Is chicken wire good enough?

[hardchines]

I am a new member and chicken owner, and for some reason that I can not explain ........I am really enjoying having my six Rhode Island Reds (10 weeks old today). I wanted to protect them so I did what I thought best and wrapped my run with chicken wire (all six sides, question is will it stop all the local predators, coyotes,dogs,possum,racoons,fox, skunk,and large birds?
A friend at work said a dog will get through chicken wire, I disagree , but what do I know, opinions wanted please. Bottom of run has a couple of inches of wood shavings to keep their feet away from the wire.]

 

[chicmom]

Hello! You friend is right. There are quite a few predators that can rip through chicken wire like it was nothing. Dogs are one of them. Alot of people use hardware cloth, which is much safer and more durable.

Truth be told, I have chicken wire around my run, and I also free range my chickens. I'm surrounded by woods. The only predator I've lost chickens to is a hawk. Seems like I lose one a year. I haven't had any critters try and get through my chicken wire on the run though. (Knock on wood) And my coop and run has been there for three years now.

I guess it's just luck. (Hope my luck doesn't run out.)

Sharon

 

[harveyhorses]

No, it really is not, I can bend it and stretsh it with my bare hands, it just slows preditors down a bit. If you are lucky you can get away with it, but if your luck runs out ???

I made the most secure run I could, chain link, lined with chicken wire topped with hardware cloth and electric fence around the whole thing.

Happy chicken keeping!!

 

[Bookspryte]

I lost 5 chickens in two separate coops to my own dog. He attempted to get at chickens in the third coop, but what saved them is that one had hardware cloth in addition to chicken wire. It was an expensive and painful lesson.

 

[patman75]

Welded wire or hardware cloth is the way to go.

Chicken wire = Chicken death wire

 

[wyoDreamer]

My husband and I just changed out the fence for the dog yard from a 4' welded wire to a 4 foot woven wire "horse" fence. The Horse fence is a much thicker guage of wire and I prefer the woven as I think it is stronger since the dogs like to jump up on it. The welded wire fence is still in good condition, but we cut the bottom foot off the fence and left it in place since it has become buried over the years and is now our anti-digging protection.

Would it work if we used the 3' wide welded fencing over chicken wire for a run for chickens? The welded wire is strong (kept three large dogs in for years), and has 2" by 4" openings, which I know is too big if racoons show up. The chicken wire would not have to be strong, just act as a liner to make the holes smaller, if that makes sence.

:/

 

[Bizzybirdy]

Only thing I use chicken wire for is to line the bottom 2 feet of my chain link pen so racoons cannot pull heads or feet through. Other than that is it totally USELESS to keep out any predators. They shouldn't even call it "chicken" wire. A hot wire works wonders when turned on at night to keep out predators...about 6" off the ground.

 

[VelvettFog]

chicken wire does it's job quite well. Problem is, that we often ask chicken wire to do something that it has not been trained to do

We have trained chicken wire to contain our feathered friends. We have not yet trained chicken wire to keep furry un-friendlies OUT.


Chickens in -- yes ... predators out -- NO

 

[flash5153]

I keep hearing that chicken wire is NOT enough to keep predators out,,,but has anyone first hand seen any animal get through it???


I have not seen one post where something broke/chewed through chicken wire. I am not talking because it wasn't fastened good enough either.
I have a large run and coop,,enclosed with chicken wire. Been there for almost 2 years and I have not had one thing get through it. I used wire nails/hooks and they are about every 3 inches all the way around and a roof. Its 24 ft X 19ft with a roof of chicken wire,,,I used trusses from a trailer ,,every 3 ft as rafters. Also on the seam of the wire when two rows are put together ,,must be wrapped with one continuous wire all the way down the seam. (very important!!)

I have a St. Bernard that wants eat the chickens,,he weighs 135 plus,,,,when he gets to the chicken wire he stops and runs around looking for a way to get through. Hasn't done it yet.

I know I could not get through it with my bare hands,using weight or almost any method. . It might be possible if one just kept kicking it until it stretched to its limit then broke. But that would be very tough to do.

The only way I can see an animal getting through is if it chewed the wire with teeth and could actually break it. I find it hard to believe but not impossible. Just not likely,,IMO.


And if someone shows me a picture of a 400 LB bear,,,,

Well,,,thats a different story.

 

[theFox]

It will keep the chickens in if all sides and the top are covered, other than that it is useless as just about any chicken eater can get through it or reach into the run a slice and dice your birds getting them out.

Sorry to be so graphic but that is how it works.