Intruder last night

[Padorna23]

Hey guys I had my first predator try to get into my coop last night. I’m assuming it was a raccoon but not exactly sure. I wasn’t able to sink hardware cloth around my run on the outside because of there being way too much rock and stone. Can I put hardware cloth on the floor of the run and staple it to the base of my run? I have 4x4s running around the entire run so I have a base to staple it to. Also if I lay hay down over the hardware cloth will it injure my chickens feet as they are primarily in the run and coop area all day? Also I don’t keep food or anything in the run I just think whatever it was found out I had chickens and wanted to get in.

 

[Geena]

. Can I put hardware cloth on the floor of the run and staple it to the base of my run?

Better not, they'll tear their feet up when they try to scratch. From your pic it looks like you could easily install an apron around the run.

 

[Geena]

Also I would put it down then put about 4 inches of hay through out the run

4 inches is nothing to a chicken, I have some holes they've dug around here that are two feet deep.
Can you put something like these concrete patio stones under the fence?

 

[KarynVA]

I'm sorry you had raccoon trouble. I am no expert, but judging by the way my hens behave in their run, I would not be comfortable having hardware cloth on the ground, even under hay or other litter. My hens dig like crazy in there. They literally make fairly deep holes in several places in the run. (I have backyard dirt/ grass with about 3 inches of pine straw and fall leaves on top in the run.)

I'd be worried they will snag their toenails/ claws/ whatever they are on the wire under their feet.

 

[DouglasB]

He wont get through the hardware cloth stapled to the inside. Cover the entire bottom, turn it up the sides and fasten to your 4x4s. The key here is the fastening, you say staples, i hope you mean fence staples. Another way to fasten is to use screws with washers. Leave no holes. Covering the wire with something will protect their feet even though they might scratch through it at times.

 

[Padorna23]

He wont get through the hardware cloth stapled to the inside. Cover the entire bottom, turn it up the sides and fasten to your 4x4s. The key here is the fastening, you say staples, i hope you mean fence staples. Another way to fasten is to use screws with washers. Leave no holes. Covering the wire with something will protect their feet even though they might scratch through it at times.

When I say staples I mean a ton lol I’m using an air stapler with 3/4 in staples

 

[Padorna23]

Better not, they'll tear their feet up when they try to scratch. From your pic it looks like you could easily install an apron around the run.

My problem is that it came in from the back from the private property so I can’t put an apron on the other side of the fence. If it dug from my side I would just put the apron

 

[deidreg]

I have HC cloth under my coop and run. I placed it so no sharp edges are accessible. I covered with 8" of mulch. So far, so good. They have a rubber tire filled with dirt for dustbathing.

 

[aart]

I didn’t actually see the raccoon I just noticed a small hole coming in.

Was going to ask to see a pic of the hole....but....

Ok guys upon further investigation I don’t think anything got into the run. I think it was one of my girls digging under the 4x4 as there is no other sign on the other side of the fence that something was digging. I will keep an eye out but I’m convinced it wasn’t anything

Yeah, they can dig. I put logs, boards, pavers, bricks around inside of run walls.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/excavation-by-birds-a-word-of-warning.1086535/

 

[Padorna23]

Here is what the coop looks like also