Rain rain go away!

[Ashllen]

Yeah, my sister put down wire made with a 2"×1" weave. Was not great for keeping rats out. Just put down a smaller weaved wire bottom, but the suckers pried it back from the door frame to get in. it's on the list of improvements I'm making. Hopefully a stronger staple will hold the chicken wire down better.

 

[Ashllen]

But I think brick will solve the problem as well. I think I might go with that idea.

 

[Ashllen]

I mean to be fair... the chicken coop was originally built for bunnies. So she was more worried about keeping giant rodents IN rather than slightly smaller rodents out.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't see wood chips at all. If they've degraded to the point that they're basically dirt, you need more.

Should look more like this, with larger, varied chunks. This photo was taken after a night of heavy rains, with puddling on the lawn, but thanks to the chips it was surface dry enough to let the babies out in the run:

 

[Ashllen]

Yeah I have a bale of wood chips ready to go down, just wanted to get some possible tips before I swap it out.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Yeah I have a bale of wood chips ready to go down, just wanted to get some possible tips before I swap it out.

If you're allowed to trench around the set up, plan on doing that. While only adding chips won't fix drainage it will at least help "raise" the floor level of the run a bit, and help provide a drier surface for the chickens to use.

 

[Ashllen]

My little helpers . Making sure I do a decent job of it. And yes that is rat tunnels all over under the wire. I even found a rat nest under my ramp. those little badwords even naked on a board to get better access.

 

[Ashllen]

View attachment 3390924View attachment 3390926

My little helpers . Making sure I do a decent job of it. And yes that is rat tunnels all over under the wire. I even found a rat nest under my ramp. those little badwords even naked on a board to get better access.

Just read this back... what the heck spell check!? I wrote chewed on... how did it come out with naked on?

 

[Ashllen]

I tore out what I put down and am working towards applying more coverage. Once I get bricks it looks like they did most of the work for me in digging space I guess?

 

[Ashllen]

But that is a "I have extra income" project for now I'm just gonna hardware cloth it (I have a roll of it already) and hope I get every nook and cranny secure.