Help me predator proof my coop

[Meegnmike]

Yes, everything/everyone is locked up at night. The chicken wire seemed to work fine, but we recently moved and obviously have a predator situation . Definitely will be “predator proofing” today.

So the coop house itself is open to the chicken wire run all night or the coop house is closed up, no run access until you open it? Just asking because it matters. As you know chicken wire will keep out nothing. If only it's name was "temporary wire," instead of "chicken wire," it might really help the chicken world. It's just flat out sub-par for a predator proof Run. But at least you can lock them in the coop house and not let them out until Coons are gone while you're building a better Run.

 

[texsuze]

Agree with previous posts that chicken wire is best used for floral arrangements and ornamental stuff for your house and garden and not for securing chicken housing --totally serious about that. You'll have peace of mind and likely no more predators if you convert all the chicken wire to hardware cloth. Expensive? Yes, but cost effective in the long run and less stress on your chickens as they won't have to experience the repeated predation of their flock mates.

 

[Meegnmike]

Replace the chicken wire with 1/2” 19 gauge hardware cloth. Almost every predator can either tear chicken wire apart or fit through (raccoon hand or mink) to get a chicken.

I want to make sure I’m purchasing the current item. I think what’s throwing me off is “garden craft” lol it should say “predator proof” lol

 

[Meegnmike]

Agree with previous posts that chicken wire is best used for floral arrangements and ornamental stuff for your house and garden and not for securing chicken housing --totally serious about that. You'll have peace of mind and likely no more predators if you convert all the chicken wire to hardware cloth. Expensive? Yes, but cost effective in the long run and less stress on your chickens as they won't have to experience the repeated predation of their flock mates.

I want to make sure I’m purchasing the current item. I think what’s throwing me off is “garden craft” lol it should say “predator proof” lol

 

[CaliforniaMountainChicks]

I want to make sure I’m purchasing the current item. I think what’s throwing me off is “garden craft” lol it should say “predator proof” lol

That’s it! Some websites just call it garden craft wire since it’s not specifically marketed for chickens. Just make sure it’s the 1/2” 19 gauge wire! I got mine from a website called critterfence.com it’s black pvc coated.

 

[TexasTurkeyMama]

Hi Meegnmike. Chicken wire is too soft and pliable for this application. Hardware cloth
with a tiny 1/2 inch square is tough and nothing has reached through it. As you are working with hardware cloth, you will need hand protection. If you have to fold the "cloth" try not
to crease it because the wire will weaken. You will also need to "roof" over the run with the
cloth and it is heavier than chicken wire. If you are not handy with tools and building your own things, you are about to become a very experienced chicken owner.

 

[Iceman02]

Replace the chicken wire with 1/2” 19 gauge hardware cloth. Almost every predator can either tear chicken wire apart or fit through (raccoon hand or mink) to get a chicken.

Is 19 gauge wire enough? Most seem to recommend 16 but i can not find it anywhere :/

 

[CaliforniaMountainChicks]

Is 19 gauge wire enough? Most seem to recommend 16 but i can not find it anywhere :/

19 gauge 1/2” wire is definitely enough, you don’t want lower gauges like 23. They don’t make 1/2” wire in 16 gauge anyways . 16 gauge would be preferred if you did wire 1” or bigger because the bigger wire allows an animal to get a good grip of it so that’s why you need stronger wire for that. 1/2” Hardware cloth, if it’s put on strongly and correctly without major bends, an animal can’t get a grip on it so 19 gauge is strong enough.

 

[Iceman02]

19 gauge 1/2” wire is definitely enough, you don’t want lower gauges like 23. They don’t make 1/2” wire in 16 gauge anyways . 16 gauge would be preferred if you did wire 1” or bigger because the bigger wire allows an animal to get a good grip of it so that’s why you need stronger wire for that. 1/2” Hardware cloth, if it’s put on strongly and correctly without major bends, an animal can’t get a grip on it so 19 gauge is strong enough.

Thank you so much!

 

[PresaCanariosRule]

Hi, last week we had a raccoon kill two of our chickens. We saw the raccoon in the video so we definitely know it was a raccoon. We found how he was getting in and secured that area. This morning one of our silkies was killed. It looks like the predator possibly chewed through the chicken wire and yanked her out (see picture) i don’t think this was a raccoon, the opening was way too small for the raccoon we saw in the prior video (not that there couldn’t be more then one raccoon) What animal literally leaves almost the whole body? I know we have opossums in our area as well. Also what is the best gage chicken wire to predator proof? We may have to redo our coop. What else can I use to deter predators? I hear that raccoons don’t like cayenne pepper and hot sauce We live in Tacoma, Wa (if that helps narrow down what predators we have). Thanks so much

A weasel leaves the body. Had one tear a very small circular hole in the corner of a screen and eat the head off a young pea chick many years ago. I would leave the window cracked open about 2 inches during the night (thinking that no predators could fit through a 2 inch opening). Sad lesson learned. Up went the proper predator fencing on the windows and the motion lights and the nanny cams and no sleep for months.