??'s About Gravel and Predators

[ambersparks]

I have a large area on my side yard that is all gravel on top of dirt. We put several inches in height there about 4 years ago. A couple of inches have sunk down but there is still plenty above the dirt. The gravel area is about 8 x 13' and the coop is going to sit on it at 5 x 6' so there will be gravel beyond the coop on all sides. And I will be putting sand on top of the gravel for the chickens to play in. If I put my chicken coop on top of this area do I need to worry about predators digging through the gravel and getting my chickens? Thank you so much!!

Amber

 

[flopshot]

i don't thing it will have much effect at all depending on the predator.

 

[EweSheep]

I know sewer rats hate to dig thru pea gravel, a foot or more deep!

 

[Lollipop]

Most predators are strong and determined. I would work on the assumption they will, if they can. Overkill is not too much......Pop

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

Yeah it wont stop them from digging in.

 

[ambersparks]

Sewer rats, yikes!! I live in a suburban area and I've had my chickens almost a year. I haven't had any predator problems so far. Right now I just have a tractor on my lawn that gets moved about once a week. I think the biggest predators we have are racoons (though I haven't seen any around since we got our dog 4 years ago) and hawks. Maybe I'll put some stone pavers around the coop as well. Will that work??

Thanks for all the advice!

Amber

 

[EweSheep]

I live smack dab in the middle of the city! And we do get coons and possums too! Not only those, we also have those determined pit bull dogs that would tear anything to get into the coops. They literally tore the door off from the coop to access to my prized Faverolle bantams and Silkies, and killed nearly all of them. I was HOT!

Coons can try to find a way to get into your tractor and if you have an open bottom, they will try to flip the tractor over and bingo, dinner time! Hardware wire is the way to go.

 

[preppy*hippie*chick]

Perhaps you could move some gravel off the area where you intend to put the coop then put hardware wire on the ground with ground staples, then put gravel back over. That's what I would do.

 

[columbiacritter]

preppy*hippie*chick :

Perhaps you could move some gravel off the area where you intend to put the coop then put hardware wire on the ground with ground staples, then put gravel back over. That's what I would do.

very good idea!​