fence wire

1/2" hardware cloth if you want protection from predators, you can even double this up with some stronger 4"x2" (or similar) heavy gauge fence ...

If you just want to contain the birds, 1" hex chicken wire/netting will work, but it offers little protection from predators...

 

Absolutely...1/2" hardware cloth is the ONLY way to go for any kind of protection from predators else this might happen:


Chicken wire...totally useless...



Field fence...useless


The last pic is cyclone fencing which is relatively strong, but not for predators....I wish you all the best!

 

Also beyond strength you have to consider the opening size... A smaller sized weasel or mink can on occasion squish though a 1" round hole, and a coon can reach through 1" mesh and pull a bird piece by piece though the fence... Same with snakes, a rat snake for example will no pose little threat to a full sized chicken but it will eat chicks/eggs all day and can get though a 1" mesh fence...

 

I live in CT too, and have to deal with raccoons, foxes, bobcat, coyotes, bears and hawks to name a few. I built my run with 4x4 posts, and on the outside, I attached 2"x4" field fencing. This keeps the large predators at bay (maybe not the bears, if they want in your coop (or your house for that matter), you are going to be hard pressed to stop them!). Then on the inside, I attached 1/2" hardware wire. When you attach the wire, you will want to use screws with washers so an animal or person pushing or pulling on the fence can't work it loose. Staples will come out too easily.

As further protection against predators, the coop and run are fenced in by electric fencing 48" high. Solar chargers don't pack the same punch as AC chargers, so I have mine plugged into AC, and it puts out 8000 volts. I have seen a bear touch the fence with his nose, and he went running when he got zapped. But I have also heard stories of certain animals like foxes and bobcat jumping the fence, so don't assume any setup is 100% secure.

 

If I had lots of money, I'd use 1/2" hardware cloth all the way around. But if you have a large run, that can add up to a serious chunk of change!

Our largest run is 16' x 36', and is covered. I don't even want to think what that would have cost in hardware cloth! We used 2x4 welded wire all the way around (including top), and then added 24" hardware cloth all the way around the lower part of the "walls." It has served us well, as we've never had a break-in. We're in Indiana, so raccoons, possums, coyotes, foxes, rt hawks, etc.

 

I also used 2x4 welded wire around and on top of the run. And a three foot strip of hardware cloth around the perimeter at ground level buried 12" into the ground. This should deter predator entry, raccoon reach-thrus, and digging animals. However, it won't stop a bear and things like weasels that can pass thru a 2 inch opening. And a heavy-jawed dog could likely maul his way through it.

 

That is not field fencing, it is electric poultry netting......and it works very well for certain situations.

 

I'm wondering if that will work on fox/ coyote/ coon/ possum. I found some netting that is 50 x50 but won't work on anything that can sit and chew, this with the net as the roof might make a good run fairly cheaply

 

Electric net fence works extremely well against most land based predators. They touch it once, they will not want to do it again. I bought mine at PremierOne fencing online. Its not cheap, but it completely stopped my predator problems. I was losing 2-3 chickens, ducks and guineas a month in the summer, and my losses have been 0 for the past summers since the net fence went up.