2x4 welded wire on tractor?

[zacksimpson]

I am planning on making some hoop house meat tractors to grow out some ranger meat birds in my side yard/pasture. I see a lot of chicken wire used on these over the cattle panel, but I have a bunch of 2x4 wire left from other projects. is the opening on that going to be too big for birds old enough to go to pasture? I'm guessing not, but id hate to lose my first batch of meatys because I had too big of openings on my pens.

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

It depends on what kind of predators you have. Will the house have roosts high off the ground?

 

[zacksimpson]

My layers have 2x4 and have never had any issues besides the occasional snake. never any digging issues. probably won't have many if any roosts being for meat birds. I'm mostly wondering if 3 week old freedom rangers will squeeze through 2x4

 

[Fat Daddy]

I have ran 2"x4" wire for years on my pens. The only loss iv had was when a pullet decided she likes to sleep outside in a corner. This leaves them exposed to being killed by a owl or coon. Iv had very good luck with it!

 

[zacksimpson]

That's one thing I hadn't considered. with them not roosting, they may sleep up against the wire.

 

[Fat Daddy]

Any outside pen is subject to owls and coons. The birds can't see at night and night critters use this.... I have the most trouble with owls.... this one is working on a chukar pen. Anytime a bird sleeps against the wire they are in danger...

 

[Evan W]

I put 2x4 wire over my cattle panels and have not had a problem. I did put aluminum around the perimeter to keep raccoons from reaching in. I was in process of finishing the coop, vinyl siding is installed on the other side now.

 

[DT12]

I had a pen with 2x4 wire and in one night this owl killed 5 meat birds. I put a 10” wide strip of hardware cloth around the bottom. No issues after that.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I have ran 2"x4" wire for years on my pens. The only loss iv had was when a pullet decided she likes to sleep outside in a corner. This leaves them exposed to being killed by a owl or coon. Iv had very good luck with it!
View attachment 1088183

I used the welded wire on the outside and poultry wire on the inside, so coons can't reach in and grab because of the space the 2x4s create. Worked great in TN with heavy predation. For my quail pens i used 1/2 " hardware cloth.