3x2" wire mesh adequate?

[IRL]

Hi
After discovering how much it would cost to cover my entire run that i am building in 1/2" hardware cloth , I decided to look at my local TSC for alternative options. They assured me that chicken wire would be more than sufficient, but after hanging around on this forum for a while, I know that is not correct. They carry a type of very thick and heavy duty wire mesh/fencing that costs less then half of what the hardware cloth does. I would buy this without hesitation, but the holes are pretty big at 3x2". I live in a rural part of connecticut, and i think that weasels (?) and such might be able to get through. If i cover the bottom 2 feet of the run in half inch hardware cloth to prevent racoons from grabbing, and I lock the chickens and ducks up in secure coops at night, can I get away with 3x2" heavy duty wire mesh?
Thanks for your help!!!!

 

[bfrancis]

I used 2"x4" welded wire for my run and buried it one foot. After that I lined the interior with 36" tall chicken wire and lined the exterior perimeter with bricks. I've also got a net on the top. Here in Oklahoma we have all sorts of night time monsters...bob cats, coyotes, raccoons, etc. You can see my set up my page. All my supplies were bought at TSC. So far, nothing has penetrated my run. Hopefully this helps.

 

[Falcon61]

If you lock them up at night a you have a rooster or two it's prob. ok. I'd go with the 2x4 if you didn't buy it yet.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Quote:
That's about what I do, except mine is the 2" x 4" welded wire. My top is not completely covered so it is possible something can climb in or a hawk could get a chicken in the run, but my coop is very secure at night. I did find a possum in the coop one night when I went to lock up, but I managed to get him before he did any damage. There certainly are risks in doing this but they are within my risk tolerance level.

I use chicken wire instead of hardware cloth over the bottom 18" of the run,not just to keep the raccoons from grabbing but to stop the chickens from sticking their heads out to eat grass where something else can get them.

 

[teach1rusl]

I went with the 2x4 welded wire, with 24 inch hardware cloth around the bottom, so your wire should be fine, especially since you said they would be secured each night. I spent a lot of money on my coop...but covering my entire run in hardware cloth would have simply been TOO $$$$$, so I'm with you!

 

[patandchickens]

It won't keep out weasels, but not much will if they really WANT to get in (they are awfully good at finding the one little gap you missed, and they can climb...). Weasels do not generally do anything during daytime though so as long as you lock the chickens in by nightfall, religiously, every time, they will be fine.

The main knock against 2x3 mesh is that all the stuff I've seen is really pretty flimsy -- sort of 'garden grade' rather than 'livestock grade', you know? I use it for yard fencing and for my cat run, but I would not use it for chickens b/c a dog could disassemble it pretty easily. If you have access to a much heavier gauge, then fine, but AFAIK most of the stuff bieng sold is all the same.

2x4 wire in a heavy (livestock type) gauge is fine for most purposes (as long as chickens are locked up at night), with something smaller-mesh along the bottom 2-3'.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[IRL]

Thanks for your help- are you saying that the 2x4" wire is better? Both the 2x4 and 2x3 is the same gauge.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If they are the same gauge, one is not really better than the other. The 2" x 4" is more readily available for me. I don't remember even seeing the 2" x 3". All other things being equal, I'd probalby go with the smaller openings on the theory that it may just possibly, remotely, highly unlikely but just maybe, keep out some specific right-sized predator, but in all honesty, anything that can get through a 2" x 4" can get through a 2" x 3". If there is a difference in price, all things are not equal and I'd probably go with the less expensive.

I kinda set the limit on the gauge at 17 personally. The smaller the gauge number the heavier the wire. Others probably have other opinions on that but that is my cut off on gauge. I'll just mention that to see hat kind of responce that generates, if any.

Another reason for smaller openings at the bottom is, if you have small chicks, they can get out of the larger openings. You need something smaller to keep them in. The 2" x 3" versus 2" x 4" will not matter there. In either case, you need something smaller.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
What gauge is your 2x4 wire, then?

If they are the same gauge and same quality of welds, then no, 2x4 is not safer than 2x3.


Pat

 

[teach1rusl]

If the guage of the wire is equal, go for the wire w/the smaller openings