Chicken Coop Wire

[rtda4]

Hello,
I live in the country with alot of pest around that would like to feast on my new chicken I will be getting. My run is 10x15, what type of wire would be best to use on the run. I have looked at the chicken wire and I'm not sure it would be strong enough. Maybe a welded 2x2 or 2x4? Would love some suggestions!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

The hardware cloth or squirrel wire is really good. I have poultry fencing but don't keep anything in those pens overnight.
I don't use any type of fencing like for dogs because the predators just reach in and grab the birds. Chickens may not move and just sit there and get eaten so it needs to be a nice fencing that will be strong and small spaced holes.
Don't forget to cover the top of the run, too.

 

[rizq]

I like the 1 x 1 wire, but it is awfully expensive here. Can only get in 15' rolls of 30" cage wire. My pen is 2 x 4 farm fence (heavy gauge) AND 24" chicken wire around the bottom so little ones cannot get out and critters cannot reach in. Works well for me. My dad's pen is chicken wire surrounded by electric fencing and nothing has gotten any of his birds either. The hot wire is pretty effective at keeping canine intruders out. I know his pen needs securing, though, because there a places a coon could get in if it wanted to (our dogs usually keep them away though as they are penned about 5 feet away from the weakness in the coop).

Personally, I would love to find a good source of 48" 1 x 1 wire for my new pens, but have had no luck thus far and it would cost a fortune to use rabbit cage wire.

 

[gkeesling]

I live out in the country with coyotes, raccoons, oppossums, the occasional stray dog running around, and hawks flying overhead. I'm deathly afraid of critters getting in with my chickens. My run is 7' high. I put 1/2" hardware cloth 3' from the bottom and chicken wire on the top part. I also put some netting over the top. when the ground thaws I'm going to put some other type of wire fence down into the ground and "L" it out a little so that critters can't dig under. I'm not sure what kind of wire fence to put in the ground though. Any suggestions would be great.