chickenwire questions

[Q9]

Okay, I hate to start a whole thread on a somewhat dumb question, but here goes:

The coop that we plan on constructing is the Catawba Converticoop. I keep hearing about how "hardware cloth" is better than chickenwire. We have a dog in a fenced in backyard, so she'll take care of any predators, but she might want some chicken as well. Should we use hardware cloth in the design instead? Is it more expensive? And where can we find it?

 

[anthonyjames]

I am curious to know why chicken wire is not as good.

It is strong, 40 inches tall or at least mine is.

 

[chilling in muscadine]

The word "chicken wire is deceiving." While it will keep chickens in it will NOT keep predators out. That is the thing. You will want to use another type wire for the security of your flock. I have found hardwire cloth to be to expensive for my needs so what we do is build our pen out of a stronger guage wire and then cover that wire with the chickens wire.

I either use a 2x4 gauge {some people call dog wire} or chainlink fence to start with. Home Depot has a good selection. Trust me when I say that all the people I have read about on this board that went with chcken wire and had a predator are now sorry they did so. Good luck.

 

[SpunkyTheMonkey]

Quote:
because they can stick their heads through the holes and get them bitten off. because coons (and other predators?) can reach through and pull the chickens out piece by piece.

it's fine for keeping chickens, in places or out of places but not for predator proofing.

Quote:
yes and yes, but the extra cost for a small coop should be less than replacing half of your chickens later

 

[hac1224]

What about 1" cage wire?

 

[patandchickens]

Also most of the chickenwire made these days is pretty flimsy. Some of it I can rip apart myself and I am not especially strong... raccoons and dogs are a LOT stronger than you think they are, and more determined.

I would suggest going to the "Predators and Pests" section of BYC and browsing threads to see how many people have chickenwire literally ripped apart by critters going in after chickens. It's not how many people *haven't* had problems ("yet...") that matters, it's the fact that many people DO.

Of course you can use whatever you like, but hardwarecloth really is a lot more secure for vents etc in the coop, and for the run it is more secure either to use hardwarecloth or to use a strong heavy-gauge 1x1 or 2x4" welded wire mesh with something smaller (hardwarecloth, or even 1/2" chickenwire if you can find it) doubled on the inside of it for the bottom 2-3' to prevent reach-through.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[chilling in muscadine]

Quote:
Exactly, it really isn't much trouble to run the chicken wire inside of the stronger wire and its worth its weight in gold for the security of knowing your flock is safe. That feeling is priceless. If you have chickens you WILL have predators. Good luck

 

[Q9]

How much more expensive is hardware cloth, and where can we find it?

BTW, the only predator that worries us is our kill-happy dog. Thanks to our yard's small size, any other predator is dead meat. Other dogs won't bother us (fence). Would hardware wire be strong enough to hold off our dog until she gets used to them? She's probably too stupid to think to go for the wire anyway.

 

[annek]

It is a lot more expensive. I think it runs around 1.00 a linear foot or so depending where you buy it and width. I may be off on that but I think I was buying the 48" x 50' roll for around 50.00 or so. You can buy it at TSC, HD, Lowes and of the big stores.

 

[crazyhen]

Another good reason to use the hardware cloth is that chicken wire rust terrible and quickly for me in NC. Another is even a small dog can go through the chicken wire with its teeth in minutes. I saw it.
Get a good wire even if you have to go a bit smaller. Add to it as you can afford it. You won't regret getting the hardware cloth but you will the chicken wire. Its also harder to put up. The chicken wire is sort of flimsy, harder to get to hang straight. Gloria Jean