Hardware Cloth for Coop

[creedatticus]

is 1 inch holes in hardware cloth to big? we are deciding on what size to buy for the apron around our chicken coop.

 

[RoyalChick]

is 1 inch holes in hardware cloth to big? we are deciding on what size to buy for the apron around our chicken coop.

Depends what you are dealing with.
Mice will march right through (I had a mouse fit through 1/2” but it was a tight squeeze). A weasel can get in through a 1” hole. A raccoon won’t fit but their hand will, and they like to reach in and pull stuff out (stuff like bits of your chickens).
If snakes are a concern they won’t be deterred either.
If you are worried mainly about foxes and coyotes then 1” is fine as long as you get a good strong gauge. Nothing weaker than 16 imo, but others will have more experience than me.
If you are meaning for an apron on the ground to prevent diggers then that is fine but again focus on strong gauge and recognize mice and moles will be able to dig in.

 

[Iluveggers]

A suggestion for putting it up. We stapled first, and then screwed. The screws were so much easier to put in once it was secured with the staples. Holding it steady for screws would be a PITA otherwise!

 

[aart]

4 sides of death-razor-pokies and so stubbornly set in the curve of the roll

Yeah, it's not fun......but backcurling and edge bending can make it much less painful.

I use the concrete garage floor to lay it out, gallon jugs full of water to hold it down, knee pads to protect my knees while kneeling to cut.

then once we released the clamps the strength of the wire curve was still strong enough to distort the doors.

Really?!? Musta been some wimpy wood to do that.

I'd rather use 1/2" than 1/4".

 

[Ridgerunner]

Unless your black snakes are large(long) and hungry, they can climb rather efficiently and would may be able to fit thru 1".

Aart, I had a black rat snake big enough to eat a chick go through 1" welded wire "hardware" cloth to get inside my brooder built in the coop. If I remember right it was about 4 to 5 feet long. It could not get back out of the brooder after it ate the chick. It probably got into the coop when I had the pop door open during the day.

@762 most things that can get through 1" openings can climb really well. Snakes can get up to that 4' high location, I've seen them on the side of my coop higher than that.

 

[RoyalChick]

Am I the only one who had trouble working with 1/2 inch?

*Grunt* ... "They said it was better than 1/4 inch because... of the ... stronger gauge." *ouch*
4 sides of death-razor-pokies and so stubbornly set in the curve of the roll I had to throw away the innermost section.
My mom and I used it to make two 24x24 inch doors in a 1x2 and 1x2 inch pine frame sandwich, and it took all 4 hands, clamps and weights to hold it flat long enough to screw, then once we released the clamps the strength of the wire curve was still strong enough to distort the doors. Not so much we couldn't use them but it was very frustrating.

I found it much easier to affix 1/4 inch Hw cloth on 2x4 welded wire.

You are not the only one. It is a major pain to work with and I too have the scars to prove it!

 

[Shadrach]

One inch square holes should be fine. 16 gauge rather than 18 or 20 would be good.
That will keep out most apart from baby rats and mice.

 

[Shadrach]

Depends what you are dealing with.
Mice will march right through (I had a mouse fit through 1/2” but it was a tight squeeze). A weasel can get in through a 1” hole. A raccoon won’t fit but their hand will, and they like to reach in and pull stuff out (stuff like bits of your chickens).
If snakes are a concern they won’t be deterred either.
If you are worried mainly about foxes and coyotes then 1” is fine as long as you get a good strong gauge. Nothing weaker than 16 imo, but others will have more experience than me.
If you are meaning for an apron on the ground to prevent diggers then that is fine but again focus on strong gauge and recognize mice and moles will be able to dig in.

Not had to deal with a weasel that could get through a one inch square yet thankfully.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Coop only? Not the run? If something can get in your run and the pop door is open they can get in your coop. How far do you want to take it?

I agree it depends on what you want to stop. Mice, some weasels, small rats, and a snake big enough to eat a baby chick or an egg can get through 1" hardware cloth. They can all climb too. How well is the rest of your coop and run protected? I don't see a lot of need worrying about the apron if they can get in other ways, probably easier ways. Shadrach brings up another good point. Just because a certain predator can get in doesn't mean it will. There are a lot of unknowns associated with this.

If you are trying to stop coyotes, fox, dogs, bobcat, raccoon, skunk, or possum from digging in I'd suggest you use a 2" x 4" welded wire for the apron. It is heavier gauge. That should stop anything big like that. Raccoons are not going to be reaching through an apron, it's on the ground. That's your run or coop walls you have to worry about for that. I used left over hardware cloth for part of my aprons and 2x4 welded wire for the rest.

 

[3KillerBs]

We considered 1" hardware cloth for our apron then learned that we had Least Weasels in this area.

The 1" wasn't going to save any money anyway -- 1/2" cost less.