Hardware cloth vs chicken wire

[ozark hen]

I'm building a coop and this is such great information.  Thanks everyone, for posting.
I've had a  48" roll of  1" chicken wire rolling around in the back of the pickup for a couple of days until I can return it.  I'm definitely going for the hardware cloth.  I found some at the Co-Op in Marysville in 48" rolls.  It's expensive, but I like my chickens so I'll pay extra so they'll be safe.  We have possums and coyotes, and I imagine we have skunks and racoons around here too. 
What do you all use for over the top of your run?  We have eagles, red tailed hawks and turkey vultures. 

Thanks

 

[ozark hen]

I string fishing line across open tops with shiny CDs dangling & have never had a predator from the sky

 

[VallejoSheltie]

Well, I'm still new here, however a couple of observations.

1. Just because you are using chicken wire without incident so far doesn't mean much.
Since so many people have used it, and had terrible results, all one can reasonably conclude from your experience so far is that its
equally possibly no predators have actually tried to enter.
Since almost every site I've come across seems to indicate chicken wire is not a consistent deterrent, I wouldn't want someone new here to take such a casual attitude to heart and experience a preventable loss.

2. Similarly with the dangling CD's, another recent thread here seems to indicate it did nothing to deter sparrows. Now these are Sparrows and not Hawks or Falcons after a real meal, so I wouldn't expect any different behavior. The one video I did come across did say that birds will get used to them and will ignore. As the Sparrows show. If you have a local predatory bird, I would expect it would be keen on your location and eventually figure out the CD's are not a threat.
Considering one can get cheap netting, or heck, run string in a quilted pattern over their run rather easily enough to prevent anything with decent wingspan from swooping in, why screw around with goofy CD's.

In short, there is a metric ton of quality advice on this and most other sites that is generally sound, and learned from sometimes painful experience. Trivializing that with a rather hokey "whatever works for you" seems to akin to taking close, careful aim at your thumb before swinging the hammer.
They are your chickens, so whatever floats your boat. However, if you lose one to a predator will you report back to help convince others that there is a semblence of Best Practices one can/should follow to avoid what should be a solved problem.

 

[tadpole98]

I've always said that chicken wire only keep the chickens in, not the predators out...

 

[nihil]

In my search for decently priced hardware cloth I found Midland Hardware that has good prices on hardware cloth rolls up to 48" wide

http://www.midlandhardware.com/Fence--Hardware-Cloth_c_2557.html

 

[aart]

In my search for decently priced hardware cloth I found Midland Hardware that has good prices on hardware cloth rolls up to 48" wide

http://www.midlandhardware.com/Fence--Hardware-Cloth_c_2557.html

Shippings not too bad there, prices are actually kind of high tho.

I can get 19ga 1/2" x 48" x 100' for $105 thru my local Ace Hardware......as opposed to $176 at the link quoted.

Take a look at:
advanced search>title only> hardware cloth

Lots of good discussion and other places to price.

 

[chynasparks]

Thank you for your post here. We just completed our coop. I say we but it was hubby who did all the work. I was his helper. I painted and did as much as possible to lighten his load. He built a very sturdy but he chose chicken wire so we double wrapped with it. The coup is on cocrete with sand covering. Solid roof complete with siding and eves nothing getting in that way. Hubby chose chicken wire based on some locals. They said they list chickens while free ranging not through chicken wire. I put out a solar motion detector light hoping it helps. We used u nails, not staples. I'm nervouse about it as tonight is their 2nd night in the coop. I can't let them free range

 

[Luke 13V34]

If I double over chicken wire and bury it around the edge of the bottom of a chain link fence, on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the most likely, what is the probability that a predator such as a raccoon or dog or whatever will dig under and eat through two layers of chicken wire?

Important variables to take into consideration
- The kind I have is 2" galvanized.
- The chicken wire will be secured directly to the chain link fence
- I will bury it anywhere from 12 to 18 inches deep

 

[chynasparks]

I think you should be ok. Bury about 18 inches. I wish I could say a 10 but I lost my first flock because I didn't build a secure run. Now we have a new little flock of 5 girls. We attached a chain link dog kennel to the back side of the coop over the concrete slab that the coop is on. I've wrapped the inside with chicken wire. We are going to complete the run with a chain link top over cattle panel. Husband is trying to find a place that carries the fittings so we can put poles across to hold up the roofing. I plan to open the door in the morning and lock it up at night when they've gone in to roost. Eventually we are adding a front yard on ground. When we get to that project I'll be asking the same question. Loosing my chickens to predators still hurts. They are pets to me and I failed. But I'm learning from my mistakes with this group. They won't be free ranging. I didn't bring them home to be food to the wild life.
Perhaps you could use quick Crete along the fending. That would make it a 10. But then you have to pay attention to the vulnerable areas elsewhere on the fencing.

 

[Luke 13V34]

Thanks, my plan is also to shut them in their coop at night also. I think if anything gets into the run, it will be stopped at the coop, but if they wanted to chew threw a piece of plywood, they probably could, but they would just need to be very dedicated. I plan to set a trap at night as well, and I'll have no problem shooting a raccoon or possum, but a skunk would be the worst case scenario. We had an animal of some sort eat the necks off of our ducks many years ago, which I assume was a raccoon, but if a weasel is in the area, I will gladly shoot it also.