Run door question

[SeaSea47]

I’m working on new runs for my chickens and ducks and each one has a human-sized door that I can enter and exit. I’ll be skirting hardware cloth around the perimeter of the run and covering that with rocks and logs from a big tree that fell, but what’s a good way to protect the area where the door is? The best thing I can come up with is to place cement blocks in front and move them every time I go into it? Our neighborhood Fox family is my biggest concern.

 

[DobieLover]

If the door is framed, you can attach the apron to the frame, not the door.

 

[aart]

Rocks and logs can go inside the run if you want (I have thick branches and rocks and bricks inside the perimeter of the run, to prevent the chickens from digging around perimeter).

Ditto Dat!!

I used a paver threshold, then had to extend it on the inside, twice, due to chicken excavation.

Thought I'd add this...
First I made the 'patio/threshold' in front of and under the door. They dug underneath it. So I added the row of bricks. They dug underneath it. So I added the 2x8x16" pavers on edge and anchored them in with rebar. That has worked well so far.

 

[blackdog043]

So, is the apron on its own enough? I assumed it needed to have something on top of it (dirt, rocks, etc. - I'm using big tree logs and rocks).

The apron needs to be pinned down with landscape pins, but can be put right over grass. The grass will grow through and you could mow over the wire, if it doesn't stick up. I used mulch to cover mine, because it was at the edge of woods. You don't want big stuff covering the apron, because predators will start digging beyond them. If the predator starts digging at the base of the run it will run into wire and move left or right. They don't think to move backwards. If you have big rocks they will start digging where they end, out from the base of the run. Hope that makes sense.

 

[rosemarythyme]

@blackdog043 That makes sense. Thanks! So, I don't need the logs and rocks at all? What is the apron juts out further than they do? Or should I consider putting them inside the run?

Rocks and logs can go inside the run if you want (I have thick branches and rocks and bricks inside the perimeter of the run, to prevent the chickens from digging around perimeter). Best to leave the actual apron uncovered/with only smaller materials such as mulch, sand, gravel (if the ground is bare), so the predators won't start digging at the base of the logs/rocks.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Could you drill hardware cloth into the bottom part of the frame of the door to make a skirt?
You could dig this down and fill dirt on top of the skirt.

 

[perkolator]

I would just bury a separate piece of HC at the door area that's not attached to the door itself

 

[blackdog043]

I ran my apron on the ground, including in front of the run door. The apron is covered with mulch. I placed cap blocks inside the run, so the door was up against them, when closed. You can't see them to good, because the chickens had mulch on top of them. I had predators dig along the apron but no problems with them getting inside.

 

[3KillerBs]

The door does fit snugly. I’m mostly worried about something digging under it.

Sorry, I don’t have pictures. It’s still a work in progress.

As noted, you can just continue your apron across the door area.

So, is the apron on its own enough? I assumed it needed to have something on top of it (dirt, rocks, etc. - I'm using big tree logs and rocks). I'm not new to chickens, but I'm new to this type of run. My last flock free ranged and had a very small run that they basically only used when they were waiting for me to wake up!

I put down a temporary apron around my Outdoor Brooder and the grass grew through it so fast that after only 4 weeks it was quite a job to get the wire back up when we moved the brooder.

 

[Sueby]

I poured cement pads in front of my doors. I had HC aprons but it got messy when shoveling snow! The ground heaved & the gate wouldn't open, the then HC started coming up from shoveling & it was just a mess.