Chicken Wire VS. Hardware Cloth (WHEN DOES PRICE BECOME UNREASONABLE?)

[chickenwhisperer123]

Okay, I think Im gonna spend the extra money...
Thanks everybody!

 

[Pullet Pimp]

Quote:
Holy Cow

I live in the wrong neck of the woods. A 25ft roll of 1/2" that is only 3' cost me $56.00 here.

So I respect your cheapness but I would spend the extra too.

 

[Anny]

chicken wire is really flimsy and you'll find your self having to repair it often.

 

[patandchickens]

There are options besides chickenwire and hardwarecloth, you know

If the chickens will be shut into the house part at night, there is a lot to be said for 1x1" welded wire for the run. or even 1x2 if you can get it in a heavy gauge and don't mind living dangerously. (Chicks can get through this mesh size, as can chicken heads)

Another possibility is to fence the run iwth 2x4" welded wire and put 1/2" chickenwire (or even 1" chickenwire, but it's not as good) inside of that. The larger mesh provides the strength, the smaller provides reasonable protection vs reach-through (inspect regularly for damage).

For the actual house part of the coop, I'd suggest hardwarecloth, or if the roost will be far enough from mesh areas you could consider 1x1 welded wire mesh (good heavy gauge) with 1/2" chcikenwire inside of it as a not-as-good but not insanely vulnerable alternative.

Good lcuk, have fun,

Pat

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

Quote:
Holy Cow

I live in the wrong neck of the woods. A 25ft roll of 1/2" that is only 3' cost me $56.00 here.

So I respect your cheapness but I would spend the extra too.

WOW!!! Here a 25' roll of 3' tall is $40.00!!

 

[cawooduck]

If you are worried about predators go with plywood along the bottom 2' of the pen, then chicken wire from there to the top of the pen. Chicks cant get out, chickens cant poke their heads out and risk an aerial attack from hawks, and if predators can't see in it is less likely they will pursue what they cant see. You can get 16 lineal feet out of a sheet of plywood if its cut in half. I used the compressed chip board on my wifes chicken pen and it is holding up just fine. The cost per sheet of that stuff is $7. I used 3 sheets for her 16' x 8' pen. On my 30' x 30' duck pen i used 8 sheets for a grand total of almost $60. It will also help guard against snakes as well. And if it gets really windy out, it acts as a wind barrier as well.

 

[ivan3]

in the wrong neck of the woods. A 25ft roll of 1/2" that is only 3' cost me $56.00 here.

My apologies: The receipt from our poultry ledger contradicts my `sunny' (frayed `wetware') estimate. $48.53 for 50ft., July, 2006. We bought three rolls (hadn't seen the 48" anywhere else).

Other prices to compare over time: 72"x150'. chicken wire (poultry netting) 2005: $123.75 A deer cleared the east side of the turkey run without touching it and tore through the west side without slowing down (blood and hair and turks cut wandering, curious about it all).

The deer incident led to: 72"x100' 1"x2". welded wire fencing: 2006: $222.00. This has since stood up nicely to the efforts of someone's overweight lab. (probably wouldn't stop a deer but might give it pause and sufficient time for one of us to retire that particular ungulate rat).

If you are in MO and need the 72" fencing, MFA usually has it in stock.

I see a lot of well built coops on BYC (chickenwisperer's is one), outfitting framed-up mansions with what amounts to raccoon saran wrap windows and walls isn't cost effective (Factor in costs related to increased anxiety when away from home and the resulting stress on one's cardiovascular system...)

Gamebird flight maintenance #50lb : $15.44
BOSS 50lb.: $18.90
Flock Block: $ 8.00
recurring intermittents, i.e.,
DE/ivermectin/bullets/etc. +$100. yr.

Hardware cloth and welded wire (direct current?) seems a steal (imo).

ETA: Heavy predator load, here: YMMV in less `restrictive' environments​

 

[hippie]

i would go with the welded wire. my first country experience with hardware cloth was not a good one. a racoon can be very determined. they tore a hole through the 1/4 inch and had a guinea/chicken feast. they left some hair on the loose wire end that let me know that it wasn't a dog. i switched to welded wire and haven't had any problems. i even have welded wire on the outside of the house over my windows cause i don't trust them not to tear through the screen on warm nights.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
This is just the BEST quote! Especially the raccoon saran wrap part

<applause>,

Pat

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
Well believe it or not, we DO have predators such as coons and possums running around in the middle of the city. That includes sewer rats! And I made that mistake of using light guage wire for my chickens and the pit bull dogs went thru it with their powerful jaws without batting an eye and killed almost all of my chickens. So hardware wire is the way to go whether you live in city or not. ALL predators if hungry enough, they will go great lengths getting into the coops or runs to access the easy meals.

I'd rather pay the extra 60 dollars rather than spending on chicks and raising them and then lose them again and again.