Hardware cloth vs chicken wire

[Gwendolyn]

I'm starting to build my coop and my husband thinks chicken wire will be fine. Most of the information I have read on this forum says to use hardware cloth. I live in the pacific northwest on five acres of woods and have cyotes on the property. Although I have not seen a racoon around, I know they are in the neighborhood. Can a racoon tear through chicken wire? Can you use the hardware cloth on the bottom and use the chicken wire on the top? The run will be a slanted 8 foot to 7 foot slope. My thought is I could use the hardware cloth on the bottom 3-4 feet and use chicken wire near the top. Although, racoons can climb can't they. Am I paranoid and worrying too much?

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
I hope you are not also going to be one of the people posting in the "Predators and Pests" section of the forum with a thread titled something like "All My Chickens Got Eaten Yesterday".

It is basically POINTLESS to put hardware cloth at the base of a chickenwire fence. It is putting an $80 padlock on a loop of baling twine. Dogs and raccoons and such will simply reach up ABOVE the hardwarecloth, rip a hole through the chickenwire, and have dinner.

PLEASE don't do this. If you're just going to use chickenwire, there is no real point in spending the extra on the hardwarecloth; if you want the fence to be actually predator-resistant, don't use chickenwire. If you are on a budget, a good compromise is often heavy-gauge 2x4 welded wire mesh (nothing any larger, though) with something 1/2"-mesh on the bottom 2-3'. The smaller meshed stuff would ideally be hardwarecloth but if you don't mind *some* extra risk, it is not *so* bad to use 1/2" 'mini' chickenwire or even plastic garden netting, since the only point is to prevent reach-through and anything that could rip that apart and to thru the 2x4 meshes could just as well climb up and go thru the regular 2x4 meshes *anyhow*.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Badchickenpun]

I feel you on the prices of hardware cloth. I'm going to end up doing the top of the coop with chicken wire and the bottom 3' with hardware cloth and the skirt with hardware cloth. The bottom 3' will be both hardware cloth and chicken wire. Been asking around to others in my area that keep chickens for advice. Have been told w/ the coon issues we have here that it will work and that I need to get electric fencing that will pack a punch.

I ended up finding 1/2" hardware cloth (19 gage) from amazon, 100 feet x 4' for just under $200. The brand was seboss.
It is working out well.

 

[babyblue]

raccoons, weasels and even very small dogs can tear threw chicken wire like a hot knife threw butter. to make it a little less expensive you could use 2x4 welded wire for the top and the hardware cloth at the lower 2 foot.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

"Chicken wire" is ONLY good for keeping chickens in.
It won't keep much of anything out.

Use hardware cloth or welded wire if you want to protect them

 

[AHappychick]

yep like everyone said chicken wire is a no-no I wish they would re-name the stuff. Hardware cloth 1/2 inch is perfect.

 

[CityChook]

Quote:
I attached it with screws and washers. Very secure.

 

[edselpdx]

I used welded wire fencing with 2" x 4" openings for the enclosure, top of run, and 2-3' apron. Then I attached 1/2" x 1/2" hardware cloth around the whole run up to 2-3 feet high, so the coons can't reach through and take handfuls of chicken. All windows to the coop itself are covered with hardware cloth, and all access (nest box and main coop door as well as main run door) have 2 different kinds of latches, separated widely. We definitely have raccoons in our yard because the neighbor leaves out cat food at night and we've seen both them and raccoons, and have had zero problems with our flock. I don't have to worry about weasels here in the city.

Chicken wire is for keeping chickens enclosed, not for keeping predators away from them. I didn't use any in my project.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Wow. I just read this thread after building my attached run with only chicken wire. The wire is power stapled in a million places and would be hard to replace. The coop itself is secure, however. There's not much around here as far as predators...it's a suburban back yard. However, I did see a skunk about a year ago and a raccoon walking down the street a few months ago. Really wish I hadn't tried to cut corners. So, I guess, put hardware cloth over the chicken wire now? And, does anyone know if skunks tunnel?

 

[Jen71]

Yes - Yay Chicks - I suggest putting hardware cloth OVER your existing chicken wire.
I didn't think we had any predators around me either until I mentioned to someone I had chickens. She shrieked and said "oh no - The foxes will kill them all!" She used to have chickens and lost 2 a week to foxes until she had enough and gave up.
Now I know of several neighbors who have also lost chickens to foxes - and I live in an inner suburban, highly populated area.
YIKES!
I had no clue we had foxes around here and I am so glad I didn't have to learn the hard way (by losing my flock).

I suggest you use hardware cloth so your girls can be safe.