If not chicken wire??? Then

[janramsey]

What do I use for wire for my park/run????

 

[SeaChick]

Oh, goody, someone is asking this again. I spent a half-hour reading old posts about this but am still undecided what to use.

I went to Home Depot today and they had:
1) regular chicken wire in various heights. Most people say it's too flimsy to offer reall predator protection.
2) 2X 4 welded wire in various heights
3) a neat-looking green plastic (not the vinyl-coated wire, they had that, too) PLASTIC stuff that is the same pattern as chicken wire (1" octagons) but seemed stronger. Anyone tried this?

if the plastic stuff is no good, we'll likely do the 2 x 4 welded wire. Even though the whole run is temporary since we're moving in 2 years..... but we have a skunk in the neighborhood so the chicken wire would make me nervous I think!

I'll be interested to hear what responses you get....

Stacey

 

[Jsto]

We're going to use 'hardware cloth'. The holes are quite a bit smaller than chicken wire and it just seems....sturdier to me. Plus, I've only heard good things about it. It is a bit more expensive than chicken wire, though.

 

[Firefly]

We went with 1" chicken/poultry fencing. It seemed much sturdier than the 2", and I think it will be more than adequate for our needs. It's the nighttime predators I worry most about, and the hen house is cement floor and walls to 3 feet high (the rest is thick wood), Hardware cloth stapled around the two windows, so I feel they will be plenty safe. Everyone has to choose based on their circumstances-- good luck whatever you decide!

 

[janramsey]

Oh my.....yes that makes sense.....my chicks will also be in a safe home at night......while hte park will be done in 1 inch poultry wire.......I wasnt thinking...I had read and paniced.......and just think my babies arent even hatched yet.....I can see me....my bed in the coop with them!!

 

[prariechiken]

Remember, poultry wire keeps chickens in, but not predators out. Had coons one year tearing through chicken wire like they were opening Christmas presents. I like to layer my runs wire. 2x4 welded wire is alright, but prefer to use 1x2 inch welded wire, much stronger and harder for critters to stick their appendages into. I then layer some 1inch poultry wire over that. It is a little more expensive, but very effective. I always tend to "overbuild" my pens, but beats losing a bunch of rare birds to a common varmit.

 

[seedcorn]

So the question is why the fence. Use the type that will keep out whatever you don't want in. Most varmits--coons, possums, skunks, etc are night animals, so shut up the hen house & you'll be fine.

I use an old dog run because I'm cheap plus easy to see through. My fence is to keep the chickens in, not to keep varmits out.

 

[polychickens]

Last week I built my run. Mine is framed with treated 2x4's and 4x4 posts. I wanted to be able to walk in my run. I found that most welded wire in small patterns (1"x1" or 1"x2") is sold in a 2 foot height. After searching I found a 100 foot roll of 1"x1" 14 gauge welded wire that was 48" high. I stapled this to the frame two sections high and then hog ringed the seam. The lower section I trenched in about a foot deep.

Next I plan to cover the top by stapling regular chicken wire to the frame. Voila, a totally enclosed area for the birds that I can walk in. Mine is not portable, but is attached to the chicken house, and they love it so far. I have no coyotes or coons to worry about, just opossum, skunk, and cats, plus flying predators and my 'cage' seems plenty strong.

Good luck!

Polychickens
...so many pretty girls I can't count them...

 

[mlheran]

Quote:
I used that for my brooder/tractor and it worked great. It's far heavier than chicken wire, but lighter, won't cut you, and is recyclable. You have to cut it with wire-cutters though, scissors just will not cut it. How well it holds up depends on what it's attached to and how well -I was able to staple the edge to the wood sections and zip-tie the rest to the PVC frame.

It's not as "clear" to look through, but for a tractor it seems ideal. Here's a pic:

Inside shot:

Oh, and I noticed that chicken wire is no longer "chicken wire," it's now called "poultry netting" on the package. I guess the manufacturers have learned that their product is just too flimsy.

 

[JudyMcKinn]

Not trying to be argumentave, but I have always had just 1 inch chicken wire on my pens--have had chickens probably a total of 15 years, off and on, in my 35 year marriage, and my parents always had chickens, also, in chicken wire pens. I have never had, or known of a varment getting thru chicken wire, and I feel completely secure using it. We have coons, skunks, possums, cayotes. I do think if you are in bear country, or something like that, you will need a stronger pen. There is quite a difference in price between chicken wire and welded wire. On the 2 X 4 welded wire, I wonder if a smaller skunk couldn't squeeze thru that? As well as weasels (sp?) and other smaller predators, that we don't have in this area?