Hello I am New to Chickens South Houston Area

[ruffbnb]

Just got my first 13 chickens. Half are Sapphire Gems and half are Olive Eggers. Bought them from Tractor Supply. I'm currently building my chicken run and would like to know what size and what gage of wire is best? 1/2 inch or 1/4 inch? 19 or 16 gauge wire? my posts span 6 feet apart. We do have racoons in our area and possums. Not sure if possums go after chickens. I own my own dog boarding business and I also show and raise Boxers and Boston Terriers. I recently got a couple of new goats, Nigerian dwarfs, 2 girls. I already had two old male pigmy's who keep the weeds out of my pasture. I also love riding horses, but need to get my pasture fence replaced before I can get horses again. I found BYC on google when asking about the wire. I plan on putting the wire as a skirt a foot down around outside as well. Any tips on the specifications of the wire type, size, gauge would be greatly appreciated. I'm hoping to order it off of Amazon if that's the cheapest route.

 

[BoundlessLove]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens!

 

[muddy75]

 

[Bsmac]

Hello! Welcome to BYC! The 1/2 inch 19 gauge hardware cloth is sufficient. I would check Amazon and Ebay. If my memory serves me right I think I bought it off Ebay the cheapest. Worth checking both. Good luck with your flock! They are nice looking birds!

 

[sourland]

Hello, and welcome to BYC. Hotwire around the pen and coop is a good mammalian predator deterrent.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens. This is a great place to explore and hang out. I use hardware cloth best out there !

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

You will need to install horizontal pressure treated 2x4's as close the ground as possible between the posts so you can properly secure a predator apron around the run. I would put PT 2x4 uprights centered between your posts so you can run 3' wide strips of 1/2" 19ga hardware cloth from top to bottom then out across the ground 18-24" for a predator apron. Use HD landscape pins to secure the ends of the HC to the ground and let the grass grow right through the apron. Use either 3/4" poultry staples or screws with fender washers to secure the HC to the framing.

 

[Burnt Brass Homestead]

Hi @ruffbnb

I have raccoons, possums, fox, and skunks in my area. I used 1/2 hardware cloth that goes a few inches below ground-level, then extends outward in an L-space to deter animal from digging.

The cheapest I have seen 1/2 hardware cloth was temu.com, if you don’t mind the wait time for shipment.

Welcome!

 

[Bsmac]

Hello, and welcome to BYC. Hotwire around the pen and coop is a good mammalian predator deterrent.

Absolutely! As a kid who touched a hot wire on the farm I grew up on I can attest a hot wire will send them on their way!