How do you connect 1/4" hardware cloth together?

[aart]

I was told that mice can enter in 1/2" hardware cloth.

Can’t some weasels also get through 1/2”? I have also seen that the smallest weasel can fit through 1/4” gaps

Only the smallest mice....and I seriously doubt that even the smallest weasel could fit.

 

[woodworm]

You can get stainless steel zip ties, maybe adding a few of these would help. Personally I've used plastic zip ties outside and they are holding strong after 2 years - not on my chicken coop though, I live next to a field with cows and they were always getting their heads stuck in my gate so I zip tied weld mesh to it and it's held up.

 

[perkolator]

Best for me has been a 1/4-mile spool of 19-ga galvanized fence wire. You can also use short pieces like "twist ties", or longer pieces and "sew" the seams nice and tight.

I have a deer fence on t-posts around my whole property and the previous owners used zip ties to hold it together - I've had to replace many and in my experience ALL plastic zip ties eventually fail if exposed to the CA sun, even the black UV-stable ones in multiple brands. I tried out stainless zip ties and they do hold up - but they're expensive compared to a roll of fence wire, which is what I prefer the most.

 

[Almosta Farm]

Best for me has been a 1/4-mile spool of 19-ga galvanized fence wire. You can also use short pieces like "twist ties", or longer pieces and "sew" the seams nice and tight.

I have a deer fence on t-posts around my whole property and the previous owners used zip ties to hold it together - I've had to replace many and in my experience ALL plastic zip ties eventually fail if exposed to the CA sun, even the black UV-stable ones in multiple brands. I tried out stainless zip ties and they do hold up - but they're expensive compared to a roll of fence wire, which is what I prefer the most.

You can get the SS zip ties at www.temu.com really cheap

 

[fat brown hen]

I used heavy fishing line with a large sewing needle to connect mine together. Use a hemming stitch instead of a straight stitch.

 

[fargosmom]

Can mice and rats squeeze their way inside 1/4" or 1/2" hardware cloth?

I have watched mice walk right thru 1/2” without slowing down. And they’re mostly active while the hens are asleep. I use 1/2” anyway but don’t be fooled. If your goal is 100% exclusion then 1/4” is better.

 

[Nanook33]

I used to have 1/2" hardware cloth that I could connect together with J clips, but if I want to use 1/4" hardware cloth how would I connect them together? What tools would I need?

Try small hog rings.

 

[Bawkbok]

I zip ties! LOL. Like, seriously. I love them. Use them for everything! You wanna show me love--give me a couple of 1000pk of the 4" zip ties for a holiday and I'm as happy as [insert cliché here].

I love them too, until a hurricane comes along and literally rips everyone one of them off the garden mesh I used to cover the steel run with. I know it was over kill doing that but I'm paranoid about song birds getting in the run through a small square (it's happened). I ran out and bought another bag of 1,000 zippy ties to prepare for the next hurricane. Larger, fatter ones. Those remained intact. Between the mesh cover and the run itself, I think I've zipped about 4k ties!

 

[Bawkbok]

And yes, a large rat (not a mouse) can fit through there somehow.

 

[Bob 1313]

I zip ties! LOL. Like, seriously. I love them. Use them for everything! You wanna show me love--give me a couple of 1000pk of the 4" zip ties for a holiday and I'm as happy as [insert cliché here].

We have gone from loving zip ties to worrying about them. they get brittle and break. Have observed some birds pecking at them and worry about the birds ingesting them.
Maybe we worry too much or watch to many veterinary television programs.