Affordable hardware cloth -- where to buy?

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Acorn-I...ft-x-100-ft-Hardware-Cloth-HC248100/300180171

So is this sufficient? This has been the best price I have found (so far), but I would have to order it.

I would order it if I needed it. Go for it. I hope you have someone to help you with the roll. I handled mine by myself and it was a struggle.

 

[Tre3hugger]

I would order it if I needed it. Go for it. I hope you have someone to help you with the roll. I handled mine by myself and it was a struggle.

That's good advice. The 100ft roll will be quite heavy/cumbersome. Also recommend gloves while handling. @humblehillsfarm let us know what you decide!

 

[Tre3hugger]

Just rechecked my order. It was actually a 25 ft roll I got, for $60. My bad. So for 100ft roll you're getting a good price.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

That's good advice. The 100ft roll will be quite heavy/cumbersome. Also recommend gloves while handling. @humblehillsfarm let us know what you decide!

I will have help. I will confer with my boyfriend what he thinks. This is for the chicken run, which will have space under the coop, which is 20'X10', so I will need at least 3' of wire to go around that portion (including burying it), and then the remaining run is also 20"X10", and I wanted at least 7-8' of wire around it, with the rest being covered with plywood (to save money on fencing). There will be a metal roof over the run. I will have a lot of money in fencing materials, but predators, especially bears, and coyotes are an enormous problem. There are plenty of racoons too, but they have mostly been occupied with my garden and not the chickens.

 

[DouglasB]

Anyone have advice on the best place to buy hardware cloth? I have near me: Rural King, Lowe's, Tractor Supply, Ace Hardware, and Southern States.

I bought some at lowes, expensive and usually small quanity. I found that online sellers have a much bigger selection, and lower prices.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I will have help. I will confer with my boyfriend what he thinks. This is for the chicken run, which will have space under the coop, which is 20'X10', so I will need at least 3' of wire to go around that portion (including burying it), and then the remaining run is also 20"X10", and I wanted at least 7-8' of wire around it, with the rest being covered with plywood (to save money on fencing). There will be a metal roof over the run. I will have a lot of money in fencing materials, but predators, especially bears, and coyotes are an enormous problem. There are plenty of racoons too, but they have mostly been occupied with my garden and not the chickens.

Same here for the predators. There have been bear sightings very near to me, however I've not seen any evidence (such as scat). My coop and run is predator proof, but if a bear were inclined to have a chicken dinner they could break through the HC. If bears are really a problem I would encourage you to invest in electric fencing.

 

[Ted Brown]

...There will be a metal roof over the run. I will have a lot of money in fencing materials, but predators, especially bears, and coyotes are an enormous problem. There are plenty of racoons too, but they have mostly been occupied with my garden and not the chickens.

Please be aware that 19 gauge wire will not stop bears and may not even stop a determined coyote (not sure on this but have read big dogs can go through HC).

The only way to deter bears is with HOT electric fence.

 

[LilRedmamma]

Anyone have advice on the best place to buy hardware cloth? I have near me: Rural King, Lowe's, Tractor Supply, Ace Hardware, and Southern States.

Sometimes TheRestore (Habitat for Humanity) has such supplies. Cheapest I got: 2 rolls @15ft at Menards, sorry can't recall the $$. Wish we had a Rural King.
Any predators larger than a coon, it's good advice to pay xtra (if u can) for hot wire around the perimeter. We'd seen coons and possums... proof I was right to install HC, stuff kept getting knocked off the shed shelf, then I found poo! So hubby bought a $30 Harbor Freight trap. That week 2 coons and 2 possums were caught (and he turned loose in the country). Now, I learned there's a fox in my area But ya can't catch a bear...
The top of the run is the mesh that holds freight inside a semi-trailer from my husband's work (free). It's rated up to 400 lbs/foot. I attached every 6 inches with zipties. This pic is rough install. It was sweaty work but so far it's kept out the critters.

 

[rayrose]

Just rechecked my order. It was actually a 25 ft roll I got, for $60. My bad. So for 100ft roll you're getting a good price.

That's expensive. I got my 50 ft rolls, which are much easier to handle for around $80 at Walmart

 

[Tre3hugger]

That's expensive. I got my 50 ft rolls, which are much easier to handle for around $80 at Walmart

Unfortunately when I bought it I needed it quick and HD was the only one who had it in stock.