Moles tunneling into my run

[RaesChicks]

My coop and run are situated in between large oak trees with extensive root systems. For this reason we were unable to do an anti dig skirt but surrounded the run with cinder blocks instead. We have had mole tunnels appearing in abundance in the last couple weeks and today I noticed a tunnel right up to the run. My chickens also dug a great big hole inside the run right in front of the tunnel.

I compacted the soil and put new blocks on top. Then covered my run doorway to the coop and took the ladder down just in case. But this is by no means a permanent solution. We have a dirt run to make cleaning easier and I feel like I jinxed it because just yesterday I was saying how we haven’t had any issues. Does anyone have recommendations for alternatives to an antidig apron? Would maybe putting rocks down in the run and covering that with mulch and dirt be durable enough? Or if I tried running hardware cloth on the ground is there a safe depth of dirt or bedding that would keep the hens from hurting themselves if they dig? My run is 10x12x4. We plan to raise it to 8’ in the near future. We are kinda limited on extending the run beyond that though, and with the girls going down to 3 hours a day to free range instead of all day, they are getting restless. I don’t want any accidental injuries or anyone finding a way out, or worse in.

 

[Sally PB]

Moles rarely come above ground. Their food (worms, insects, grubs) are all below ground. If one should surface in your run while the chickens are out... Well, it probably won't be a good thing. For the mole.

 

[puddle_drinker]

Moles aren't a threat to the chickens, moles eat grubs and worms. I have moles living under my coop.

I've had good experiences with using vinyl garden lattice as anti-dig protection from predators and ground hogs for my coop. I just lifted the coop up and slid the lattice under the coop walls and set the coop down on top of it.

For my chicken run I used 3' wide chicken wire on the outside with 1' zip tied vertically to the fence and 2' stapled to the ground extending from the fence. The 1' vertical section was to keep chicks from escaping the yard, the run fence is 1"x2" welded wire fencing. My run is 50'x50' so chicken wire was more economically feasible to address the threat.

To keep chickens from digging out of the yard I place old fence boards at the foot of, and parallel to, the fence. I have a lot of old fence board material laying around. My chickens nearly succeeded in digging big enough holes to slip out of the run before I started doing that.

 

[chicken1234]

If moles can get in then mice etc can too. We couldn't do a skirt either so we lined our run bottom with gravel then 1/2" wire then sand.

 

[RaesChicks]

If moles can get in then mice etc can too. We couldn't do a skirt either so we lined our run bottom with gravel then 1/2" wire then sand.

Thank you, that’s exactly the kind of advice I was hoping for. I have seen sand recommended several times, I think I will follow your lead, I definitely need it to be dig proof.