Predator Proofing

[Cindy in PA]

Wire buried an inch underground and extending two feet outward from the pen.

*edited by Staff

 

[wamtazlady]

The "skirt" is laid flat on the ground around the coop. You can bury the skirt or just leave it on top of the ground, your choice. It's best if it is also attached to the coop where it meets the coop so that it can't be easily pulled away.

 

[Triple P Coop]

YIKES!! I too bought a pre made coop. Very cheap manufacturing. I will be running chicken wire over the existing and adding a skirt as well. We have opossum, raccoons, foxes, and the neighbors cats. My chicken coop is called the "Triple P" because my girls are precious, pardoned, poultry. If I am not going to eat them neither are the wildlife!

 

[sammymocha]

Hmm, I am trying to visualize this. Say you have a perimeter fence you don't want anyone digging under. Do you unroll a roll of hardware cloth out flat on the ground, around at the base of the fence? Then bend a 3" edge down into the earth at bottom of fence? So it is horizontal except for the vertical 3" sunk into the ground?

That would be much easier than digging down 3'.

I was also considering getting a 1' roll of galvanized roof flashing and tapping it down vertically into the ground around the perimeter. It would probably only work in softer dirt. But your idea sounds easier!

Thanks!
Anne

 

[paneubert]

Hmm, I am trying to visualize this. Say you have a perimeter fence you don't want anyone digging under. Do you unroll a roll of hardware cloth out flat on the ground, around at the base of the fence? Then bend a 3" edge down into the earth at bottom of fence? So it is horizontal except for the vertical 3" sunk into the ground?

That would be much easier than digging down 3'.

I was also considering getting a 1' roll of galvanized roof flashing and tapping it down vertically into the ground around the perimeter. It would probably only work in softer dirt. But your idea sounds easier!

Thanks!
Anne

Here is a photo of how I did mine on the "surface" of the ground. I added gravel on top and used bricks on the edge to keep it laying down on the ground. Zero digging.

 

[NBwriter]

We are getting ready to move our 6-week chicks outside soon, and have built a (I know, I know) pre-made coop from Tractor Supply. We changed the locks to make them hardier/racoon-hand proof, and I dug stakes around the perimeter, 6" down at about 3" intervals. (I hadn't yet read the trick about burying or skirting the hardware cloth.)

Anyone have experience with this method, and thoughts on its effectiveness?

Thanks,
Nichole

 

[srm7731]

6 to 12 inches is what I was always told. We lock up at night so not an issue.

 

[paneubert]

I dug stakes around the perimeter, 6" down at about 3" intervals. (I hadn't yet read the trick about burying or skirting the hardware cloth.)

So you have stakes going into the ground, spaced 3 inches apart? Like jail window/door bars sort of? I think it will work fine as long as the head of whatever is trying to dig in is bigger than 3 inches. You are still going to have to worry about young opossums, and any mice/rats/weasels that are around. Snakes as well.

If you have the desire to make it stronger, I suggest running some hardware cloth out from the coop on the surface of the ground. Do it a foot or two. That way you don't have to dig down or do a lot of work. Just cover the cloth in some dirt or grass seed or gravel or something to "bury" it a tiny bit.

 

[IndigoChick]

Just run wire out from the base of the pen. An inch under ground is quite effective.

LOL!!! The way this reads is that you only put an inch of wire underground. No wonder another member asked for clarification. Anyway, the only thing that I'd add for anyone coming to this thread later on would be to make sure that ONLY HARDWARE cloth is used as the skirt. Not only for the reasons posted above regarding the ease of tearing, but it will lose integrity over time. Especially if buried. The moisture of the ground will break it down in only a year or two at most. Then you'd have to replace it all. Not cost efficient.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Just run wire out from the base of the pen. An inch under ground is quite effective.
Quote:
Originally Posted by IndigoChick


LOL!!! The way this reads is that you only put an inch of wire underground. No wonder another member asked for clarification. Anyway, the only thing that I'd add for anyone coming to this thread later on would be to make sure that ONLY HARDWARE cloth is used as the skirt. Not only for the reasons posted above regarding the ease of tearing, but it will lose integrity over time. Especially if buried. The moisture of the ground will break it down in only a year or two at most. Then you'd have to replace it all. Not cost efficient.

Run the wire out from the base an inch under ground, doesn't mean an inch of hardware cloth. How is that hard to understand?