Chicken wire strength...

[Shadrach]

Integration of methods people. Do not be extremist touting or rejecting a particular approach because it is the only layer of protection to be used. I use chicken wire frequently under circumstances where predator is not likely to challenge it. In more problematic locations I have had predators defeat hardware cloth. Being halfway smart, the chicken wire is not used in situations where it is the sole barrier keeping predators away. Nor is hardware cloth used solely. LAYERS OF PROTECTION.

 

[Melky]

I see so many people against chicken wire. Hardware mesh for the win, I guess.

I buy 1" galvanized chicken wire from my local farm store. It's STRONG!

If everybody talking about how bad chicken wire is means the 2" stuff, you are absolutely correct! That stuff is crazy weak. It feels like it was made from that wire people use for crafts.

I just can't imagine a predator ripping through the chicken wire I have. My cow has access to the inside door of my coop, which is chicken wire. She used it as a scratching wall. It ripped the staples out, but the chicken wire didn't come untwisted or anything.

I use it whenever I make doors for my coops, brooder covers, and windows. Yeah, it stretches, but I have never seen a hole ripped in the wire, nor have I been able to on the scraps I experiment on.

What are your thoughts? Am I underestimating the strength of a hungry animal, or do most people only have access to 2" chicken wire?

Underestimating in my opinion. The recommendation now is hardware clothe 19 g 1/2 inch. The chicken wire can easily be broken where the staples are with any pressure it just snaps it allowing a predator in immediately. We have repaired ours three times with a staple gun. No attack on the girls. I catch it on first rounds in am and repair right away. If build new and looking at that right now will use the HWC as recommended that has more strength and will not snap. Feel the difference.

 

[Shadrach]

Ooohhhh, yeah, well that's different story.
I have Tpost run too, but only put HC on the bottom 2'....with zipties onto 2x4"x6' welded wire.

Thanks.
That a great grid listing of all their meshes and panels.
The 'Hardware Cloth' there is also only available in 48" widths.
The colloquial names for mesh and fencing types can be very confusing.
HC used in chicken coops usually refers to hole sizes of 1/4" and 1/2" with wire gauges of 23 and 19.

You can get differnt hole dimensions for the stuff on the rolls.
The problem is most likely the search criteria. from what I've seen, hardware cloth normally comes in panels while weldmesh fencing comes in rolls.
I find the weldmesh fencing easier in the long run, for long runs such as a chicken run.
Also, from what I've seen the hardware cloth panels aren't very tall.
I can't remember the gauges available, I think you can get 12 guage but I'm not sure.
I've put up a lot of it.

 

[Shadrach]

Underestimating in my opinion. The recommendation now is hardware clothe 19 g 1/2 inch. The chicken wire can easily be broken where the staples are with any pressure it just snaps it allowing a predator in immediately. We have repaired ours three times with a staple gun. No attack on the girls. I catch it on first rounds in am and repair right away. If build new and looking at that right now will use the HWC as recommended that has more strength and will not snap. Feel the difference.

Staples, using a staple gun won't hold under pressure. If you are stapling to wood, use heavy duty hammer in staples.

 

[Melky]

You can get differnt hole dimensions for the stuff on the rolls.
The problem is most likely the search criteria. from what I've seen, hardware cloth normally comes in panels while weldmesh fencing comes in rolls.
I find the weldmesh fencing easier in the long run, for long runs such as a chicken run.
Also, from what I've seen the hardware cloth panels aren't very tall.
I can't remember the gauges available, I think you can get 12 guage but I'm not sure.
I've put up a lot of it.

The HWC here comes in rolls.

 

[Birdinhand]

poultry netting is what they call the weak stuff here and it's darn close to useless but cheap and easy to apply so it has it's fans. well, by fans I mean people who swear by it who have been using it for months or maybe years without a single problem, only to wake up one day to some or all of their chickens having been killed. I hate to sound like there is only one right way, because really that is a turn off, but real half inch hardware cloth is worth the trouble and cost, it's a once and for all solution that covers the vast majority of predators if it goes 2' into the ground to also keep out the diggers. I'm going 5 years with my set up, and rats can't even get in. we have cayotes here, raccoons and various other vermin, and we are in the burbs. I frame out every 44", use thick galvanized "U" nails and roll out the rolls over the framing and secure every few inches with the U nails. I use screws and washers as come alongs to get the hardware cloth taught for a nice snug fit without the warping. if I had a big run to do, and was able to absolutely without fail close in the chickens at night to an inner coop or roost that was fortified as above, then poultry netting would be an OK option for the day time run if you are willing to take the chance. some folks are ok with occasionally loosing a bird or feel that the expense of being hard core is not worth it, everyone has to make their own call on that one based on their own means and sense of practicality. if it doesn't feel practical to spend the cash up front and you can stomach the idea of occasionally loosing some birds, i'm not one to judge, just be aware that a hungry nursing mother predator can be driven to go to extremes when faced with starvation and you often get no warning and then bam, total devastation. one really bad attack on an inadequate build in my book, makes going the extra mile at the beginning well worth it.

 

[Shadrach]

If you want to make a secure enclosure and if you can afford to do it then the way to do it properly is this.
Buy the right posts for the fence you intend to use. For hardware cloth panels and weldmesh fence you really need rectangular metal fence posts with pre drilled holes.
You need to concrete these into the ground and make sure they are vertical; spacing when using weldmesh rolls isn’t important but getting the posts in line and the same height is. Spacing when using a panel obviously is important.

Weldmesh, stocknet, hardware cloth, chainlink, even chicken wire are meant to be ‘hung fences’ they are not like other panel fences which fix to a post.
The strength of ‘hung fencing’ is dependant on the line wire. Line wire is a heavy duty wire that you thread through the holes in the posts. This ‘line wire’ needs to be tensioned. For short runs this can be done with a bit of imagination and some basic tools like fencing pliers.
Depending on the height of the fence, you will have tow or three horizontal line wires threaded through the posts.
Once you have the posts set and the line wires in place and tensioned, you tie the fence to the line wires. You can buy ‘tie wire’ for this, probably at the same place you get the fencing from.
Lay the fence roll on the ground and roll it out for the length of one face of a run. Cut the fence off the roll at the first corner. Lift the fence up in the middle and with the tie wire secure it to the top line wire. You should do this at a point between every post on the run.
Next tie the fence to the bottom line wire at 6 inch intervals, The fence should not touch the ground at any point on the run. Next tie the middle line wire to the fence at 12 inch interval and finish tying the top at 6 inch intervals. At the start of the fence you bolt the weldmesh for example to the post using a metal bar that grips the weldmesh. You can then tension the weldmesh fence by pulling at the other end. Bolt this end to the post.
Do the next section and so on.
You will want a skirt. You can use the weldmesh for this, Fold as required. dig a trench and tie the vertical portion to the existing weldmesh using the tie wire.
Fro tall fences it can be quite challenging but for most runs it’s not too difficult. A fence like this put up properly will withstand a charging wild boar.

Just thought I would post this in case someone wanted to know how to make a secure fence.

 

[Melky]

Here is a comparison of HWC to Chicken Wire. The smaller the gauge and tougher the product the better predator protection you have. Chicken wire contains but does not protect.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/coop-security-hardware-cloth-vs-chicken/

 

[rjohns39]

My first generation chicken tractors were built with 1" chicken wire held on with staples to the wood frame. One of the top doors was wire and the other tin, the back half was tin. I also run 3 hot wires around the base with a half joule solar energizer. It worked great for two years only lost a couple of birds to the coons.

This spring I had my last two backup holland cockerels in one to keep them safe during a time of heavy predadation. The coons jumped up and down on the lid until the staples failed, ate the birds, then tore a hole in the wire to exit.

My upgraded tractors now have 2x4 welded wire attached with pipe strapping and all of the chicken wire has been covered with 1/2" welded wire. I've also replaced the poly hot wire with galvanized steel. Yup they broke the electric wire on their way out.

Another important note, I quit using staples. I use screws and fender washers to hold the welded wire in place. On my cattle panel hoop houses, I use heavy duty zip ties.

 

[Shadrach]

My first generation chicken tractors were built with 1" chicken wire held on with staples to the wood frame. One of the top doors was wire and the other tin, the back half was tin. I also run 3 hot wires around the base with a half joule solar energizer. It worked great for two years only lost a couple of birds to the coons.

This spring I had my last two backup holland cockerels in one to keep them safe during a time of heavy predadation. The coons jumped up and down on the lid until the staples failed, ate the birds, then tore a hole in the wire to exit.

My upgraded tractors now have 2x4 welded wire attached with pipe strapping and all of the chicken wire has been covered with 1/2" welded wire. I've also replaced the poly hot wire with galvanized steel. Yup they broke the electric wire on their way out.

Another important note, I quit using staples. I use screws and fender washers to hold the welded wire in place. On my cattle panel hoop houses, I use heavy duty zip ties.

Zip ties are probably easier for most people. Tie wire takes a bit of practice.