Double layer chicken wire?

[sue121507]

I know hardware mesh is usually recommended, but I came across some really cheap chicken wire. Do you think it would be safe if I did a double layer of it?

 

[0die]

what's wrong with a single layer of chicken wire? It's called chicken wire for a reason...

 

[Bryant Redhawk]

I know hardware mesh is usually recommended, but I came across some really cheap chicken wire. Do you think it would be safe if I did a double layer of it?

What are you using it for? That is the first thing to know before I could make any comment.

 

[sue121507]

To buil a coop, cover the run mostly.

 

[eviemethugh]

If it's the only thing between your chickens and danger...I would still spring for the tightest hardware cloth I could afford. Chicken wire is just so pliable, animals that use their hands will pull and tug until they find a way. Hardware cloth just really doesn't allow for that. Also, think if you sat on a double layer of chicken cloth...would it hold you up or would you fall in? Depending on the expanse you are covering chicken wire just really might not be up for a large dog jumping on top and getting tangled up in it.
Chicken wire will hold back a chicken, not a predator. Just like if you use electric fence you set it for your predators size, not the animal inside. (To the person who said its called chicken wire for a reason.)

 

[0die]

my bottom 2 feet is hardware cloth...the rest is chicken wire...it's anchored solid...unless they chew thru directly the wire they are probably not getting anywhere...not gonna be able to pull it out or to the side to get around it. I would have trouble pulling the chicken wire aside without tools

 

[Bryant Redhawk]

For a run, tightly stretched and fastened chicken wire will leave holes big enough for a raccoon's hands to reach through, this is never good for your chooks, they will be killed and left inside the run. For a roof on a run chicken wire is acceptable if you can support it well enough that a heavy critter (raccoon, opossum) won't fall through. If you have enough posts around your run, you can use heavy wire to create a lattice of wires and then put chicken wire over those.

We live in the country, surrounded by woods, we have fox, raccoon, opossum, wild dogs, coyotes and cats as main predators. Our set up uses chicken wire as one layer, covering from top to bottom. Over that we have used 6' tall, 1/2" square hardware cloth that goes up 4' with the other 2' laid out away from the run and stapled to the ground, this is covered with dirt and grass so it is hidden from view. We may end up adding a single hot wire on the outside but so far we have not had any animals try to climb this fencing.

To keep air predators out we have strung multiple runs of wire, crossing so there is no empty space more than one square foot, this keeps hawks, eagles and owls from getting in. The chooks are put up in their coop every night before dark and the doors locked. For our situation this setup is working very well.

I think you have to assess all the needs you have before making decisions on what to use and how best to use it.

If we find out we need extra protection, then I will put up a new fence of 2" x 4" wire fencing inside what is already up on the outside of our posts.

 

[birds4kids]

Weasel will go right through chicken wire and pose a real danger.

 

[0die]

well I'm in the city so I hope no weasels then...All I've seen here are possums, and stay tom cats. I trap and relocate those as they appear..

I had thought about all hardware cloth but figured that was over-kill and kinda blocks the "viewing" as well.

 

[junebuggena]

Raccoons can, and will shred chicken wire. If you do use chicken wire, don't leave your birds in the run overnight. Be sure to lock them in a secure coop. Rats can also get through chicken wire and will eat young chickens if given the opportunity.