Exchange the 1/4 gauge hardware cloth for 1/2?

[izziebean]

Hi hi! I read and read and read before buying the 'ever-so-expensive' hardware cloth and 'thought' I understood it BUT! I was in the feed store yesterday and happened to compare the 1/4 inch 23 gauge hardware cloth to the 1/2 inch 19 gauge hardware cloth and realized that the 1/2 is much tougher! I thought the higher the number, the tougher the wire. Gosh I was really, really wrong. The 1/4 gauge I bought from amazon is 23 gauge. It seems kind of flimsy (much tougher than chicken wire, but still not as tough as the 1/2 that I saw yesterday).

My question is this: I haven't opened the 1/4 gauge that I received from Amazon. Should I see if they will exchange it for 1/2 or should I just use what I have? Could this decision mean the life and death of one of my 'widdle itty biddy' bantams?

Could the 1/4 inch 23 gauge be used safely for the top of the run? Or anywhere????

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! The stress.

 

[izziebean]

Nevermind. It's been 33 days since I bought the cloth so it is no longer eligible for return. It's 48 inches tall.

Is this safe to use at all? I'm feeling very uneasy about it now.

Thanks!

 

[pdirt]

I know, wires are weird like that. Smaller number actually means thicker wire.

As far as I know, that 23g 1/4 mesh you have is stronger than chicken wire, so it should be fine. If you really want to return it, ask AMAZON if they will make an exception to the 30 day return policy. They have done that for me before.

 

[izziebean]

I was thinking about calling Amazon to see if they would do an exchange if I pay for the postage. Thanks for sharing your experience with them.

 

[Blooie]

I'm using it. Look at it this way - a mouse can get through a half inch opening. Quarter inch, not so much.

And at least for me, it's not like my entire run is hardware cloth. My run is made of cattle panels covered with chicken wire (yes, I know! But the chicken wire is just there to keep overhead predators and small birds out) and I have a 2 foot high skirt of hardware cloth up the sides, then folded outward at the bottom another two feet to deter diggers. I know that gauge-wise it's not as strong as the 1/2 inch, and I fully expect it to start deteriorating where it comes in constant contact with the ground. I knew that going into the build. But it proved it's worth to me when our over-excited English Setter tried to dig under it to get at the chickens the first day they got to out and use their new run. She came a way with a broken and bloodied toenail, and decided those chickens just weren't worth the pain. So if I eventually end up replacing it, I'll do so, but I'll do it with 1/4 inch again. I hate mices just as much as I hate any other unwanted critter being in my coop or run!