Predator Proofing Alternative - comments appreciated

[nincomcoop]

Has anyone tried this method for predator proofing the perimeter of your coop and do you think 6" is deep enough? This method appeals to me greatly over renting a 300lb trencher!

http://www.eartheasy.com/store/proddetail.php?prod=CBFS

 

[suzettex5]

Hmmm, I built my coop, then just laid some wire stuff that had only small holes/spacing under the entire bottom of the coop. I oversized the wire mesh so it would stick out all around the bottom of the coop and just bent it up around the outer edges. A predator would have to lift the entire coop off the ground, after unbending the wire from the edges, and the coop is HEAVY. The wire keeps anything from digging under the coop and getting in to my hens. I use deep liter method and the size of the holes in the wire floor dont get caught up in a rake when I clean it out 1 or 2 times a year. When I really want to, I have my hubby and a friend help me just pick up the coop and we can easily do a total cleaning of the wire if needed, but the deep liter method has since disposed of the need to do such a deep cleaning. Just how we did it here on our little piece of heaven...it works for us!

 

[CityChook]

Very clever.

My first impression is that it would work. I can't see how this would be any different from burying wire -- only much easier and with a nice finish. How do you plan on attaching the redwood to the base of your run?

I think I'd go for it.

And welcome to the BYC!

 

[Tala]

Well I laid my fence down flat on the ground, instead of burying it. Much easier than digging!

 

[patandchickens]

6" is not NEARLY deep enough. 18" is the minimum to have "some reasonable degree" of digproofing -- in some circumstances you may need deeper.

In very solid clayey soils, the general concept of driving strong metal rods in every 4" or so (no further apart than that), held by holes in some sort of solid spacer along the soil surface, is probably reasonably useful. HOWEVER in sandier soils I would not by any means count on it to work, as a predator could pry the bars apart as it digs down. If you were going to do this, you would probably want a cheap source of rebar, and (as per above) much longer pieces.

Honestly, unless you are in the unique perfect situation to do it, it makes far more sense to do a 2-4' wide APRON of strong wire mesh fencing laid on (or just under) the ground. No digging, hardly any work, and excellent protection against anything but rats (which, frankly, not much WILL protect against).

JMHO, goo dluck, have fun,

Pat

 

[CityChook]

Quote:
Laurieg, I owe you an apology. I need to read more thoroughly. I thought it said that the spikes were 16 inches long (as in deep) -- not 6 inches. I needed to read the entire description. Now that I have, I have to agree with Pat, 6 inches is not deep enough. I've had just one critter dig into my run -- and my hardware wire is 12 inches down. It went all the way under the wire and back up on the run side. I never saw it, just the hole.

Unless you can get into the ground 12-18 inches at a minimum, I would pass. Sorry about that -

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Take the trencher back. Lay a skirt/apron 18-24 inches wide all the way around. I've never had a problem with anything digging under. I also covered it with mulch and then planted wysteria, jasmine, and daylilies on top of it

 

[underground chickenman]

Too expensive and, in my opinion, won't work any better than a 1.5 to 2' apron of welded wire around the perimeter of the run. You don't have to go deep if you go wide. Dig up a layer of sod, put the wire down and lay the sod back on top. The grass will root down through the wire and hold it in place. Predators dig next to the fence and will hit the wire and stop, but they aren't smart enough to start digging 2 feet away from the fence.

UGCM

 

[dumb_cluck]

I don't know about you, but did you ever try pounding a stake into the ground WITHOUT hitting a rock or rocks?

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

Here is my 2 cents worth.......if you want to spend money on that go get yourself some hardware cloth dig down about 3 feet put said HC into the dug ground now fill hole back in there you go....no worries now....

The spikes do not go down deep enough and you don't think that if something would run into that they wouldn't just go deeper?
If your answer is no come tell my dogs that they dig way deeper holes then them spikes go and that is just to laydown in and get cool in the summer time now imagin if they were after chickens how deep would they go...
Not being mean or rude I just don't want to see anyone wasting money and not having protection for their girls.