Hardware cloth versus welded wire.

[BesideStillWaters]

Until I joined this site, I didn't realize chicken wire wasn't good. Yesterday, a raccoon proved this to be true as it tore up weeks worth of work. Thankfully, it couldn't get into the house so all the chickens are safe, but we are going to redo the run and get rid of the chicken wire since it is useless. We already bought some welded wire, but I've seen a lot of people on here talk about hardware cloth. So in your opinion, which is better?

I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally don't want to hear something banging on metal, go outside to investigate, and find this again:

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Hardware cloth, at least 19 gauge, 1/2 HC is better than welded 1/2 inch by 1 inch wire. Weasels, mice and snakes can easily get through the welded wire. A raccoon can reach in an grab a chicken and shred it through the fencing. Chicken wire is only good for keeping chickens in. Sorry you had to learn the hard way.

 

[BesideStillWaters]

Hardware cloth, at least 19 gauge, 1/2 HC is better than welded 2 x 4 inch dog wire. Weasels, mice and snakes can easily get through the welded wire. A raccoon can reach in an grab a chicken and shred it through the fencing. Chicken wire is only good for keeping chickens in. Sorry you had to learn the hard way.

100% agree. My dad used the 2 X 4 dog wire in the first construction, I went over the top of that with chicken wire, both failed.

This wire I'm asking about is 1/2 inch X 1 inch. I don't want to use this only to have it fail like the other two kinds of wire did.

I assume 19 gauge is better than this 16 gauge?

Me too, but I'm glad I learned the lesson now before any chickens were harmed, though this explains why when I was a teen, a rooster was killed through the 2 X 4 welded wire. I plan to redo this whole run so this won't happen again.

 

[aart]

Where was that pic taken...inside your run?
Pics of torn up CW?

The 1/2" x 1" welded wire should keep all but the smallest rodents and snakes out.

 

[aart]

I assume 19 gauge is better than this 16 gauge?

No, 19 gauge wire is smaller than 16 gauge wire.
Google wire gauge dimensions.

 

[BesideStillWaters]

Where was that pic taken...inside your run?
Pics of torn up CW?

The 1/2" x 1" welded wire should keep all but the smallest rodents and snakes out.

Yes, that is the coop run door. I was on the outside, he was on the inside. ...and he couldn't figure out how to get out. I had to open the door to let him out. THEN he left the way he came in, so I locked the door back.

When I went to check later, there was an opossum hanging in there instead. I knew I had problems because the opossum had been getting in to eat the leftover feed, and I worked to stop him. Then I realized I had a bigger problem when I discovered the leftover feed was being washed... and then met this fellow.

I didn't want to let the chickens out today in their run but I've never seen raccoons or opossums out during the day. I waited until noon before letting them out and they weren't happy. But then the killer gnats returned and the chickens all ran back inside anyway. (It's been one thing after another here. )

Sorry the photo isn't great but the sunlight is making it look weird.

They pulled the whole sheet of chicken wire off the 2 X 4 wire, exposing an old make-shift gate my dad put in (it's a divider between two coops). Ugh! The other coop wasn't secure at all, it's something I've been working on but there are no chickens in that one so I just walled it off. Or so I thought.


Awesome, thanks! Glad this will work!

 

[swampfox440]

I have in the past put hardware 1/4" cloth over welded wire . in my Jungle fowl cage I will use 1/2" hardware on the inside of a two by two window screen on the outside of two by two , then another two by two , then 1/4" hardware on the outside of that . The inside cloth keeps the chickens from pecking holes in the screen that's in the middle the screen keeps the skeeters out the outside layer keeps the coon from pulling their feet off and damaging the screen . I know this was not you question but maybe some useful information for later as you probably don't want to do your whole run like this . It works good for off the ground pens .

 

[BesideStillWaters]

No, 19 gauge wire is smaller than 16 gauge wire.
Google wire gauge dimensions.

Awesome, thank you!

 

[BesideStillWaters]

I have in the past put hardware 1/4" cloth over welded wire . in my Jungle fowl cage I will use 1/2" hardware on the inside of a two by two window screen on the outside of two by two , then another two by two , then 1/4" hardware on the outside of that . The inside cloth keeps the chickens from pecking holes in the screen that's in the middle the screen keeps the skeeters out the outside layer keeps the coon from pulling their feet off and damaging the screen . I know this was not you question but maybe some useful information for later as you probably don't want to do your whole run like this . It works good for off the ground pens .

This would be great because we are dealing with buffalo gnats here and they are brutal. I've lost two chickens to these things. I'd love to include screen somehow. I don't have any on hand right now though. Have to get some.

 

[21hens-incharge]

How are you attaching the wire?

I ask since pulling a whole sheet loose should not happen.