Run Design Question

[Twilightpixi]

My husband and I are trying to come up with a good plan for predator proofing a run for our chickens. We are thinking about putting hardware cloth on the bottom of the run to keep something from digging under the run and getting in. I'm just wondering if this will be safe for the chicks?

 

[eggbert420]

It will be safe, but not a good idea for chickens. They need to be on the dirt, grass and they need to scratch, take dust baths and eat bugs etc...
All of wich they can't do on hardware wire.

 

[snow5164]

Hi,
Not a good idea... we have chain link under the sand in our dog runs though!?
If you look up " skirting" that's the idea that if you place the hardware cloth on the ground outside the run, two feet away from the run no one will dig into it.Some dig the grass up and lay it on the mud, the new grass holds it down , some cover it with dirt , we did that so the lawn mower doesn't catch it.
Basically predictors will try to dig right beside where they want to go and will hit the wire .

 

[eggbert420]

Hi,
Not a good idea... we have chain link under the sand in our dog runs though!?
If you look up " skirting" that's the idea that if you place the hardware cloth on the ground outside the run, two feet away from the run no one will dig into it.Some dig the grass up and lay it on the mud, the new grass holds it down , some cover it with dirt , we did that so the lawn mower doesn't catch it.
Basically predictors will try to dig right beside where they want to go and will hit the wire .

x2