Duck pen fence question

[Launchpad]

Expanding my duck pen
The metal T posts are up and tomorrow cementing in the wooden posts for the gate (wish i could do wooden posts completely but due to roots of the large tree not possible)

Question comes in fencing material: i have a nice big 6 foot tall x 50ft long roll of standard chicken wire. Can i use this as fencing, all the way around and with a 1 foot skirt, and then add hardware cloth (was looking at 4 ft tall and 1/2 inch 19 guage) on the lower half?
So standard chicken wire all the way around with skirt.
Then an extra skirt and the bottom three feet all the way around would be both chicken wire and hardware cloth. Everything above the three feet of hardware cloth would just be chicken wire and whatever netting i find for the roof.
Or would it be necessary to get a better quality of fencing and then adding the hardware cloth (going to do the bottom and extra skirt with hardware cloth either way)? Not sure if coons (not a huge problem but only takes 1 time) or whatnot (otters have been popping up nearby sigh) would climb up the hardware cloth to get the easier fencing... but if i have to ill get a thicker (pvc or vinyl coated, not sure which is better) wire as the base fence before adding the hardware cloth.
Any and all thoughts/advice is appreciated

 

[DukesDucks]

I think the top section that is just chicken wire in not going to stop a determined predator. That said, my run in primarily chicken wire. The only predator lose I have had was while free-ranging. My ducks are in a secure coop at night which would be prime predator time here.
Are you ducks going to be shut into a more secure area at night?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Expanding my duck pen
The metal T posts are up and tomorrow cementing in the wooden posts for the gate (wish i could do wooden posts completely but due to roots of the large tree not possible)

Question comes in fencing material: i have a nice big 6 foot tall x 50ft long roll of standard chicken wire. Can i use this as fencing, all the way around and with a 1 foot skirt, and then add hardware cloth (was looking at 4 ft tall and 1/2 inch 19 guage) on the lower half?
So standard chicken wire all the way around with skirt.
Then an extra skirt and the bottom three feet all the way around would be both chicken wire and hardware cloth. Everything above the three feet of hardware cloth would just be chicken wire and whatever netting i find for the roof.
Or would it be necessary to get a better quality of fencing and then adding the hardware cloth (going to do the bottom and extra skirt with hardware cloth either way)? Not sure if coons (not a huge problem but only takes 1 time) or whatnot (otters have been popping up nearby sigh) would climb up the hardware cloth to get the easier fencing... but if i have to ill get a thicker (pvc or vinyl coated, not sure which is better) wire as the base fence before adding the hardware cloth.
Any and all thoughts/advice is appreciated

Raccoons will climb. I'd get sturdier fencing. You can also just use hardware cloth with the t-posts. I have one run set up that way, and it's very secure.

I don't know specifically how many predation there is in your area, but here, the easiest thing has been electric fencing. You could put up the chicken wire and run a few strands of electric around that and be good.

 

[Launchpad]

I think the top section that is just chicken wire in not going to stop a determined predator. That said, my run in primarily chicken wire. The only predator lose I have had was while free-ranging. My ducks are in a secure coop at night which would be prime predator time here.
Are you ducks going to be shut into a more secure area at night?

This is their new night pen which is why I want to get it right the first time
During the day they free range on the property with a pond and various fenced off yards
I guess ill need to find a more secure option for the entire fence while also having the lower part of hardware cloth. Not sure what to get yet, maybe just more hardware cloth id its similar in price but starting to get expensive. Maybe PVC or vinyl wire that's also stronger if i can find it

 

[Launchpad]

Raccoons will climb. I'd get sturdier fencing. You can also just use hardware cloth with the t-posts. I have one run set up that way, and it's very secure.

I don't know specifically how many predation there is in your area, but here, the easiest thing has been electric fencing. You could put up the chicken wire and run a few strands of electric around that and be good.

Will look into just a longer roll of Hardware cloth if I can find it without going way over budget, which is approaching rapidly but almost done
Have been looking into PVC and vinyl wire though not sure which is better...
Predators have actually been very sparse, besides a large predator birds, with only one racoon sighting (but that means there more) and most recently an otter has been coming to the pond (which is causing me problems on its own and is near the pens).
I have seen the electric wire at tractor supply I will also look into it. Not sure how its powered no electricity out there so might also be an issue

 

[Aunt Angus]

Will look into just a longer roll of Hardware cloth if I can find it without going way over budget, which is approaching rapidly but almost done
Have been looking into PVC and vinyl wire though not sure which is better...
Predators have actually been very sparse, besides a large predator birds, with only one racoon sighting (but that means there more) and most recently an otter has been coming to the pond (which is causing me problems on its own and is near the pens).
I have seen the electric wire at tractor supply I will also look into it. Not sure how its powered no electricity out there so might also be an issue

I have batteries, and there are solar energizers, which are more expensive. The wire and insulators are cheap. The energizers can be pricy, depending on what you need.

We have significant predators here. Like, it's a zoo: raccoons, foxes, snakes, bears, possum, skunks, mountain lions, hawks, owls, eagles, and roaming dogs. A bear was hanging around in October/November. My birds and goats were untouched. My car? Not so fortunate. And the neighbor's apiaries we're decimated. Next to a couple of LGDs, electric is great.

 

[Launchpad]

I have batteries, and there are solar energizers, which are more expensive. The wire and insulators are cheap. The energizers can be pricy, depending on what you need.

We have significant predators here. Like, it's a zoo: raccoons, foxes, snakes, bears, possum, skunks, mountain lions, hawks, owls, eagles, and roaming dogs. A bear was hanging around in October/November. My birds and goats were untouched. My car? Not so fortunate. And the neighbor's apiaries we're decimated. Next to a couple of LGDs, electric is great.

I'll look into the electric as well
Luckily i don't have the same wildlife problems as you; my fence just needs to stop racoons and worst some stray dog or coyote (though that's doubtful)... can't imagine the structures id have to build for bears.
Maybe get a beat up old junk car and leave it for the bears to attack instead of your car

 

[Miss Lydia]

I vote hardware cloth top and all sides and a skirt out from the bottom. It will be expensive but so worth it to never have to worry.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I'll look into the electric as well
Luckily i don't have the same wildlife problems as you; my fence just needs to stop racoons and worst some stray dog or coyote (though that's doubtful)... can't imagine the structures id have to build for bears.
Maybe get a beat up old junk car and leave it for the bears to attack instead of your car

Electricity can be effective at deterring bears. But the dang thing ripped my locked door open. Luckily, there wasn't much damage. Just a claw shaped puncture wound in the back seat.

 

[Launchpad]

I vote hardware cloth top and all sides and a skirt out from the bottom. It will be expensive but so worth it to never have to worry.

I'm thinking hardware cloth all the way as well.
Found some 36in x 100ft that's 1/2 in, 19 gauge and pvc coated.
It will be just over 50 in circumference so i can wrap it twice around. With the skirt it will be 5 feet tall. The roof will be a few layers of bird netting, not sure exactly what yet. Maybe even the chicken wire i already got then nettting over that