these things and no more issues in that department.

What did you do for the flooring for the new coop?

 

[Dakota8472]

@DobieLover is legit about aprons. So i incorporated onen as opposed to a subterranean one. its not the best one yet, but im working on it lol. Lets hope i keep counting 8 chickens, or ill be wondering why i think im qualified to care for animals lol.

 

[perkolator]

What did you do for the flooring for the new coop?

I excavated and put hardware cloth down, then put the dirt back + a lot of wood chips over the top. I also have a skirt. Now my issue is the extended run I added to the coop - no overhead protection = many losses to predators throughout the last year