Chicken wire or hardware cloth

[mylittlehippie]

I am building a small run off of part of my coop to house a single hen and her chicks. It will be temporary and inside a larger area with chain link fencing. I have heard mixed opinions on using chicken wire for runs. Is it safe to use? It will be secured to a wooden frame to help it be more secure and sturdy. I do not want to risk the chicks getting hurt though. Do you think the holes would be too big or that there could be other issues in using the chicken wire? What about using chicken wire as the roofing and another wire at the lowest areas? Or should I just ditch the chicken wire all together? Thanks guys!

 

[6of6chicks]

Chicken wire is tissue paper. Use hardware cloth.

 

[Pecanny]

Chicken wire is tissue paper. Use hardware cloth. (And also use hog pen fencing if you have some). Throw some Sherman tank armor on there too if you can get some.

There is no such thing as being over-protective.

 

[dazookeyper]

I made mine with chicken wire then added a stronger wire (has larger openings but is welded) around the bottom 3 feet. It was easier to just put it over the chicken wire. Hope this isn't confusing.

 

[TESouthern]

we had a large cage inside our coop for our babies....I used chicken wire....I came outside and found a snake eating the 2 babies we had in there.....use hardware cloth I actually covered all the sides except the bottom of that cage with window screen instead of hardware cloth.....I panicked and went a little over board Don't make my mistake...do it right the first time

 

[mylittlehippie]

This is what i was wondering about specifically in case it matters: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000XFQ5TW/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new but based on your responses I will probably get the hardware cloth. Thanks!

 

[jcinadr]

Chicken wire can keep chickens in - but will not slow down predators much.

My first experience was with guinea fowl chicks. We had hunted down the eggs, incubated them, brooded them, then finally put them in an outdoor covered grow out pen. I think it had 1" mesh. Within a few days a racoon came from underneath and ripped all their legs off. Moral of the story is to either have an inner and outer wall - are smaller mesh.

 

[Pecanny]

Quote:
If you want to keep your baby chickens you have now, "probably" getting the hardware cloth is not an option. Spend the money, protect your Chickens. You are their only defense system. Listen to SOUND advice... Get the hardware cloth if you plan to keep little babes. If you don't, they are at serious risk, no matter where you live, unless you plan to raise them inside your house that is.

 

[Folly's place]

I totally agree! Hardware cloth, well attached, with woven wire horse fencing on top. It's hard to find chicken parts in the morning, and worse to find live torn up chickens. Mary

 

[Rani]

HARDWARE CLOTH!!!!!!!! Dogs, coyotes, fox (maybe even raccoons) can rip right through chicken wire. Dig it down, too!