Chicken Wire = Dead Chickens

[Nicole01]

I finally talked my husband into putting hardware cloth secured under the welded wire. Therefore, I can keep the door open at night and I'll have hubby put 2 removable roosts in the run. This is getting installed on Saturday. I'm only worried about weasels with my run. Double wiring with 2 strong wires should keep the predators out. This couldn't be installed at a better time. The hot weather is just starting this weekend into the 90's.

I free range all day, I have plenty of shaded woods to keep them cool. I have put water in 3 areas, so they can not walk far to drink. Luckily for long hoses, fresh water daily.

Here's my run. We put a steel top on and side paneling.

Free ranging access door, which we can put a combination lock onto while we are at the cabin.

 

[furbabymum]

I'm not a fan of welded wire. When it ages the welding comes apart. We have twisted wire. Same design but twisted together and not welded. Much sturdier.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Nicole, like your run, just one thing, that combo lock will stop honest people. Everyone else not so honest will cut the wire and take the chickens if they want them. It's sad, but true.

 

[Nicole01]

Nicole, like your run, just one thing, that combo lock will stop honest people. Everyone else not so honest will cut the wire and take the chickens if they want them. It's sad, but true.

I do realize that. It's just an extra measure from getting inside our house when not home and we have the dogs. We have a lock on the coop door inside our garage. My husband built a 12x4x9 room inside our garage as the coop. It's the best spot since its mostly cold and snowy here more then hot or nice weather. Durning the nicer and colder days I do lock them behind a steel fireproof door. We need to install a fan as well for the hot days. Just in case they sleep inside. No one would make it out alive with our dogs inside the house if they broke in. I have 2 bigger guard dogs.

We are fencing our 4 acre property to keep the hens from crossing the property line on the nice days. Right now I'm outside with them making sure they stay put. On the hot days, they tend to stay in the woods. You'd think our 4 acres would be enough room.LOL. Not in a chickens mind, they love the bugs next door too.

 

[NevadaRon]

nice coop ,did it cost a fortune to build

and how much for all that chicken wire and alll that is is pvc right

Yes, it did cost a lot to build. But it will also last a long time, as in I'll never have to redo it. So over the long run it is worth it! The wire altogether came to $200-$300 (I don't really remember as it is a few years old now). There is no PVC in the construction, just wire and wood - 4x4 posts and 2x4s on top to tie it all together.

 

[Gargoyle]

Why can't they just rename the stuff? Call it Garden wire or something else..anything else so new chicken owners won't use it!
And Hardware Cloth needs to be renamed Chicken wire....there, my rant is over

I agree. Also, I question just putting buried hardware cloth for an apron around a run, I'm concerned it will rust out in a couple years. My original run is on a concrete slab, but we just completed an extension. For that part I wanted a dirt floor with weeds so they could scratch and forage, and the ground is damp in this area- rust is a real issue. We laid chain link down, then hardware cloth, and then 4 or 5 inches of dirt. The chain link shouldn't rust for at least 15 or 20 years.

I need to put together a coop page on our project, or at least start a thread, but in the meantime the photos are linked from my sig (Fowlies Bregere) and here's a photo of the chain link before pouring the concrete footings and burying it.