Coop fencing question.

[86121]

So...We are getting one of those big red Amish built chicken coops, and since we have predator concerns we need to fence it in.
So...The fence is no problem. Typical chicken wire with railroad ties and 2 by 4's.<- Scratch that! Apparently chicken wire is about as useful as a OC on an angry bear by itself.
We will be using 2x4 welded wire over the chicken wire or hardware cloth.

However my mother and I are having a debate. Enclose the top with bird mesh? Or spend the extra money and close the top with chicken wire as well.

Any ideas or suggestions?


And a question for someone else that if you wont mind giving ideas suggestions to as well:


"Has anyone ever used studded T-posts? This is what I am looking at for my run... Maybe some 4-5 foot ones. But, in that scenario, I wouls have to make the top removable, so that I could get in there... And I still haven't figure out how to make a door to let the chickens out. I want my run to be cheap, but effective. They will only be in there in the mornings, and possibly on bad weather days... All the rest of the time they free-range. The reason that it has to be cheap is that I have to come up with the money for it. And I am hoping to have it done before May 5/6...

Let me know what y'all think..."

 

[BarefootMom]

FYI Chicken wire will not keep predators out. Most animals can rip right through chicken wire. I would recomend using 2x4 welded wire over the chicken wire or hardware cloth.

as for the top- I don't know we don't worry too much about the top of the pen

 

[kwork]

Everyone here will tell you that Chicken Wire (hexagon shaped, twisted together thin wire) is only good at keeping chickens IN. Anything else that wants to get in to your chickens will tear through Chicken Wire like trying to keep me out of a pan of banana pudding with a sheet of Saran Wrap. Just not nearly secure enough. Hardware Cloth or Welded Wire is the way to go. For the top, many people use Deer Netting. It's fairly strong, comes in wide rolls, and isn't too expensive.

I'm sure more people will chime in.

 

[86121]

Quote:
Oh, alright, thank you for that!
We have Eagles and hawks where we are so that is why we are concerned about fencing in the top.

 

[86121]

Quote:
Yup, thank you very much

The person before you beat you to the punch XD But thank you all the same!

Deer netting hu? That will keep the Hawks out and help prevent any other critters from getting in?

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
No, it will keep hawks out (more or less) but it will not keep anything else out. Basically it plays the same role as chickenwire but cheaper and less obnoxious to work with.

Pat

 

[86121]

Quote:
No, it will keep hawks out (more or less) but it will not keep anything else out. Basically it plays the same role as chickenwire but cheaper and less obnoxious to work with.

Pat

Ah, alright thank you!

Any other suggestions then?

 

[mychookschick]

Thanks for the chicken wire and topping tips!

I, too, am building my first run! I think that I am looking at going with hardware cloth, but we'll see. So as to not hijack this thread, I will probably make my own...

 

[klen]

I was talking to my coop guy yesterday and he said he'd recommend the weilded wire over the top because the gaps are too big for a racoon to walk on. The legs would just slip through. And it's apparently cheaper in my area.

 

[patandchickens]

Not sure what to suggest without knowing what you are trying to achieve? (if it is JUST keeping chickens in and hawks out, deer netting is probably the most sensible solution, although it will come down in snow. If you want something that will not come down in snow you need to look at either aviary type netting -- which will sag badly in snow but can be reset, and is not raccoon-proof -- or a welded wire product such as 2x4" wire)

Pat