Install a buried wire apron around the perimeter

Attach hardware cloth or welded wire fencing to the base of coop and run walls, extending it at least 12 inches outward either buried underground or laid flat on the surface and secured with landscape staples. Cover surface-laid aprons with soil or gravel so they blend in.

Why It Works

Foxes, coyotes, and dogs instinctively dig at the base of a wall to get under it. When they hit the wire apron, they cannot dig past it and give up. A surface-laid apron works just as well as a buried one because predators dig right at the wall base, not 12 inches away.

Tips

• Surface-laid aprons are easier to install and equally effective — grass grows through and anchors them
• Use the same gauge wire as your main enclosure for consistency
• This is critical for rabbit tractors and mobile coops placed directly on the ground