chicken wire??

[n2h20]

so i guesss "chicken" wire isnt really strong enough to protect the chickens. Is it because predators can rip through the wire? ir is the way the wire is attached to the frame? i have 2x6 horizontal boards as my support and was going to sandwich the wire in between another 1x6 board attached with 2" screws.

btw way what exactly is hardware cloth??
thanks peeps...

 

[WriterofWords]

Chicken wire is to keep them in, not others out.

 

[smom1976]

I used chicken wire and field fence.. the kind with the 2x4 holes.. I used the chicken wire to keep the babies in and the field fence to keep others out. hardware cloth has small holes... like 1/2 inch squares is an example

 

[n2h20]

btw... im really only worried about the raccoons.. as my yard is fenced in and dont have coyotes entering my yard...

 

[krcote]

i have chain-link fencing with chicken wire on top of that and i haven't had a problem yet! the smaller the holes the better- but sometimes you have to use what you've got!

 

[CarlaRiggs]

There is chicken wire..... and then there's chicken wire.

I just purchased 18 gauge stucco wire; it's the 1" hexagon size and looks exactly like chicken wire. However, it's an 18 gauge, which is really quite hardy. Predators are not going to come right through this stuff.

I keep reading about chicken wire not being up to par, but it's the gauge (thickness of wire) that counts. Some of the hardware cloth is quite light weight, also. I wouldn't count on that to keep out predators.

If anyone is looking to purchase wire for her cage/run, be aware of the wire's gauge. Higher the number, weaker the wire.

A raccoon can put its hand through the 1" hexagon (so I've been told), and kill a hen. My coop has 1/2" hardware cloth, size 19 gauge. The run is used during the day, when the raccoons are absent, and is made with the stucco wire.

Carla