Deer Fence at Lowes

[bostonrob]

Hi All, Im a noobie to Chickens and am just building our coop now. Im at the stage of building the run and have read all your advise on wire/mesh and about not using deer fencing. Well I was at Lowes and was going for 2x4 Galv Wire fencing when they had rolls of 5 or 6 feet of "deer fencing" however some of the rolls were marked as Galvanized wire fencing and others marked Deer fencing. It was 16 GA poly coated welded wire.

When your referring to deer fencing on this site are you normally talking about a poly product with no "metal" or is this 16 GA welded wire fencing I saw what your saying not to use?

Throwing out the obvious answer of the largest you can afford what is an acceptable gauge wire fence to use for a run?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Most people I believe think of deer fencing as the plastic stuff. That is what they call it at my feed store.

I personally buy the 2 x 4 inch galvanized 5 foot high fencing for some of my fencing. It keeps in my heavy brown egglayers and it costs about $100 for 100 feet (or did when I bought mine).

If you are making a smallish run and they will be confined in there, do consider lining the bottom vertically with some chicken wire or hardware cloth to keep the hawks and owls from pulling them through (and coons).

Only 1/2 inch hardware cloth is predator proof (rats, weasels) but is very expensive. Some like me choose to just make sure they are closed up at night and use the 2 x 4 welded wire.


Google "hardware cloth apron" as well, to see how to apron out at the bottom to prevent digging predators from burrowing in. You would also need a roof or fencing on top to keep the climbers (coons) from getting in if you want to go that route. You can use overhead heavy knotted netting (think snow load when hanging) if you just want to keep out hawks.

So you can go very expensive or cheaper, depending on how tough you want it to be. Some use dog kennel panels and move them around. If you go with chainlink remember to line the bottom vertically with some chicken wire or hardware cloth or they may get pulled through- even in daytime.

 

[bostonrob]

Thanks for the reply.

so ultimately is it better to have 2x4 mesh at 14GA or 2x3 mesh at 16GA? I have the 2x4 @ 4' and I get get the 2x3 @5 or 6 for both the same price. I got Hardware cloth for the space under the coop but I just cant afford to do the whole thing in it.

 

[bostonrob]

Ive got 13 SexLink's BTW

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Thanks for the reply.

so ultimately is it better to have 2x4 mesh at 14GA or 2x3 mesh at 16GA? I have the 2x4 @ 4' and I get get the 2x3 @5 or 6 for both the same price. I got Hardware cloth for the space under the coop but I just cant afford to do the whole thing in it.

I am not familiar with the gauge ratings of the fencing.

Hmm hopefully you can get some other responses!

Four foot high fencing won't keep my heavy brown egglayers in, just so you know. My Buff Orps at the time flew right over.

 

[bostonrob]

i do plan on putting a roof on the run.. was planning on corrugate plastic. i have lots of hawks and owls here.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

i do plan on putting a roof on the run.. was planning on corrugate plastic. i have lots of hawks and owls here.

I have found the corrugated plastic to be very breakable - some wind came through and tore mine up. I will only use metal from now on. If you get lots of wind you may want to consider metal.

Of course metal can get blown around too LOL.

My roofing wasn't attached very sturdily.