I hate chicken wire!

[Mikey D]

1/2 - 13 expanded steel goes for $51 for a 4' x 8' sheet, but you'd have to paint it. Prolly keep bears out of your chickens tho!

 

[minihorse927]

I have used chainlink on my runs on the outside and then lined them inside with 2x4 welded wire, which holds out most smaller critters like raccoons and possums and then put 1/2X1/2 hardware cloth (made of steel) at the bottom to keep chicks in. It is 3 layers of wire and all easy to tighten to make it look nice, but ever since it has been done, nothing has been able to get in. The largest thing I have to worry about around here in coyotes and the neighbors dogs though. If you have a bear or something, I have seen them go through chain link.

 

[greenpixies]

Actually, the predatory critters I anticipate are: ferral cats, dogs, opposums and birds of prey.

The wired roof should keep the birds out, so I'm not worried about them. I think I have a plan under control for that.

I am worried about things that will dig under the enclosure, as I've read this happens a great deal. Ferral cats are the biggest threat as there are many in the area. We are in a small town and our property is accross the street from the dumpster for a small food store. Even if we can trap some of the cats, it will always be an issue as the dumpster draws ferrals to the area. Our property does not have a privacy fence, but even when it does: this will only cut down on the human predators.

So one of the things I am hearing is that y'all wrap the INSIDE of the bottom of the enclosure, and not the outside, as I had assumed. Why is that? And why don't you need to cover the entire bottom with hardware cloth? How far in do you go, a foot wide, two feet wide?

Thanks for all your help!

 

[cpwhip]

ya know if youre gonna use a kennel why not install anti dig bars that are made for kennels?
here's a link. just a thought.
http://www.k9kennelstore.com/digging_prevention_system.html

 

[minihorse927]

I just ran 2x4 welded wire about 6 inches into the ground for digging on mine, never had anything dig under. They have tried and get about an inch or two down, catch their paws in wire and quit digging. Whenever something does dig around we just fill the hole back in and tamp the dirt back. Doesn't take much to dig the wire in that far and easy to maintain when something does dig around it.

As for the question on the smaller wire, I am using mine as prevention for the chicks escaping plus some of my chickens sleep on the ground by the fence wire and this way a coon can not get his little paws in the tear them through the fence. If you have chicks around and you put the smaller wire on the outside they will get inbetween the layers of wire and be stuck and it is a huge mess to get one out. Trust me a friend did hers that way thinking it would be safer since the predators would have a harder time and then I had to go tear out part of her run to save some chicks. Big mess!

 

[greenpixies]

cpwhip:

I checked out your link, and that system looks great! We just can't spare the cash right now. The set for a 10 x 10 enclosure is $150. I will actually keep it in mind for the future though, especially when we are ready to expand!

minihorse927:

Thanks for that warning about the chicks! Talk about a trauma waiting to happen (for me, the hub and the chicks of course)! That has me decided to definitely put a small opening hardware cloth INSIDE the kennel and perhaps fold the wire under but dug down to thwart diggers outside.

Still thinkin' on it all.

Thanks for every bit of advice!

 

[Dutch552]

If you have a Southern States nearby you can find the 48" hardware cloth in 50-100-150ft rolls. They have been the cheapest source locally for me.

 

[georgiagail]

How we covered our gate:

Gail

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Quote:
Yep that's where I got mine. Not all of their stores carry all sizes but they can special order from the warehouse and hold for you. I love SS.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

I use the wire that speckled hen has shown on the sides of the pen with chicken wire over that and over the top. I buried it about1 foot or more too. We have not had to many predator problems. That has been a surprise too. We live,well, kind of in the woods so there are critters everywhere!
Maybe just try to reinforce it with what speckled hen has shown. Not sure what to call it, here we just call it dog wire.