How important is hardware cloth? Southern CA.

[crazy4ChickensNducks]

I use welded wire and my pop door I s always open, we have coyotes that could easily get in, but they never have. And you know what they say “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”.
The only predetor related deaths are from stupid hawks.

 

[lissalischicks]

The only problem I found with 1/4 HC as opposed to 1/2 HC is that 1/4 is only 23 guage

This is true but I went with the 1/4 because I read somewhere a mouse can squeeze through a 1/2" square. So far haven't had a problem

 

[Ridgerunner]

Given that our predators are mostly nocturnal, besides the hawks, how likely is it that I need to have a bullet proof run during the day?

Any ideas how to lessen the financial load but still end up with a decent size run for 7 chickens?

It is an issue. The safer you make your run the more it can cost. Different materials have different pro and cons. To me there are a lot of trade-offs. The smaller the holes the more critters it can keep out, provided you don't have weaknesses at doors or windows. How the material is attached makes a difference, either leaving gaps or letting a larger predator get a grip so it can pull it loose or tear it. Heavier material typically has larger holes which can let small critters in. The weight of the material and the size of the holes both affect cost.

Unless you have dig protection some critters can dig under. Heck some critters can just force their way under wire with just a tiny opening between the fence and the ground. Many critters can climb or jump really well.

Practically any predator can hunt during the day, even the ones that are considered mostly nocturnal. I've seen bobcat, fox, coyote, raccoon, skunk, and even possum out during the day. That possum surprised me. 1:00 o'clock on a bright sunny day it was going through my compost pile. Still, your biggest risk is at night. Human activity tends to scare them away during daylight, though some people have reported a fox grabbing a chicken within 15 feet of the person.

My biggest problem has been dogs abandoned in the country. Daytime attacks. That's why I stopped free-ranging and started locking them up during the daytime. I use a philosophy of a predator-resistant run for the daytime and lock them in a predator-proof coop at night. My main run has 2" x 4" welded wire sides with an apron for digging critters. About 2/3 of it has a solid roof but the rest has about 7' high sides and netting over it. The netting was to stop a turkey form flying out, not to keep predators out but it does stop hawks. Those sides are going to stop even really large dogs. I's possible a raccoon could climb the fence or come across the coop and come down through the netting but they never have.

Then I added an area surrounded by electric netting. This gave me an area abut 45' x 65' that they can roam in really well protected from ground based predators. It does not protect against flying predators but in six years with it I've only lost two to flying predators, a hawk and an owl.

I don't know what the right answer for you is. Part of that depends on how precious each chicken s to you. How heart-broken would you be if even one was lost? Or just how risk-adverse are you. Good luck on your decision.

 

[Cryss]

This is true but I went with the 1/4 because I read somewhere a mouse can squeeze through a 1/2" square. So far haven't had a problem

Yeah, but chickens will eat mice.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Nice video. I feed mice I trap to mine. The problem is that my chickens don't catch enough to keep the population down that much. I sometimes see mice when I'm locking them up at night. The chickens don't even bother chasing them. I think that chicken was helped immensely by the cat stalking the mouse and distracting it.

 

[Trux]

DSCN0015

• Trux
• Jul 21, 2018

20180819_103555

• Trux
• Aug 19, 2018

Run with roof

What I built, and why I built it this way.
Same as you I am in SoCal, we but right up against the foot hills of Cleveland National forest. We have coyotes, raccoons, and bobcats among other animals lurking around. This morning looking through the neighborhood FB page one of our neighbors about 3 blocks away has had a bobcat stealing her chickens, from her "secure" coop. Now forgive me if I am being to brass here but if a bobcat got in your coop IMO it is not secure.
I built a 4x8 coop under an over hang off our garage and for the run went to TSC and bought a 5x10 dog kennel plus some panel kits to make a 10x15 run for the girls. We topped it with corrugated steel. Two feet of the bottom is covered in HWC. And I can say so far so good, it has worked for 2 years now, no losses due to predators

 

[Cryss]

DSCN0015

• Trux
• Jul 21, 2018

20180819_103555

• Trux
• Aug 19, 2018

Run with roof

What I built, and why I built it this way.
Same as you I am in SoCal, we but right up against the foot hills of Cleveland National forest. We have coyotes, raccoons, and bobcats among other animals lurking around. This morning looking through the neighborhood FB page one of our neighbors about 3 blocks away has had a bobcat stealing her chickens, from her "secure" coop. Now forgive me if I am being to brass here but if a bobcat got in your coop IMO it is not secure.
I built a 4x8 coop under an over hang off our garage and for the run went to TSC and bought a 5x10 dog kennel plus some panel kits to make a 10x15 run for the girls. We topped it with corrugated steel. Two feet of the bottom is covered in HWC. And I can say so far so good, it has worked for 2 years now, no losses due to predators

Nice! I did basically the same thing. I started with a 6x10x10 chain link dog run that I covered with hardware cloth and used 1x2 wire as the roof. The coop was inside the run. When spring came round again I add3d another 10x10 dog run which gave me a 10x30 run. I covered that the same but with hardwa

Edit oops: i hit the button by accident.

But with hardware cloth this time. I cove5ed the original 10x10 roof area with heavy duty tarp to make an outdoor area that stayed dry for a feeding area and a place for them when it gets too sunny. I have all the usual suspects for predators including black bear, bobcat, and coyote. So far so good. My run ain't purdy but it does the job.

 

[lissalischicks]

@Cryss that video was awesome. I showed everyone at work. Unfortunately my girls didn't eat the mouse that got into the coop. Out fault cuz we left the coop open on nihh

 

[imnukensc]

How do you get a 10x30 run out of two 10x10 dog runs?

 

[luckychick105]

Yes, hardware cloth is expensive. But if you ever have to run off a predator, then gather up the lifeless bodies of your hens, you will sincerely wish you had used hardware cloth.

I learned my lesson the hard way.

That is unfortunate, I recently learnt the same lesson from a fox, gosh how I hate those animals!
EDIT: Spell check