Fencing advice for run in subtropical region

[cwrite]

Hi Everyone,
I decided to repurpose my kids play house instead of getting rid of it. I have 5 chicks & we need to start working on the run. I am wondering whether I should buy snake proof fencing (very expensive), aviary fencing (less expensive) or if chicken wire (least expensive) will be sufficient. In Queensland our main predators are highly venomous snakes & a variety of pythons and I’ve heard that possums can kill chickens too. What do you recommend in terms of fencing & how high should snake 6.5mm or aviary 12mm gap fencing go? We will cover the top so that other birds can’t get in as much as anything else. Any other relevant tips will be much appreciated!

 

[gatorshark75]

Hi Everyone,
I decided to repurpose my kids play house instead of getting rid of it. I have 5 chicks & we need to start working on the run. I am wondering whether I should buy snake proof fencing (very expensive), aviary fencing (less expensive) or if chicken wire (least expensive) will be sufficient. In Queensland our main predators are highly venomous snakes & a variety of pythons and I’ve heard that possums can kill chickens too. What do you recommend in terms of fencing & how high should snake 6.5mm or aviary 12mm gap fencing go? We will cover the top so that other birds can’t get in as much as anything else. Any other relevant tips will be much appreciated!

i would go with a layer of 1in chicken wire and over that put 1 meter high 6.5mm hard ware cloth from the ground up and the 1 inch chicken wire should also go on the top and yes possums can kill chickens and do very easily especially at night when they are roosting

 

[cwrite]

Thanks. I've seen hardware cloth a few times now and am not sure what it is. 6.5mm is similar to our snake proof mesh/fencing or is it more like fine wire mosquito/bug screen netting?

 

[gatorshark75]

Thanks. I've seen hardware cloth a few times now and am not sure what it is. 6.5mm is similar to our snake proof mesh/fencing or is it more like fine wire mosquito/bug screen netting?

its like fencing in us measurements the holes in it meature 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch i will try to find a pic and upload it

 

[gatorshark75]

its like fencing in us measurements the holes in it meature 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch i will try to find a pic and upload it

ok heres a pic of the hardware cloth

 

[cwrite]

Thanks! That looks like avairy mesh. I've been wondering if hardwire cloth is floppy or at all cloth like. Lol. I've decided to go for the snake mesh for about 160cm from the ground & avairy netting for the rest. If we can keep the mice out the smaller venemous snakes won't come & the larger pythons that might be inclined to have a whole chook won't get through avairy mesh which will go over the top. Fingers crossed!

 

[gatorshark75]

Thanks! That looks like avairy mesh. I've been wondering if hardwire cloth is floppy or at all cloth like. Lol. I've decided to go for the snake mesh for about 160cm from the ground & avairy netting for the rest. If we can keep the mice out the smaller venemous snakes won't come & the larger pythons that might be inclined to have a whole chook won't get through avairy mesh which will go over the top. Fingers crossed!

the hardware cloth is very stiff we use it to make cages out of we just use hardware cloth and cage clips thats how rigid it is so if you use it i dont think anything gonna get into it also if your worried about snakes get you a goat and let it free range your property especially around the chicken pens their urine and smell help keep snakes away

 

[cwrite]

We can't have goats but I've heard anecdotally that snakes don't like something about geraniums and as chooks don't eat them either I was going to plant a few around the run after we have finished. Gernaiums also survive the heat and dry we get in between floods so it's a win. Thanks for the advice.