Hardware cloth vs chicken wire

[paneubert]

@aart , just giving the benefit of the doubt since they also were talking about their boards being 2 by 4.

"But, what about the eaves under the overhang, around the 2x4s."

That is why I was trying to clarify to make sure everyone was on the same page.

 

[reptileink]

Since nobody is responding in my build thread, what about welded wire behind chain link? We are using dog pen for the perimeter of the run and was thinking of using the welded wire along the sides with HC over the hoop top. Trying to save some $$

 

[paneubert]

What size welded wire? I have seen some pretty good predator proof setups that incorporate a larger and more solid wire (chain link or cattle panels or other larger opening wire) with a layer of smaller opening wire (even if the smaller wire is slightly less strong). The key is to have the openings not invite the predator thru.

 

[MeepBeep]

Since nobody is responding in my build thread, what about welded wire behind chain link? We are using dog pen for the perimeter of the run and was thinking of using the welded wire along the sides with HC over the hoop top. Trying to save some $$

What size welded wire? To stop weasels from getting in or raccoons from reaching in, you really need to have no openings greater than 1/2"...

Chain link and larger welded wire like 2x4 will discourage larger predators, mind you most 2x4 welded wire is not welded all that well and a dog can rip it apart, same with many chain link panels and gain entry since it's easy for them to get a 'bite' on it and pull...

 

[reptileink]

I haven't fully researched the sizes of the welded wire I have access to right now, just wondering if there are alternatives to the hardware cloth. I need a ton of it, so really looking to defray the costs. Plus the welded wire is easier to work with.

 

[MeepBeep]

I haven't fully researched the sizes of the welded wire I have access to right now, just wondering if there are alternatives to the hardware cloth. I need a ton of it, so really looking to defray the costs. Plus the welded wire is easier to work with.

The short answer is that you won't find a cheaper alternative that offers the same level of protection...

So if you must go cheaper you have to factor in the higher risk and decide if it's worth it to you... And with that you should evaluate your potential risk and acceptable potential losses...

 

[aart]

I haven't fully researched the sizes of the welded wire I have access to right now, just wondering if there are alternatives to the hardware cloth. I need a ton of it, so really looking to defray the costs. Plus the welded wire is easier to work with.

The sizes are key......the smaller the holes in the mesh, the more(smaller) predators it will keep out, and the more it will cost.
Technically, hardware cloth is welded wire, just has smaller wires and smaller holes so is more flexible - more like 'cloth' rather than 'fencing'.

MeepBeep makes good points on assessing threats to determine size needed.

All my coop openings are covered with 1/2" mesh for a night time Fort Knox.
My run is 2x4 mesh to deter hawks (my most prolific threat) and seriously slow down most anything else....but I'm home most the time to intervene of necessary.

 

[reptileink]

Yea, I mean, I hate to cheap out when it comes to the lives of our chickens, but money isn't actually flowing right now...lol.

We live dead center in a city, and I know there are predators in a city, but not sure really how big they are. We have raccoons, opossums, cats, and that's about it. Never seen a dog in my yard in 10 years (or even on the street). I know once chickens come around though, predators come as well.

I'll probably just bite the bullet and grab some cloth here and there until I complete it. This whole coop didn't cost me more than about $200, so to drop that amount on hardware cloth is just hard to stomach...lol. We are only getting 3 chickens, so it would suck to have 1 or 2 get caught by a predator.

 

[MeepBeep]

Yea, I mean, I hate to cheap out when it comes to the lives of our chickens, but money isn't actually flowing right now...lol.

We live dead center in a city, and I know there are predators in a city, but not sure really how big they are. We have raccoons, opossums, cats, and that's about it. Never seen a dog in my yard in 10 years (or even on the street). I know once chickens come around though, predators come as well.

I'll probably just bite the bullet and grab some cloth here and there until I complete it. This whole coop didn't cost me more than about $200, so to drop that amount on hardware cloth is just hard to stomach...lol. We are only getting 3 chickens, so it would suck to have 1 or 2 get caught by a predator.

Most can sympathize with the cost, the hardware cloth is expensive especially if you are doing an entire run... I only did the windows of my coop building and even that was hard to stomach the cost for such a trivial job... I don't have a 'run' to worry about as my chickens roam the pasture with the goats and llamas and i just accept that every once in a while some will disappear, but the llamas alone keep pretty much every large predator at bay, my only real risk is from above and I have both Red-Tailed hawks and Cooper hawks that call my yard their home, as well as some owls lurking after sunset...

 

[adkhunter1590]

Yea, I mean, I hate to cheap out when it comes to the lives of our chickens, but money isn't actually flowing right now...lol.

We live dead center in a city, and I know there are predators in a city, but not sure really how big they are. We have raccoons, opossums, cats, and that's about it. Never seen a dog in my yard in 10 years (or even on the street). I know once chickens come around though, predators come as well.

I'll probably just bite the bullet and grab some cloth here and there until I complete it. This whole coop didn't cost me more than about $200, so to drop that amount on hardware cloth is just hard to stomach...lol. We are only getting 3 chickens, so it would suck to have 1 or 2 get caught by a predator.

Most can sympathize with the cost, the hardware cloth is expensive especially if you are doing an entire run... I only did the windows of my coop building and even that was hard to stomach the cost for such a trivial job... I don't have a 'run' to worry about as my chickens roam the pasture with the goats and llamas and i just accept that every once in a while some will disappear, but the llamas alone keep pretty much every large predator at bay, my only real risk is from above and I have both Red-Tailed hawks and Cooper hawks that call my yard their home, as well as some owls lurking after sunset...

A lot of people on here assume that everyone has gobs of money to throw down on protecting chickens. I fully understand some people are more attached to their birds than others but no one should be shamed for not spending ridiculous amounts of money on hardwire cloth. Let's face it, these chickens are extremely "cheap" animals to buy. I can replace 3 dozen chickens before I had enough hardwire cloth to cover everything I would like to. I don't like losing a bird anymore than the next guy but I also have come to terms with it being the circle of life.

Some people on here also over exaggerate the predator pressure that most will encounter. I've seen posts that people act like if you don't buy hardwire cloth your gonna have a pack of stray wild dogs rip through your yard, and then a pack of coyotes will come by the next night. Then comes the attack squadron of raccoons the following night, and the list goes on. The stray wild dog posts always make me laugh...like seriously how many people have random packs of dogs running around their neighborhoods??

I have lost about 4 birds in almost 2 years. 2 from Hawks. One from my wife's aunts dog (we had our flock living there temporarily while we moved to our new house and the girls decided they wanted to fly over her aunts fence into the dogs area...that was my hens fault not the dog) and one more was eaten by a unknown animal outside our house about 5 months ago. Stuff happens when you free range. But all anyone can do is make a reasonable effort to protect your flock. Going all Fort Knox and spending your life savings isn't the end all be all solution either.