Rural Gardening: Sad day, 1 by kdhopkins

kdhopkins wrote:
If you have a determined and hungry predator, they'll dig under just about anything. This is a LOT of work, but worth it for your birds: Run some very taut wire along the base of the cage. Trench all around your aviary one foot deep by at least six inches wide. Get enough roof flashing (12 or 14 inches wide) to go all around the animals' area. Cut the flashing with tin snips down to about 6 inches. Be sure to wear heavy gloves. This stuff is wickedly sharp and will lacerate you. Spread the cut strips out alternately and bury it to about 2 or 3 inches below the soil line and the bottom of the welded wire if you've buried that. If you do not have chickens or other birds that dig, you can make this a bit more shallow (nearer the surface), but be sure to carefully pack the dirt in over it. Nothing will be able to burrow or dig into it without really hurting itself. It's like subterranean concertina wire. If you can afford to sink the flashing in concrete, it wouldn't hurt. Running a hot wire around the base and top of the cage is easy, too, but not 100% effective. If you don't want to fool with the flashing, you can use cut soda cans and such, but the flashing provides a secure barrier. I have had stray dogs tear under chicken wire and break welds on welded wire. I have lost a lot of animals to marauding predators in the past. When I built my new one at my new home, I was determined not to have to go through that again, ever. This yard is completely enclosed and we have not had any problems even with skunks, raccoons, or armadillos -more than once. My aviary was built with tool cage panels and heavy posts. The top is welded wire. We call it Fort Embden Toulouse.
How is your gander? Hope the bite wound is manageable.