❓❓❓ What kind of wire-mesh to use for a duck-run ❓❓❓

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Hi friends, i am planning to add an open run to my duck's house, so that the food and (especially) the water will be out of the house, but they still have access to it 24x7. The size of the run will be 2.5 x 3.6 meters (8' x 12') and it will sit right in front of the house:


Now currently it is almost impossible to obtain ½" x ½" hardware cloth in reasonable amounts, except you are willing to pay the equivalent of a Saturn V rocket, so i looked around and found the following welded-wire fencing material:

1. 4' x 100', 1" x 1" mesh, 16 gauge wire
2. 4' x 100', 1" x 1" mesh, 14 gauge wire
3. 4' x 100', 1" x ½" mesh, 16 gauge wire

Would a 1x1 inch mesh with 16 gauge wires be sufficient to keep Raccoons out? - I am also planning on covering the bottom meter (3') with additional hardware-cloth to prevent raccoon-paws from reaching in and grabbing ducks.

Also, would 4x4 posts be stable enough to support this? And how many posts do i need?
Do i have to ram the posts into the ground? I am planning to build some kind of "box" with lumber at all edges and patio-stones around to prevent digging.

Any hints, tips, tricks and don't do's are very welcome!

 

[Callender Girl]

Don't know if you have mink -- or any other weasel -- in West Virginia, but they can definitely get through a 1-inch space.

I know what you mean about hardware cloth. Even the woven wire fencing you mentioned is nearly impossible to get right now.

Good luck with your build!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Today was the big day: The first wall came up! I have prefabricated the front wall of the duck-pen on my work platform out of three cedar fence-posts, four 2x4's, millions of nails, welded wire-mesh (2x2'), brick-ties,chicken-wire, blood, sweat and countless curses.
It slid right of the platform onto the grass:

Then i pulled it into position in front of the »grave« (citing @Magnolia Ducks) i dug out:

And lifted it into its upright position, adjusted it to be vertical and secured it temporarily with another 2x4:

All the time i had to be extremely careful not to step on Katharina Duck or drop something on her. Since we have the Fall Ducklings and fed everybody some meal-worms, she treats me as a meal-worm dispenser on legs…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

If you can rent a gas auger.

Maybe in Alaska! - This is West Virginia… I could try to dissolve the ground with moonshine, though.

 

[neo71665]

The problem you will have with 1x1 and even 1x1/2 wire is coons can reach in both openings up to at least their elbows and grab. That means they can claw and kill even if they can't actually eat their kill.
Don't believe me I can try to get pictures of one of my girls with their arms in 1x1/2 inch fence. they can stick it in there a good 4-6 inches. Grab a corn on the cob and eat it without ever getting the cob on the other side.

 

[Ratchnick]

The problem you will have with 1x1 and even 1x1/2 wire is coons can reach in both openings up to at least their elbows and grab. That means they can claw and kill even if they can't actually eat their kill.
Don't believe me I can try to get pictures of one of my girls with their arms in 1x1/2 inch fence. they can stick it in there a good 4-6 inches. Grab a corn on the cob and eat it without ever getting the cob on the other side.

Yeah he said he knows this in the op.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Yeah he said he knows this in the op.

Nevertheless, better safe than sorry! can't tell your kid's often enough not to touch the hot oven… (They will still do it!)

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Status update on the Duck-Run project: After almost killing myself ( No good deed ever goes unpunished!!! - Part III ), causing a significant delay, it has rained in this part of West Virginia and the ground became much softer, so i made some progress, this was on the evening when i hit that dang cable:

And this was yesterday:

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Almost forgot! - Of course every day the progress on the project is checked by the Duck Project Managers:

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Almost finished, the door is installed and works perfect:

The roof will be finished today, some additional chicken-wire needs to be added to the 2x2" wire mesh in the lower parts and then the interior must be designed…