Hardware Cloth Coop/Run Size Questions

[Sassysouth]

We are about to start building a chicken coop w/ basement, do I need 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 hardware cloth?
For making the run, fully enclosed where they will spend the day, what do you recommend?
We live close by a wildlife refuge, have a barn and lots of woods. We see all kinds of critters around here.

Thanks,
Jen

 

[I Love Layers]

The smaller the better. And make sure you put the cloth on the inside of the run so that its harder for a raccoon, skunk etc to pull it off/out

 

[AllynTal]

I went with 1/2-inch. I figured nothing around here that could harm my chickens by grabbing them could get their paws through 1/2-inch holes. I used small mesh -- 1/4 I think -- on the soffits to keep wasps out.

 

[rIrs roost]

I went with 1/2-inch. I figured nothing around here that could harm my chickens by grabbing them could get their paws through 1/2-inch holes. I used small mesh -- 1/4 I think -- on the soffits to keep wasps out. 

I may be wrong but 1/4 inch may not keep wasp out. May have to put screen over the wire. I do have 1/2" hardware cloth on mine but I'm not sure that a coon can't reach through it. I haven't had a problem yet though.

 

[teach1rusl]

Will the chickens be shut inside a housing at night, or will the housing be open to the run/pen 24/7? What kind of critters live in the wildlife preserve???
If shut inside a housing at night, then I'd go with 2x4 welded wire for the entire main pen, and 1/2" hardware cloth added along the lower perimeter walls (to prevent reach-ins). But if they won't be closed inside a housing at night, then I'd go with hardware cloth all over, as smaller predators like weasels and such could make it through the 2x4 welded wire overnight...

Now if bears are part of the nearby fauna, then I'd probably look at chain link or cattle/hog panels reinforced with smaller wire to prevent reach-ins...

 

[Sassysouth]

Will the chickens be shut inside a housing at night, or will the housing be open to the run/pen 24/7?   What kind of critters live in the wildlife preserve??? 
If shut inside a housing at night, then I'd go with 2x4 welded wire for the entire main pen, and 1/2" hardware cloth added along the lower perimeter walls (to prevent reach-ins).  But if they won't be closed inside a housing at night, then I'd go with hardware cloth all over, as smaller predators like weasels and such could make it through the 2x4 welded wire overnight...

Now if bears are part of the nearby fauna, then I'd probably look at chain link or cattle/hog panels reinforced with smaller wire to prevent reach-ins...

I plan on putting them up in there coop at night, but if we are gone on the weekends, I want them to be able to go to their safe hardware cloth basement to have some outdoors. The run would be just for the daytime when we would be home to put them up at night.
Wildlife we have are snakes, mice, hawks, eagles, foxes, coyotes, opposums, beavers, deer, skunks, armadillos, chipmunks, squirrels, owls, and probably raccoons (but have never spotted one).

 

[rIrs roost]

Mine has been fine. We have the same predictorsas you. And coyoties. But our coops are close to the house.

 

[AllynTal]

I may be wrong but 1/4 inch may not keep wasp out. May have to put screen over the wire. I do have 1/2" hardware cloth on mine but I'm not sure that a coon can't reach through it. I haven't had a problem yet though.

I probably could have qualified that by saying it'll keep out the wasps I don't want to encounter while in the coop. A 'coon might get his hand in, but he won't reach very far and there's plenty of room to put a safe distance between them and whatever might be reaching through the wire.

Salient point is, I feel like 1/2-inch hardware cloth is sufficient for the purpose. It's less expensive than the smaller mesh and I'm all about balancing budget with function.

...Wildlife we have are snakes, mice, hawks, eagles, foxes, coyotes, opposums, beavers, deer, skunks, armadillos, chipmunks, squirrels, owls, and probably raccoons (but have never spotted one).

Oh, mine would love to catch a mouse. I don't mind mice, frogs, skinks and anoles getting in. The chickens go nuts chasing whichever one of them has the prize.