Hardware cloth shortage

[SB16]

Hi, I'm new here, but have been lurking on and off for years... Thank you all for sharing your experience and knowledge. With your help, I've taken care of other people's chickens for years but until now have never had my own, much less chicks.

We finally almost finished our coop and run a couple of weeks ago only to have the company we ordered our hardware cloth from come up short.

The company strung us along for weeks claiming it had shipped, claiming it got lost in transit, claiming to have re-sent it, etc... when it had never actually left their warehouse at all. Basically, they were out of stock and didn't give us the courtesy of letting us now immediately so we could try to find another source.

We have a new order in with another company this past week, but it looks like they just pushed the ship date back two weeks, as well. I'm getting desperate: I have 7 2 week old chicks in my brooder box* and will have nowhere to put them in a couple more weeks.

* The first company claimed to have shipped the hardware cloth when I was finally able to order the chicks from a local breeder. We didn't realize there was actually a massive procurement issue until I had possession of the chicks. Lesson learned...

Does anyone know of any company that has Vinyl/PVC coated hardware cloth in stock? We have massive predator pressure (aside from the usual raccoons, 'possums, skunks, owls, hawks and snakes, we have bobcats and coyotes) so chicken wire will not be enough to protect the little ones.

Thank you!

 

[David61]

2x4 animal wire with chicken wire down low to keep their heads in.
I got my HC last August just ahead of the trade war with the flu people. I ordered other wear parts I could think of that would be coming from the far east. Glad I did. I worry more about quality even if it gets here now.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Hi, I'm new here, but have been lurking on and off for years... Thank you all for sharing your experience and knowledge. With your help, I've taken care of other people's chickens for years but until now have never had my own, much less chicks.

We finally almost finished our coop and run a couple of weeks ago only to have the company we ordered our hardware cloth from come up short.

The company strung us along for weeks claiming it had shipped, claiming it got lost in transit, claiming to have re-sent it, etc... when it had never actually left their warehouse at all. Basically, they were out of stock and didn't give us the courtesy of letting us now immediately so we could try to find another source.

We have a new order in with another company this past week, but it looks like they just pushed the ship date back two weeks, as well. I'm getting desperate: I have 7 2 week old chicks in my brooder box* and will have nowhere to put them in a couple more weeks.

* The first company claimed to have shipped the hardware cloth when I was finally able to order the chicks from a local breeder. We didn't realize there was actually a massive procurement issue until I had possession of the chicks. Lesson learned...

Does anyone know of any company that has Vinyl/PVC coated hardware cloth in stock? We have massive predator pressure (aside from the usual raccoons, 'possums, skunks, owls, hawks and snakes, we have bobcats and coyotes) so chicken wire will not be enough to protect the little ones.

Thank you!

I know it's an old thread, but what did you wind up doing or using, and how are your chickens?

 

[chknlittle17]

I know it's an old thread, but what did you wind up doing or using, and how are your chickens?

I'm not the OP, but have had the same issue. I have thick gauge cattle fencing along with 2 layers of good quality vinyl coated chicken wire securing my run. It has so far survived multiple large raccoons, a bobcat, and opossums. We are in the process of setting it up with electric fencing because of some problematic bears in the area.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I'm not the OP, but have had the same issue. I have thick gauge cattle fencing along with 2 layers of good quality vinyl coated chicken wire securing my run. It has so far survived multiple large raccoons, a bobcat, and opossums. We are in the process of setting it up with electric fencing because of some problematic bears in the area.

You might need some heavy duty electric fencing to keep bears out. I know in upstate New York beekeepers have trouble keeping bears out even with electric!

 

[chknlittle17]

You might need some heavy duty electric fencing to keep bears out. I know in upstate New York beekeepers have trouble keeping bears out even with electric!

That sucks. We are not allowed to shoot the bears here, and unless they hurt someone fish and wildlife won't do anything about them either.

 

[Big Doggie]

Hi, I'm new here, but have been lurking on and off for years... Thank you all for sharing your experience and knowledge. With your help, I've taken care of other people's chickens for years but until now have never had my own, much less chicks.

We finally almost finished our coop and run a couple of weeks ago only to have the company we ordered our hardware cloth from come up short.

The company strung us along for weeks claiming it had shipped, claiming it got lost in transit, claiming to have re-sent it, etc... when it had never actually left their warehouse at all. Basically, they were out of stock and didn't give us the courtesy of letting us now immediately so we could try to find another source.

We have a new order in with another company this past week, but it looks like they just pushed the ship date back two weeks, as well. I'm getting desperate: I have 7 2 week old chicks in my brooder box* and will have nowhere to put them in a couple more weeks.

* The first company claimed to have shipped the hardware cloth when I was finally able to order the chicks from a local breeder. We didn't realize there was actually a massive procurement issue until I had possession of the chicks. Lesson learned...

Does anyone know of any company that has Vinyl/PVC coated hardware cloth in stock? We have massive predator pressure (aside from the usual raccoons, 'possums, skunks, owls, hawks and snakes, we have bobcats and coyotes) so chicken wire will not be enough to protect the little ones.

Thank you!

I went to Home Depot and they were out as well.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

That sucks. We are not allowed to shoot the bears here, and unless they hurt someone fish and wildlife won't do anything about them either.

Well our New York DEC will trap and move them or possibly kill them if they become a nuisance like raiding houses, and def will kill them if they hurt someone, but we also have a bear season here which keeps a lid on the numbers.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I bought some black vinyl-coated 19 gauge 1/2"x1/2" from Critterfence online which says it has shipped it already (fingers crossed). They had it in 100-ft rolls. I think I might be able to get away with 50 feet but could use a little more, and was really wanting 75 feet, but I was looking for the "galvanized after welding" (GAW) type and 19 gauge and their web site had the specs well laid out. Other web sites and stores were vague or not the type I wanted. Figure I may expand in the near future anyway.

 

[Chickstarrs]

We have been waiting since spring for our fencing to come. Still waiting.