hardware wire vs. chicken wire

[MelodyGraulich]

I know everyone recommends hardware wire but I have found it difficult to kind in big rolls in my local area, as well as expensive. But the "poultry wire" I find seems far superior to the old-fashioned chicken wire I'm familiar wire--much smaller grade and sturdier. Could I go with that? Or could I use a 3 foot width of hardware wire as the bottom, 12" in the ground and 24" above and then chicken wire for the rest of the run? Finally, I plan to cover the run with wire--we have lots of hawks. Would the cheaper chicken wire be okay up there? Thanks for all the help you all have given me so far. Melody

 

[4 Love of Baby Chickens]

Hardware Cloth

Chicken wire

Now if you used it inside the coop to make a seperate place in case you have any broodies or anything of the sort that's different.

 

[patandchickens]

Putting hardwarecloth on a mostly-chickenwire run is like putting a big $80 padlock on a door held shut with baling twine. A dog or raccoon or whatever will just rip right through the chickenwire.

A better plan, if you are trying to save money, would be to use heavy gauge 1x1 or 2x4 or chainlink for the main run fence (and top), and then put something smaller-mesh (hardwarecloth, or 1/2" 'mini' chickenwire if you can find it, or even just standard 1" chickenwire if you are really hard up and don't mind living a bit more dangerously) on the bottom 2-3'. The main wire of the run will keep things from going through it; the smaller mesh stuff is just to prevent chickens from sticking their heads out, or predators from sticking their grabby paws *in*. So it needn't necessarily be as strong stuff (if you need to economize somewhere), especially if the run is ample size and chickens will be locked indoors at dust without fail (to minimize the chances of a predator coming upon a sleeping chicken within reach of the run fence).

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[MiniBeesKnees]

I care about my chickens as much as anyone else does and I've read maybe a thousand posts on making coops and runs predator proof.
I'm convinced that you cannot make them completely safe from all predators. Fortunately, all predators do not live in all areas.
Big dogs intent on getting in a run pretty much can in most circumstances. Black snakes can get in some pretty small openings, pretty far up.

On the news the other day was a piece that showed two wandering Pit Bulls tearing the bumper off of a police cruiser.
Black snakes will not go through hardware cloth, but they can often get in around ventilation.

I figured I had to draw a line somewhere when it came to cost to keep mine safe.
Everyone's line is going to be in a different place because we all have different budgets.

But it is not logical to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars to keep a two dollar chicken completely safe...it isn't possible anyway.
I care about my chickens, but they are not irreplaceable.
Terry in Tennessee

 

[jeremymcnelson]

whatever you choose, just be sure that it's not poorly set up. get the best cloth and the a good chainlink (i believe) of chicken wires.