building a safe pen

[softmentor]

I need to build a coyote and owl proof pen. Is 2" by 4" welded wire that is commonly used for fence safe to use for a geese pen?
I am a total rookie wanting to get my first geese (never even had a chicken before.) I plan on starting with 2 pair now but will eventually want to hatch my own under the geese and eventually have 5 to 8 breeding pair and as many as 50 birds at a time (the breeding pairs and their hatching goslings)
will 2 x 4 wire be safe for both adults and goslings?
My second thought/option is poultry wire over the 2 x 4 wire. Poultry wire alone is not strong enough to keep coyotes out so would put a second later of wire over the 2 x 4, with the poultry wire on the bird side so they can not stick their heads through it or climb out through it.
or ??? what would be a good (low cost) way to build a good pen?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I need to build a coyote and owl proof pen. Is 2" by 4" welded wire that is commonly used for fence safe to use for a geese pen?
I am a total rookie wanting to get my first geese (never even had a chicken before.) I plan on starting with 2 pair now but will eventually want to hatch my own under the geese and eventually have 5 to 8 breeding pair and as many as 50 birds at a time (the breeding pairs and their hatching goslings)
will 2 x 4 wire be safe for both adults and goslings?
My second thought/option is poultry wire over the 2 x 4 wire. Poultry wire alone is not strong enough to keep coyotes out so would put a second later of wire over the 2 x 4, with the poultry wire on the bird side so they can not stick their heads through it or climb out through it.
or ??? what would be a good (low cost) way to build a good pen?

You haven't taken into consideration the other preds besides the owl and coyote. There are mink weasel and depending on what part of the county martens etc. Raccoon one of the worst and hawks. If your going to keep them in a pen I'd suggest 2"X4' welded wire and hardware cloth up 3' around and a skirt going out 2' from bottom out from outside of pen to keep out diggers and you'll need to cover the top and secure because alot of preds climb. Money invested will pay off on safe birds. If you use poultry wire mink can get through 1" opening so It really isn't safe.

I'd also suggest buying" The Book of Geese" alot of great information along with pics.

Welcome to BYC @softmentor

 

[softmentor]

we don't have any of those other critters, glad to say. Well, hawks yes but what works for the owls should work for them.
Yes I was planning on burying the wire a bit to keep the coyoties from digging under.
So it sounds like the 2x4 fence wire is ok? and safe for geese?

 

[Gray Farms]

2x4 will work. Like Miss Lydia said I'd put poultry or ideally hardware cloth up 3 feet to keep geese from sticking their heads through and new goslings can get through 2x4 wire. You'll have to have a large pen for up to 8 pairs of geese so I'd recommend flight netting for the top. I keep my geese "15 adults" in a yard that is about a 1/3 of an acre "three 50x100 foot pens" and they nearly graze it into the ground. Its broke up into 3 sections so I can rotate them around.

 

[softmentor]

Thanks! I don't have any other predictors. They simply don't come this far into the valley. they stick to the edges of the mountain.
sounds like 4 foot hardware cloth with a foot burred to stop digging, then the 2x4 wire above that and also the 2x4 to make a "roof"
don't need to worry about rain, we rarely get any and the ground is very sandy so it just soaks right through. I'll toss a few palm fronds over the wire to make shade.

 

[Gray Farms]

Sounds like a good plan