Chickenwire = Danger

[tazcat70]

We bought chicken wire for the coop we are going to build. I was planning on putting "rabbit wire" around the bottom. I have cats and dogs. The holes on the chicken wire are large enough for the cats to stick a paw in and grab a chicken.

We are planning for it to be moveable and I was wondering if there is anyway to make the run safer so that something won't be able to dig under it and get into the run. I was thinking about laying 2x8's along the ground on the outside and my husband said that they would just dig under that too...any ideas?

Thanks,
Tonya

 

[silkiechicken]

We have cheap stuff all over the place because the average joe will buy the cheap pos rather than the quality one which will last 10x longer but is just 3x more expensive. It's easier to spend a little all the time than alot a few times for most people.

As for chicken wire quality. Yeah.... We have chicken wire out here from the 40's and that stuff is tough compared to the new junk you find in the stores! I swear you could almost jut pick the new stuff apart!

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
I have the same problem. I move my coops around and doing the L shaped wire along the bottom so they can't dig just doesn't work well for my purposes. Well. I lost my two roo's last night to a predator that dug under the wood. I reinforced the big coop and don't think I'll be housing anybody in the smaller ones for the winter since I want to keep them moving. One thing you could try to do is make L shaped frames out of something and have thoes portable too. So when you want to move the whole cage, just go and move the wire anti-dig frames too.

 

[suburbanhomesteader]

Silkie-
Sorry about your loss.

Meg

 

[seminolewind]

First off, Rufus! You took all the Chinese words right outta my mouth!!!!!!!!
On my coop windows, I put 3 separate layers of chicken wire over it. Over the top of my run, I have sun shade fabric, which is great for shade and hawk protection.
Some people may want to use cement floors under their coops.
I hate chicken wire, I will never use it again, its dangerous, I have scratches, cuts, ripped shirts, and could have poked my eyes out with it. My run is predetor resistant, but my coop is predator proof as far as I know, and that's where they go at night

 

[rufus]

Sorry about the rant, but that is the way I feel.

Now about chicken wire, the best way to handle it is to run a rod through it, in and out of the holes. Tack down one end with fence staples and then strectch it out using the rod to hold and stretch it. When it is in place, have someone else tack it down with fence staples. Then nail a one by two over the ends. Critters can pull the wire out of the fence staples, but they can't pull the one by two off.

Old chicken wire is the best. Never throw it away, just recycle it.

Rufus

 

[MissPrissy]

I prefer and use hardware cloth.

 

[earthnut]

I agree about importations, but the reality is people buy the cheapest stuff not the best stuff.

 

[tazcat70]

We took the poultry wire back and got hardware wire. One less thing to worry about.

Tonya

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Yay Tonya!