New coop and run.

[Jahenbo]

My wife and I are just getting into chickens. I built the coop yesterday and started building about a 12'x19' enclosed run. I want to bury hardware cloth in the ground around the run to keep critters out. How do is sufficient? If rather not have to rent a trencher if I can keep from it, but I don't want to do a bunch of hand digging either!

 

[DobieLover]

How did you construct the run?
I framed out with pressure treated lumber and just attached a hardware cloth skirt to the bottom member, spread it out on top of the ground and pinned the outer edge with HD landscape pins. No digging required.

 

[Jahenbo]

How did you construct the run?
I framed out with pressure treated lumber and just attached a hardware cloth skirt to the bottom member, spread it out on top of the ground and pinned the outer edge with HD landscape pins. No digging required.

How far out?

 

[Dakota8472]

How far out?

I think what She (Sorry dobbie lover ) means is it covers entirely underneath... instead of exterior perimeter. hes tacking it to the foundation boards. so form the base of the run lay down the HW cloth then move frame on top and attaching it. Or i am crazy? thats my plan on my new coop.

 

[DobieLover]

How far out?

18-24"

 

[DobieLover]

I think what he means is it covers entirely underneath... instead of exterior perimeter. hes tacking it to the foundation boards. so form the base of the run lay down the HW cloth then move frame on top and attaching it. Or i am crazy? thats my plan on my new coop.

She.
No, that's not what I mean. I would never recommend that. The birds need to be able to dig and if you line the floor of the run with HC they will injure their feet.
This is what I mean:

This in on the run. I covered the ends with flat stone and infilled with river rock. I wouldn't do that again if I were to build from scratch. I'd just let the grass grow through.

Where those two pieces don't quite meet at the corner, I've since stuffed stainless steel wool into to keep mice from getting in.

 

[Dakota8472]

She.
No, that's not what I mean. I would never recommend that. The birds need to be able to dig and if you line the floor of the run with HC they will injure their feet.
This is what I mean:
View attachment 3068986

This in on the run. I covered the ends with flat stone and infilled with river rock. I wouldn't do that again if I were to build from scratch. I'd just let the grass grow through.
View attachment 3068985

quick question, do u think an underneath one would work if i planned tyo do 4 inches of some sort of material inside the yard? I like those rocks. almost makes me wanna do that and turn the outside skirt into an harb garden. lol.

 

[DobieLover]

quick question, do u think an underneath one would work if i planned tyo do 4 inches of some sort of material inside the yard? I like those rocks. almost makes me wanna do that and turn the outside skirt into an harb garden. lol.

Nope. Chickens DIG. Deep. And it would take a lot more material to cover the square footage of the run vs. just installing an apron.

 

[Dakota8472]

Nope. Chickens DIG. Deep. And it would take a lot more material to cover the square footage of the run vs. just installing an apron.

Noted. chickens really are little earth movers eh? my coop and run might be directly on a hill side... but i think ill take ur experience and figure out how to apply it to the location im looking at. Thank you Ms. dobie lover!!!!! Better to learn from you than injured chickens!!!!

Kota

 

[MACCanadianCoop]

I covered the ends with flat stone and infilled with river rock. I wouldn't do that again if I were to build from scratch. I'd just let the grass grow through

You wouldn't fill with river rock? Or you would fill with river rock nor cover ends with stone? *newbie still trying to figure out how to build my run*