Predator or chickens digging on outside of run?

[Farmer Kitty]

I was just outside doing chores and noticed digging on the outside of the chicken run. I imiadately assumed predator but, when I took a closer look the dirt is thrown into the chicken run and I find no tracks-and we had rain yesterday evening. The digging is since the rain. Wouldn't a predator throw the dirt away from the run as it would be looking toward the run and therefore the dirt would fly the other way? But I would also think it would be hard for the chickens to dig this through the fence. Any ideas?

 

[poopcoop]

Not all predators dig like you think a dog would. Some will dig side ways and only dumb ones dig in the opposite direction. I would get an electric frence for the outside. It has saved me numerous times. You can get a solar powered from Harbour Freight for $50 and it works great. Ask my lab!!!!LOL

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I do have fencing buried underground and had hoped that I could avoid the electric fence.

The two DD's like to feed grass along the fence for the chickens. They do know what an electric fence is though-we have three running already for the cattle.

 

[eggsgalore]

Can you keep bob cats out with electric wire? How many wires and how high?
How about raccoons? I am in Oregon, trying to keep my flock safe in a forested area, sigh........

 

[poopcoop]

Quote:
I have two different heights. One at 4 inches and the other at 18 inches. " I think it would keep anything out" I took hold of itand I now have spiked hair. LOL. I only keep mine on at night. I have an invisible fence for my dog that runs around 2 acres of my property that my dog patrols during the day.

 

[arlee453]

My chickens stick their heads out through the chain link and are pretty good about keeping the dirt clear and looking dug up on both sides of the fence.

May have been the chickens... having the wire buried will at least slow down any big digging predators and give you more evidence as to what you may or may not have digging around the coop.

 

[Bi0sC0mp]

i have to rake my pen at least once a day cause my chickens dig big holes they love playing in the dirt

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Oh the dig alright! I've never had them dig through the fence before though.

Why do you use the electric fence? Is it to keep predators from climbing over the fence? If so that has already been taken care of with a roof!

The gap in the corner has been taken care of with hardware wire since this photo.

 

[jaku]

Landscaping bricks (about 1 inch thick,) work well around the edges. On my meat bird tractor, I have several 1x6's with spike nails driven into the ground all around it.

 

[panner123]

To keep my chickens in, I use plain old chicken wire. To keep the predators out, I use electrifed barbed wire. I live right on the edge of a national forest, with more than enough predators to go around.
Were it not for them, I wouldn't have any fence. When a bear sticks it's nose on the hot wire we all know it is around. The funny part is I have watched a mountian lion nose the fence, shake it's head and go back at the fence again. A skunk is the worst of all. It will get zapped and spray everything in the area and go back at the fence and spray again. We watched one do this until it couldn't spray any more.