At what point is overkill on permiter run fencing?

In my experience hardware cloth is pretty heavy duty... I'm not sure why I would need to add the welded wire if I do hardware cloth?

We haven't had any problems with bears, but they are around. I'm guessing they aren't going to be a big issue.
It's heavy enough for everything up to a raccoon, I'd say. I know there's been photos of dogs and large male raccoons tearing through HWC.

My run definitely isn't predator proof but it's mostly predator resistant for our needs thus far: chain link with concreted in posts, HWC up the bottom few feet and out, and netting over the top for aerial predators. We do have bears but again, lazy ones. Even chain link wouldn't do anything if a bear wanted to go through it.
 
To the title: When you can no longer access your chickens 😅

To the body of the post:
We have found 2x4 4ft welded wire "No climb" fence with metal t-posts every 8 ft to be sufficient for our chicken yards.
It's less pricey which helps us give them a big yard.
During the day, when chickens can see, and they have room to get away there's really no benefit to using HW cloth at a height predators could climb over.
For enclosed runs where the chickens may not all be able to move away far enough, fast enough, HW cloth is necessary. But an open situation allows for 2x4 holes. Hope I worded that in a way that makes sense.

When my chickens see any kind of ground predator approaching (including giant bugs / horror leaves) someone will sound the alarm and they all skedaddle. They have room to skedaddle without slowing each other down and can avoid the fences.
Aerial predators are their biggest threat, but thankfully our crows harry the hawks away.

If I was going to spend more on exterior fencing, it would be to add another foot or two to the height. Most of the chickens are contained just fine, but some are better fliers and may hop over. This is more common when they are juveniles or pullets just coming into lay (the worst for hoppage).

Ground predators are capable of climbing fences... the options for that include a strand of hot wire, a guardian dog, or observant human presence (our situation). We also have a 2 stage fence, inner and outer yard, so that is more intimidating to a climbing critter.

We still use HW cloth on all coop openings, and the run for young chicks off the big brooder.
How tall would you recommend the fence to be, espt to prevent hopping over?
 

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