So who are the digging type predator?

[HenPenny]

I have lined the bottom of the chicken coope with hardwire cloth. I was wondering if I could line the bottom of the chicken run with the chicken wire.?

We have possoms, cats, raccoons. And of course rats and mice.
Thanks

 

[elmo]

Chicken wire wouldn't be of much use and would be hard on the chickens' feet inside the run. To deter predators from digging into the run, you can make a welded wire apron attached to the baseboard of the run and extending outwards, flat on the ground, for about 2 -3 feet. Stake it down (I use landscaping staples, but you could anchor it any other way handy to you), and you're good to go. A digger tries to dig at the base of the fence, hits the wire, and doesn't realize they need to back up and dig beyond the edge of the apron.

Dogs, foxes, and raccoons are diggers.

 

[colebarnhart]

What do you mean bottom, you said bottom twice. I'm assuming that you mean the floor and not around the perimeter, the chicken wire would probably be ok used as the "bottom" floor of the run area, and maybe you already know this but if not you'll want to put dirt, or sand, or large tree bark wood chips down over the top of the wire in the run.

However, if you do mean the perimeter, then the chicken wire will not prevent the predators you mentioned from reaching thru the chicken wire holes and grabbing/killing your birds. I'm talking from experience.


Is the floor of your coop completely open with just the hardware wire as the floor?

 

[HenPenny]

Quote:
Yes bottom as in the floor. In the coope I have hardware cloth as the floor. I have about 4 -6 inches of sand and pine bark mulch. I was wondering if I could use just the chicken wire for the floor in the run. WOuld whoever was digging give up when nose up to the chicken wire floor?

 

[HenPenny]

Quote:
I don't have the space to extend outwards. Not much anyway. It's pretty close to existing retaining wall(flower bed) and the actual coope.
Just wonder if the predators you list would try to fight through the chicken wire or give up. I'm not worried about foxes or dogs. Thanks

 

[edible_chicken]

i buried the coop 5" into the ground and laid chicken wire on the floor of the coop and extended the wire about 12" outside of the coop. Then I laid bricks on top of the wire and covered the bricks and remaining wire with 2" of dirt. So far i haven't had any problems!