A predator apron is a horizontal skirt of wire mesh attached to the base of your chicken coop or run, extending outward along the ground to stop digging predators. It works because foxes, coyotes, raccoons, and dogs instinctively dig right at the base of a fence, typically within 6 to 8 inches of the perimeter. They don’t back up two feet and start digging in the open. The apron exploits that instinct: the animal scratches at the fence line, immediately hits wire, and gives up.
How a Predator Apron Works
Think of it as an L-shaped barrier. The vertical part is your existing coop wall or run fencing. The horizontal part extends outward from the base, lying flat on or just under the ground. When a fox or coyote starts pawing at the soil where your fence meets the earth, its claws hit rigid wire mesh within the first few inches. Since the animal can’t get beneath the barrier without backing far away from the fence (something digging predators simply don’t do), it abandons the attempt.
This is different from a traditional buried fence, which runs straight down into the ground. A vertical burial can work, but it requires digging a deep trench and still allows a predator to excavate a sizable hole before hitting the wire. An apron intercepts the dig almost immediately, which means the predator causes less damage to your run’s perimeter before moving on.
Which Predators It Stops
Foxes are the most persistent diggers and the primary threat an apron is designed for. They instinctively dig directly at fence bases and can breach loose soil quickly. Coyotes behave similarly and are strong enough to tear through lightweight fencing, so material choice matters. Raccoons are less committed diggers but will exploit any gap they find, and a determined raccoon will absolutely dig if the soil is soft. Dogs, both stray and neighborhood pets, round out the list of common digging threats.
An apron won’t help against predators that climb or reach through mesh, like weasels, rats, or snakes. Those require tight mesh openings on your coop walls. The apron is specifically an anti-digging measure.
Wire Mesh Specs That Actually Matter
The two numbers to pay attention to are wire gauge and mesh opening size.
- Wire gauge: 16-gauge is the strongest option commonly available for chicken coops and provides maximum security. It’s noticeably thicker than 19-gauge (standard security) or 23-gauge (minimal security, easily bent by larger predators). For an apron that sits at ground level where animals will actively claw at it, 16-gauge is the right choice.
- Mesh opening size: Half-inch openings are the standard recommendation. This size is small enough that raccoons can’t reach a paw through and strong enough to resist being pulled apart. For the apron specifically, you can get away with slightly larger openings (up to 2 by 3 inches) since the apron’s job is to block digging rather than prevent reach-through access. Some builders use PVC-coated welded wire with 2-by-3-inch rectangular mesh for the apron because it’s cheaper per square foot and resists rust.
If you want a single material for both your run walls and apron, half-inch 16-gauge galvanized hardware cloth handles both jobs. If you’re trying to save money on the apron portion, 16-gauge welded wire fencing with larger openings is a reasonable trade-off since nothing needs to be kept from reaching through the apron, only from digging past it.
Surface Apron vs. Buried Apron
You have two installation approaches, and the easier one works just as well in most situations.
Surface Apron
Lay the wire mesh flat on the ground extending at least 12 inches outward from the run frame. Two feet is better if your budget allows it. Pin it down, then cover it with a thin layer of soil, gravel, or pavers. Grass will eventually grow through and over the mesh, hiding it completely. This method requires almost no digging, just enough to peel back an inch or two of sod if you want the apron to sit flush with the ground.
The practical advantage is significant: a predator that starts digging at the fence hits wire immediately at the surface, before it can create any meaningful hole. With a deep vertical burial, the animal can dig a large hole along your fence line before reaching the barrier. The surface apron gives you less damage and less maintenance.
Buried Apron
Dig a trench about 12 inches deep around the run perimeter. Attach hardware cloth to the bottom of the run frame, then bend it downward into the trench and outward in an L-shape. Backfill with soil or rocks. This is the most secure option because the wire is protected from weathering and can’t be shifted by large animals stepping on it. Some builders backfill with rocks for additional resistance.
The downside is labor. Digging a 12-inch trench around an entire run is a serious project, especially in rocky or clay soil. For most backyard flocks, a surface apron covered with soil or gravel provides equivalent protection with a fraction of the effort.
How to Attach and Secure the Apron
The apron needs to be fastened in two places: where it meets your coop or run frame, and where it contacts the ground.
At the frame, pneumatic stainless steel staples (1.25 inches) give the strongest hold if you have a staple gun. Without one, hog rings or J-clips work well for connecting the apron mesh to your existing run fencing. You’re essentially stitching the two pieces of wire together at the base. If your run uses heavier gauge wire, hog rings grip better. For lighter gauge mesh, J-clips are easier to work with.
At the ground, you need to pin the outer edge of the apron down so it can’t be lifted or shifted. Several options work:
- Landscape fabric staples: 6-inch U-shaped pins designed for holding ground cloth. Widely available at hardware stores and easy to push into soft soil.
- Tent stakes: The simple nail-style stakes with plastic caps. Inexpensive (under a dollar each) and functional.
- Wire coat hangers: Cut and bend each hanger into two U-shaped pins with 6-inch legs and a 1-inch bridge. Push them flush with the ground. This is the cheapest option and works surprisingly well.
Space your ground pins every 12 to 18 inches along the outer edge of the apron. If you’re joining multiple pieces of mesh to span a long run, overlap them by at least 3 to 4 inches and stitch the seam together with wire, hog rings, or J-clips. Any gap between panels is a gap a raccoon will find.
Covering and Maintaining the Apron
A bare wire apron on the surface is a tripping hazard and will eventually shift. Cover it with 1 to 2 inches of soil and let grass regrow over it, spread a layer of gravel or pea stone, or set concrete pavers on top. Gravel has the added benefit of discouraging digging on its own, since most predators dislike pawing through loose rock.
Check the apron once or twice a year, especially in spring when the ground thaws and shifts. Look for spots where soil has washed away and exposed the wire, pins that have worked loose, or rust spots on non-coated wire. PVC-coated or galvanized wire will last years without issues, but bare steel will corrode within a season or two of ground contact. If you’re buying new material, galvanized or PVC-coated mesh is worth the small cost difference for something that sits in dirt permanently.
If you notice small dig marks along the apron’s edge, the apron is doing its job. Fill in the shallow holes and consider extending the apron width in that spot if the digging attempts are persistent. A predator hitting wire at 12 inches out is deterred. One that keeps returning might eventually try digging beyond a narrow apron, though this is rare.