Looking for thoughts and experiences re: hardware cloth

[AinaWGSD]

We're starting to finalize our run plans. We will be using hardware cloth for thr run fencing. Initially I thought I had read that 1/4" was best but a little more digging and I see that 1/2" is actually preferred for predator proofing.

Anyway, we're trying to work out the apron. Husband is thinking a 6" apron of hardware cloth, possibly held in place with concrete. I think that's not going to be wide enough but I haven't really seen ant recommendations on width for horizontal anti dig aprons.

Also, what's the recommended depth for a vertical aprons? Obviously horizontal is going to be easier to install, but one side of the run abuts the garden and having a horizontal apron on that side is going to cut into gardening area.

I would consider a vertical apron all the way around, but we do have underground wire running underneath one side of the run. Any thoughts on whether a vertical or horizontal apron is more effective?

 

[DobieLover]

6" apron of hardware cloth

No.

possibly held in place with concrete

No.

I think that's not going to be wide enough

Yes.

one side of the run abuts the garden and having a horizontal apron on that side is going to cut into gardening area.

Can you post pictures? Are they raised beds or what? You can always have a 2' walking space between the back of the run and the garden site even if you don't have raised beds.

The standard recommendation is for a 1.5-2' apron, well secured to the coop/run base and pinned on the opposite side with HD landscape staples, not cheap flimsy ones. Then let the grass grow through it and you'll never see it.

I think the horizontal apron is more effective for longevity and digging critter behavior.

A buried apron is going to rot much faster.
Digging critters are going to dig right up next to the edge of the solid structure. They will hit the cloth and back up a little and try again. They will likely give up at this point.

 

[Sefirothe]

Since our coop is a shed raised up on skids and further raised up on pavers to help level and spread the sheds weight, we didn’t have room to put a horizontal apron between where the run butts to the shed.

So we did a 1.5 ft buried vertical apron there and stapled to the bottom of the shed. The other three sides of the run have a 2 ft apron on top of the ground. You can’t see it because it’s under mulch, but the skunks and raccoons have found it!

 

[rosemarythyme]

18-24" horizontal is the usual recommendation. Easier to install and maintain than vertical. You can top it with smaller loose substrate like sand, mulch, etc. or simply let grass grow through it to anchor it and hide it, but no large pavers, stones, etc.

Vertical I've seen numbers all over the place. Some folks say 12" will do.

 

[AinaWGSD]

I suppose we could leave a space between the fence and the garden. We usually grow cucumbers along that fence, but we probably don't want to do that with chickens on the other side.

This is the area as it is now.

a rough sketch of the area (so not to scale)

Rough sketch of the current plan. Not pictured, we plan on placing support poles and covering the garden with netting to allow for extra space during the off season. Having the gate to the run inside the garden is a bonus in my mind because it creates a double barrier for my dogs (whom I love dearly but absolutely do not trust with chickens). The compost stays where it is because of the required setback for coops, and also because it will help keep the dogs out. The run will be roofed with corrugated panels (probably polycarbonate)

 

[cheldi]

We're planning ours right now, too - have help coming to dig holes for the fence posts tomorrow! We are doing 1/2" hardware 6ft tall, and a 2ft apron. Husband is going to attempt to dig up just maybe 2-4" deep path around the fence to lay the 24" hardware cloth underground (imagine like flipping over a row of sod). This is because we're worried about our zero turn mower blades catching the hardware cloth once there's inevitable erosion. But we're also in the woods with lots of roots and rocks (meaning - we can't grow grass). So if he can't get that path cleared, we'll go the route of laying it on top and using heavy labdscape ties to secure it down and then dump some chopped leaves or mulch over it.

 

[K0k0shka]

I agree that 6" for the horizontal apron is wildly insufficient. I'd say at least 2 feet. Some of the bigger things especially, like foxes and coyotes, will step quite a ways back to dig further out when their first attempt close to the fence hits the HC. I only have horizontal aprons and I think that's enough. Over the years I have seen digging attempts, but nothing has made it in yet. No pavers or large objects on the apron, but do hide it with loose material, even if it's just dirt, so the diggers can't see where it ends, but there's nothing in the way (like pavers) preventing them from digging. You want them to try to dig and hit the wire. If you're not going to have a walkway between the run and the garden, then a vertical apron along that border would be more practical. Although there's another way around that as well - if you put a horizontal apron around your garden as well. Then you won't need to dig down for a vertical apron along the chicken run. It's more work and material, but it has two big benefits - one, you won't have to dig down for a vertical apron, and two, your garden will also be protected from digging critters going in and eating your plantings!

 

[Krugerrand]

My horizontal apron is 1.5-2' of 1/2 hardware cloth. For my isolation tractor, I just use 2"x 3" welded wire fencing. That's easily strong enough to stop the larger animals from digging - fox, raccoon, coyote, dog. But, if you want to stop rats and the smaller predators you will want the 1/2 hardware cloth.

I like having concrete pavers around the edge of the run for ease of maintenance and walking. So where I have pavers, I start the apron beyond that.

 

[AinaWGSD]

Although there's another way around that as well - if you put a horizontal apron around your garden as well. Then you won't need to dig down for a vertical apron along the chicken run. It's more work and material, but it has two big benefits - one, you won't have to dig down for a vertical apron, and two, your garden will also be protected from digging critters going in and eating your plantings!

Hmm, I'll keep that in mind for later maybe. It's not in the budget this year. Also I'll have to double check the setback on the fence, it doesn't go right up to the property line but I don't remember how far off the line it actually is. Plus we would definitely have to talk to the neighbors because I think they think the fence line is the property line, so they might get upset if we put an apron along the fence without talking to them first.

 

[perkolator]

I would do the 1/2" HC horizontal apron, but not go up the walls 6ft with it; you only need ~2ft height on the walls of HC to protect from predators like a raccoon reaching through and grabbing a chicken.

Personally I'd make the 6ft fence out of something more rigid, such as that 2x4 welded wire fencing around your garden, then go up 24" with the HC -- if you buy a 36-48" roll you can cut manageable lengths (about 8-12ft) and use 2x4s as a simple "bending brake" to form an "L" shaped bend with 1.5-2ft on each side; when installed you've got both your anti-reach and anti-dig protection, just level the ground a bit, attach it to your fence and anchor it to the ground. Doesn't look like you need much fencing to do that small area, but the bigger the roll the cheaper it is per foot.

On the garden side, I'd still go horizontal apron to avoid having to dig. I'd suggest you just cut a hole in the HC or leave a gap on the ground, wherever you want to plant. Just always keep something planted there so nothing wants to dig there, or cover over it with a piece of fencing or a paver stone when not in use.

Good luck!