Chicken Wire is really Expensive! Any suggestions?

[Dogfish]

My coop is 2x4 welded wire with hardware cloth around the bottom three. Electric fence starts at 4", then 3', and then the top.

 

[dacjohns]

This is what I did, and I don't have bears in the area. I also realize that my coop is nowhere predator proof. Calculated risk.

Old shed converted into the coop. Tried to plug holes to keep the big guys out. Run made with 2" X 4" 4' high welded wire fencing buried a few inches in the ground. Chicken wire over the walls and roof of the run.

Snakes can and do get in. Raccoons have got in until we closed the raccoon sized holes. They can get in a pretty small hole. No problems with weasels or mink but it could happen.

 

[Chicken0Boy]

http://www.tractorsupply.com/fencing/welded-wire-fencing/welded-wire-72-in-x-100-ft--3626504

What do you guys think about this as my main and hardware cloth at the bottom?

 

[Dogfish]

Exactly what I used.

 

[Chicken0Boy]

Did it work good?

 

[Dogfish]

So far. Added hardware cloth around the bottom.

 

[Chicken0Boy]

Thats is exactly what I am thinking about doing!

 

[calista]

Unfortunately, with choosing wire for your coop and run, it really boils down to "YOU CAN PAY NOW, OR YOU CAN PAY LATER." Predators have an AMAZING ability to find and utilize the smallest of gaps, so we bit the bullet and used half-inch hardware cloth on the whole double run, including the overheads.

I'd much rather pay up front and BE SURE, than have to go through the heartbreak and expense of replacing my flock AND replacing my standard poultry wire.

One time-intensive method that worked for a friend of mine was driving around and looking for older farms in the area (northern California) with dilapidated coops and fences. When she discovered a place with an old coop and sagging fences, she was able to negotiate a good deal with the owner for the fencing material, almost all of which was hardware cloth. Hope that helps.