More protection needed?

[bethnlee]

Sigh...rats....that’s a lot of fencing to cover with hardware cloth :-(. Dollar signs rolling...30’feet long x 6 fr hugh.

 

[bethnlee]

Sigh...rats....that’s a lot of fencing to cover with hardware cloth :-(. Dollar signs rolling...30’feet long x 6 fr hugh.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you're mainly worried about the squirrels, I don't see why chicken wire on the upper parts of the run wouldn't be better than nothing. Perhaps a very tiny squirrel could slip through, but I'd think that chicken wire should be able to exclude larger squirrels at least?

I'd still use hardware cloth on the bottom few feet and aproned out, for burrowing/digging rodents like rats.

 

[bethnlee]

If you're mainly worried about the squirrels, I don't see why chicken wire on the upper parts of the run wouldn't be better than nothing. Perhaps a very tiny squirrel could slip through, but I'd think that chicken wire should be able to exclude larger squirrels at least?

I'd still use hardware cloth on the bottom few feet and aproned out, for burrowing/digging rodents like rats.

Thanks. I've settled on hardware cloth on bottom 2+ feet up and then out about 18" (buried on two sides but I'm thinking of just a hardware skirt for the other sides as digging is a drag We'll see how that goes...I'll cover the rest with chicken wire...its kept everything out of my raised be garden, that is also in a kennel (but a chain link fence one). I'm figuring on keeping my hens in the coop at night and that will be nice and solid (says she who has never built one before I'll post pictures when its done...

 

[bethnlee]

I used welded wire with chicken wire and have had no issues. Some people will insist you will need hardware cloth. I also have several cameras around the coops and have seen plenty of predators on the cameras but I also have electric wires around my coops and pens and nothing has penetrated so far and it's been up for many years. I think the adult predators teach their young that a bird isn't worth getting zapped for. I have a nice strong fence charger because I want anything that touches the wires to know it. Good luck and have fun...
View attachment 2643294
It may not be pretty but it works.
View attachment 2643298

Thanks so much! Im putting hardware cloth on the bottom two feet and then down and into the ground and out about 18"or skirt it...I'm going with the chicken wire over the rest.