What material for a run floor to keep the predators out?

[sigmachigirl]

Hi there, we get 3 girls in a couple weeks, and I am still trying to figure out what to do about the ground. We live in an urban area of the Puget sound, and intend on building a 4-5x10 area to full enclose the chickens, completely covered and tall enough that I will be able to walk into the enclosure for cleaning purposes. Parts of the coop will have access to the outside, and the chickens will be safely locked in at night. Right now it is grass. We have horribly hard clay soil, and I'm trying to figure out the best possible solution for the floor for the run/enclosure. Do I build a barrier just around the outside then let the hens destroy the lawn and then put something over the dirt, or do I fully cover the dirt with something like a sand/gravel base? Or do I just put pavers/or concrete blocks down inside the run to keep predators out? We get an awful lot of rain, so I'm trying to be mindful of drainage and setting metal mesh down into the soil. Even a thick mesh buried a few years ago under one of our raised beds completely rusted out with the damp. Just want to keep the chickens safe and happy. I had liked the idea of giving them fresh grass to graze on while not roaming our yard, but I don't know how to keep predators out!

 

[sigmachigirl]

I should clarify, I will have access to parts of the coop from the outside wall of the enclosure.

 

[aart]

I'd let them do in the grass, then add sand.

For digging predators, an apron is a great idea.

 

[sigmachigirl]

Done!! Thanks for the advice. I also added some enormous and very heavy rocks around the base as well.

 

[SobbaChickens]

I'm using railroad ties, never would have imagined those things were so heavy!

 

[sigmachigirl]

Those things are crazy heavy... My parents made a raised veggie bed with them years ago, before they knew they contaminated the soil with creasote (sp?). They just took it apart. Ants had eaten out the boards. My dad had to cut them in 3 foot chunks!!