Predator proofing question....

[NoisyNora]

Hubby and I will (hopefully) start building our coop in 2 weeks. We are debating whether or not we want to lay hardware cloth under the dirt under the coop/run. Is it necessary if I lock my girls up at night? Can I lay hardware cloth down around the outside of the run? There are foxes in our neighborhood, and a few cats, not sure about anything else. Thoughts?

 

[buildingmyark]

Are you talking about burying the hardware cloth along the peremiter of the run? I think that's a good idea, although many people do fine without it. I would say that it's important to cover the run for sure.

Yes, it's a good idea to lock the girls up in the coop at night.

 

[NoisyNora]

I plan to create a "skirt" around the outside of the run, along with putting it on the roof. I have read all these posts about people burying it until 100% of the run, and I am really not liking that idea

 

[Chicken Delight]

I buried hardware cloth and did not have a problem with predators getting in that way. Instead, a dog ate the 1/2 inch plywood side off my coop while my girls were locked up at night. Killed them all.

Whatever you do you can run into the issue whether you did enough.

I regret not preparing better for a big dog. My next coop will be surrounded by 6 foot chain-link fence with hardware cloth around the bottom and a 1 foot concrete barrier into the ground below the chain-link fence. I am also reinforcing the walls of the coop.

My vote is to do as much as you can to protect your chickens because the alternative is terrible. You can't always anticipate all of the different threats to your flock.

 

[buildingmyark]

So very true, Delight.

 

[NoisyNora]

Good point about the dogs......We have a 6 foot privacy fence though, and there aren't really dogs in the area. I am also considering putting hardware cloth down on the ground under the coop and then putting down gravel/sand.....Of course the down side to that is that the girls won't be able to get at the grass and dirt........So many choices *sigh*

 

[elmo]

Quote:
I think a hardware cloth apron flat on the ground around the perimeter of the run is a very secure and much easier option than burying wire either inside or outside the run.

 

[blefky]

Quote:
I think a hardware cloth apron flat on the ground around the perimeter of the run is a very secure and much easier option than burying wire either inside or outside the run.

x 2.

 

[terrilhb]

We buried ours about 5 ft from the coop and ran it into the coop and folded it up. Then we screwed it into the side of the coop.( Because I worry to much) so that if they dig all that way or somehow dig it up they can not pull it out.

 

[sherrydeanne]

If you have a 6' privacy fence and lock the coop at night, a skirt is quite sufficient

Anything getting through that would probably get in your coop no matter what you did.