How important is hardware cloth? Southern CA.

[PirateGirl]

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.

This is a very well thought out response. I am of a similar mind. The coop/houses are as secure as they can be and the birds get locked in them overnight when the most predators are the most active. The runs I have are secure, but not as secure as the coops, and will stop my primary daytime predator, coyotes, with 2"x4" welded wire, as well as prevent access by hawks from above. Think about your predators, day and night, and build for them. Also know that if you do not have the funds to do things the way you want immediately, you can make modifications later. While this may not be the most secure route, it allows time for you to save up some more cash. My coops/runs are far more secure now than they were a few years ago. For example my skirt got added about 6 months after the initial run was built.

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

You have eight 10 ft. panels total from two 10ftx10ft square runs, you take two of them off the ends of one kennel and add them on the other to lengthen it. So you have two sides that are 3 panels each (30 ft) and two sides of the run that are 10 ft each (still eight 10 ft panels total).

 

[Cryss]

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

It happened by accident!
Well. Kinda.
When you butt 2 fully assembled 10x10 up against each other you have two 10x10 runs. You must remove the one panel that butts up against the other run from BOTH runs. If you connect the runs now you have one10x20 run AND two unused panels. So DON'T connect the two runs yet. Separate them by 10 feet and fill the gap between them on each side with the 2 leftover panels.
TAA-DAAAAAA!!! 10X30!!!!

 

[imnukensc]

Gotcha! Sometimes I'm dumber than a rock!

 

[Cryss]

Gotcha! Sometimes I'm dumber than a rock!

Naaah. I only figured it out as I was trying to sketch out my plan.when I saw something didn't quite fit I was very pleasantly surprised to find it didn't double, it tripled!.

 

[elmo]

Be careful when you're buying hardware cloth to confirm what you're buying. Galvanized before welding (GBW) hardware cloth is cheaper, but the welding process can leave open spots in the galvanized coating where rust can begin to form, which makes the hardware cloth tend to rust out and fail at the weld points. GBW hardware cloth is cheaper in the short run but when it rusts through and you have to replace it, not cheaper in the longer run.

Look for galvanized after weld (GAW) hardware cloth. There is also vinyl coated GAW hardware cloth. I have some that has lasted ten years already on run walls and roof (covered from the sun), still in excellent condition. The same stuff on our tractor exposed to full sun has started to deteriorate some, though.

 

[elmo]

It isn't just predators to consider: larger opening in wire or netting allow not just rodents in, but wild birds. These critters not only steal chicken feed but potentially introduce mites and disease into your flock.

 

[Cindy in PA]

This all depends on how much you can tolerate the thought of a predator getting in. I have never in 26 years had a run with a complete skirt or hardware cloth over the bottom. I have used game farm wire (similar to chicken wire) plastic garden fence & now dog kennels with 2 by 4 welded wire for the last section. I have had 1 chicken taken from the run in daylight. That was early in the morning one year when I was not closing the coop door at night & a fox got in & nabbed one. I would go away for many weekend in the last couple years, leaving the coop door open while I was away. In 2015 I invested in an auto door, because we started going away more often. I would not have a 400 sq. ft. run if I was putting HC on it. YMMV

 

[pacorona]

NOTHING has ever entered my coop, thanks to a great coop builder and hardware cloth! Not even the squirrels can get in (but they try!!). Built mine in an A frame shape - same sq. footage for the hens, but not as large and intrusive a look as a square one. We have enjoyed it for over four years now, with no mis-happenings!!