galvanized wire - to coat or not to coat?

[m.kitchengirl]

I am doing WAY TOO MUCH research about my incoming Ancona ducks.

What am I losing sleep over today? The hardware cloth is impossible to find in 1/4" mesh that is coated.
If I am doing a thick cover of straw for them do I need the spray coating?

 

[patandchickens]

If this is for a brooder: you can use uncoated ungalvanized mesh if you have to, it just may not last beyond one batch of brooding. But if they're not going to be directly on the wire, if you're going to have bedding in the brooder, 1/2" should be totally fine, maybe even bigger as long as there's never holes in the bedding (you could put windowscreen down too, just in case)

If this is for a coop, I can't offhand think of any reason to require 1/4" other than trying to keep out mice, but you know mice are going to get in elsewhere anyhow so why bother

The 1/2" is just fine on predatorproofness/safety. It does have to be galvanized but is irrelevant, except aesthetically, whether it is black or green vinyl-coated.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat