Outsmarting the Predator

[achake01]

Hi, guys. In response to my recent loss, I am building my chicken run into Fort Knox. Still under construction, but take a look. Here's my question (which deals with predator-proofing underneath the door to the run): In general, I skirted the hardware cloth around the run from outside-to-in, and then stacked a dry stone wall on top (for both safety and aesthetics). But underneath the door poses a potential issue. I was thinking of maybe digging a 2 to 3 foot trench underneath the base of the door, and then laying some stone...would that work? (In otherwords, an underground stone wall of about two to three feet)?
See pictures attached, so you can see what I'm talking about.
Advice appreciated
Thanks as always
Anne Marie

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[babyblue]

im afraid if the apron runs down the side of the coop and then in towards the middle instead of out and away it may allow easy digging access to a determined pred. all they will have to do is walk to the coop and dig under your wire. when layed out and away the pred walk to the coop, atempts to dig down, finds wire and is stumped. a stone barrier may prevent digging, but some coons are very large and very stong and can move stone that some humans would have trouble dragging around.

 

[Penturner]

Like babtblue is saying. The idea of a barrier is that they cannot get under it. a predator that tries to dig under your fence will start right up next to it (they are very god at putting in minimum effort) and will want to be able to dig just enough to squeeze into the run. In your case as they dig down there will be nothing to run into that prevents them from just digging further down. once they reach the bottom of your barrier they can just tunnel under it. In other words they got under it. if you went deep enough or ran a barrier far enough into the run. a predator might give up before actually getting past it. Don't count on it though because they don't have a lot of other pressing business to be distracted by.

As for the door. bury a piece of 2X4, 2X6, or 2X8 wood on edge as a threshold across the door. at the bottom of this piece of wood attach a 24" wide piece of hardware cloth that runs away from the run. When an predator tries to dig under the door it will follow the wood down to the hardware cloth. end of tunneling.

 

[achake01]

wow, sounds like i have some re-doing to do. thank you for the advice, all. I'll skirt the hardware cloth away, rather than out-to-in. And I'll take that advice on the door threshold.
How far should the skirt go out from the edge, would you say? Two feet? Three feet?

All best
Anne Marie

 

[achake01]

Oh, and--how deep? Two feet? Three feet?