1Inch Chicken Wire Reinforced with 1/2 Inch Hardware Cloth?

[CrazyConure]

Well, the coop is just about done and we're going to start building our run. I'm planning a 32' x 16' x 6' enclosure with the posts as 4" x 4" PT wood, the top and bottom rail as 2" x 4" x 16' PT wood. For the fencing, I was planning on 1" poultry wire reinforced on the bottom 2 feet with 1/2" x 1/2" hardware clothe, with an additional one foot buried underground. Can I reasonably expect chicken wire reinforced with hardware cloth to prevent predators from breaking in and decimating my flock?

Thanks.

 

[Alaskan]

Well, the coop is just about done and we're going to start building our run. I'm planning a 32' x 16' x 6' enclosure with the posts as 4" x 4" PT wood, the top and bottom rail as 2" x 4" x 16' PT wood. For the fencing, I was planning on 1" poultry wire reinforced on the bottom 2 feet with 1/2" x 1/2" hardware clothe, with an additional one foot buried underground. Can I reasonably expect chicken wire reinforced with hardware cloth to prevent predators from breaking in and decimating my flock?

Thanks.

that sounds like a good plan!

The hardware cloth on the bottom will keep raccoons etc. from reaching in and dragging out chicken parts.

Do remember that raccoons and opossum can climb, and might try to chew their way in at the top or sides or seams. However, if the chickens are locked up at night, it doesn't matter if their run isn't a full on fort Knox.


The only other thing to watch for is that dogs can tear their way through most fence, and they can tear their way through chicken wire pretty quickly. If you have a yard fence that will keep out dogs, then the chicken fence doesn't have to be as strong.

 

[Alaskan]

Do make sure that no perch ends are up against chicken wire... you need hardware cloth or plywood shields at the ends of perches so that chickens can't get pulled off there.