question on the best wire to use as apron around the base of the run

[taterbug]

would rabbit wire be a good choice for the apron around the base of my run or would dog wire be better...also how far should the apron extend from the base on the inside of the run and also the outside.

 

[keljonma]

I don't know rabbit wire. My friends who raise rabbits use hardware cloth. If that is what you mean by rabbit wire that is a good choice.

I'm not sure I understand the second part of your question.

 

[muddler6]

I used plain old chicken wire, about one foot inside and two feet outside ( I had plenty of 36 inch chicken wire) and covered with a couple inches of dirt so I was not tripping over it, so far so good.

 

[taterbug]

i really cannot explain what rabbit wire is...very similar to hardware cloth i imagine. someone had told me that if i went a foot to the outside and a foot to the inside that this would be sufficient to keep predators out. i have someone helping me with my project who doesnt take my suggestions too seriously...i need to find out how to attach the wire that i am going to use at the base as my apron to the board that is the base of my pen...i hope this makes sense.

 

[muddler6]

I layed the wire down first, then built the run on top of it and covered the exposed wire with dirt. I have another run that I use for my meat birds that is a recycled swing set frame. I zip-tied the wire to the frame and just layed the wire down to the ground and about 18 inches out from the bottom of the run, no problem with diggers, but I did have a dog rip a rooster out through the wire that makes up the walls of the run, so I have to rebuild it and beef up the chicken wire with heavier mesh.