Minimum width for skirt?

[Kevinp]

I would like to know the minimum width that would work for a hardware cloth skirt to put around a chicken tractor. Most recommend 2 feet but I have some leftover hardware cloth that’s a little over a foot wide and I’m trying to keep the cost down as well as keeping it portable since it’s for a tractor. I would like to know if anyone has had any experience with predictors getting in with only a 1 foot wide apron? I live in Georgia where we have coons, possums, foxes and coyotes.

 

[Brooks_]

I would expect 12-18" to suffice. Cover it with some top soil so the predator thinks it's digging at the boundary.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I made mine 18" wide because that's the wire I had. The few times I've had something try to dig in it has always been right at the fence so I think 12" would have been enough.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I've seen a rat dig a tunnel 10" in, so I'd say absolute bare minimum should be 12". 16-18" would be better, 24" would be ideal.

 

[Kevinp]

Thank you all for your advice. Since it’s for a chicken tractor I won’t be able to cover it with topsoil. I’m going to make some skirts that are a little over a foot wide as I already have leftover hardware cloth that width. I’ll post if anything happens. Again, thank you!