The chickens run is developing a basement

[Sarahs flock of 6]

Hello! I'm hoping for some insight here. I've had my chickens outside in their run since about July. I had a garden area just off the side of my garage that was sectioned off the rest of the yard with railroad ties so I just put hardware cloth all around it to create the chicken run and put their coop at one of the ends. I've noticed the last couple weeks, when I've gone out to feed them, what looks like underground tunnels forming. I'm not super concerned about rats or rodents as I don't see any other sign of them and the chickens don't seem to be bothered by anything. I went out to investigate a little further today, now that the snows melted and the ground has thawed, and noticed that it's much worse than a small underground tunnel. It looks almost like a basement is forming under the top layer of dirt. I know I need to fill it in and plan on heading out tomorrow to grab supplies to do so. I'm wondering though, if anyone has any ideas what might cause this and recommendations on what to use to fill this hollowed out underground in with.

Thanks,

Sarah

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Sand would be nice and promote draining.

 

[HenHouse4Life]

Could it be from a woodchuck?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Where are you located? You may want to update your profile with your location.

Possible sink hole

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Moles could cause this btw

 

[Sarahs flock of 6]

Could it be from a woodchuck?

I don't think there are many of those in my neighborhood. I've certainly never seen one!

 

[Sarahs flock of 6]

Where are you located? You may want to update your profile with your location.

Possible sink hole

Just created the profile to post this thread. I'll update it straight away.

I'm in Pierce County. In the city. I've lived in the house for almost 10 years and never seen anything like this with this garden area. However, nothing was rustling around in it all the time either.

 

[Sarahs flock of 6]

Sand would be nice and promote draining.

I was thinking sand. It seems silly to put plain ole dirt in there.

 

[HenHouse4Life]

I don't think there are many of those in my neighborhood. I've certainly never seen one!

They are rarely seen but they can burrow down quite far. If it is a woodchuck you would see, eventually, piles of dirt coming to the surface.

 

[Sarahs flock of 6]

They are rarely seen but they can burrow down quite far. If it is a woodchuck you would see, eventually, piles of dirt coming to the surface.

There's nothing like that. Just the underground hollowing out. It's very odd.