I already filled the hole ( just big enough to stick a corn cob Into) and sat bricks all along the fence. I am at my in laws currently but will post pics tomorrow morning of my set up. I would definitely appreciate any thoughts and ideas you all may have to share with me!!
If it’s a weasel, the bricks aren’t a wide enough barrier. They’ll just start their hole at the edge of the brick. I’m not sure they’re really enough for a raccoon either.
I do know that most predatory mammals can fit their body through any hole that is large enough for their head to squeeze thru. And they can get their heads into some *really* tiny spaces. A hole just 1.5—2 inches across can let in more predators than you could ever imagine, including a fair-sized raccoon.
To create an effective barrier to digging, you need to use 1/2 inch hardware cloth (welded wire mesh) around the bottom 2-3 feet of your fence, and then continue it either out 8-12 inches horizontally, as an “apron”.... or dig a trench vertically down from the fence ‘walls’ and continue the mesh 6 inches or deeper underground. It’s important to cover an apron of mesh with
at least 1/2–1 inch of dirt or sand or to lay sandbags or pavers or something continuously over top so that it can’t be lifted/bent upwards and tunneled under anyway.
Some people prefer to run the mesh completely around their pen/run— top, sides, bottom... making it so they are surrounded on all sides instead. I guess it depends how deep the chix will scratch. I don’t think I’ve heard of anyone who’s done it that way having a problem. But I worry that they’ll end up hurting themselves on the wire ‘floor’ or that they’ll try to scratch, find the wire barrier and will get stressed even if they don’t actually hurt their feet on it.
I’m a worrier, though.
As you can see, there’s lots of “variations on a theme”.... what they have in common, is blocking access and discouraging ‘probing’ by predators. Because they will come back to keep looking for a way to get to the birds. And if there’s a way in, they’ll eventually find it. As far as the preds are concerned, you’ve opened a free restaurant— all Chicken, all the time.... if you were hungry and could have your fave food for free... but only if you could get through the door, you’d figure out how to get inside.....
I hope you can find a solution to keep the rest of the flock safe. Good luck!
