Need Advice On Coop Wire

[drom]

Hello,
I am building my first coop and I bought the wire mesh hardware cloth to put inside the frames because it has the tiny square holes and I wanted to make sure that no snakes or rodents could get in the coop. But someone told me that raccoons and coyotes will chew through it to get in. Is that true? Do I need to add another type of wire to nail over it? I want to make sure they are completely safe at night and that nothing can get in the coop.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated

 

[d.k]

* As far as I know, hardware cloth is about the best you can do as far as wire. If the predators are REALLY bad in your area, you could maybe double layer it-- but, other than a solid metal coop, not sure what else you can do!

 

[dangerouschicken]

If it is 1/4" hardware cloth, it should work for you. As long as it is reinforced at the areas where it is joined (to framing or posts). I don't know if anyone has mentioned this before to you, or if you are already aware of it, but if you really want to keep predators out, either bury the wire down about 6" to a foot, curved outward slightly, or add a "bottom" to your run. I did the latter by using 2" x 4" welded wire on the bottom. It has worked well for me. My run has kept out wild dogs, too!

Hope that helps some.

 

[LynneP]

Some pics to help...be sure to batten any seams and save the wire that comes with the roll to 'marry' joins and for future repairs. Also check overhead, be sure predators can't squeeze in.

Check my home page for details, also click on LynneP's Run.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

I think people must be thinking of chickenwire when they said predators could chew/bend through it... I think only Godzilla could rip apart small-hole hardware cloth.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I would make sure you wrap that wire around the pole you are planning on using...they prob won't get through the wire but my friend had problems with them ripping it right off the poles! It was nailed in but it came off easy enough for the coons. As soon as she wrapped it around the pole and then used those big staples then she didn't have any more problems. Good luck!

 

[freerange freaks]

Are you building a coop with a run or a tractor?

Around my parts we use hardware cloth for the walls of our tractors and then the top and bottom are covered in 1in chicken wire. The raccoons like to go under the tractors. With the chicken wire on the bottom, the chickens can still eat grass and peck around but it is difficult for the predators to go in from the bottom. Instead of using staples to fasten the wire to the posts, I would recommend screwing the wire. Use a piece of wood and sandwich the wire between then screw. I lost 8 pheasants one night becasue of fencing staples.

For our run, we use 5 ft fencing but I wish it were higher. The dogs can jump that no problem.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I use chicken wire, and it keeps the raccoons out.

 

[drom]

Thanks everyone for the advice and suggestions. So, I think I am OK here. Looks like I chose the right wire mesh. The guy who told me this by the way was the one I bought the wire rolls from at Home Depot-but he said he grew up on a chicken ranch with thousands of birds.
Whatever. Maybe they had super-predators there. Anyway, the only thing I haven't done is the flooring and it's a really good idea for me to put something down because I found a fairly large snake hole right near the coop last weekend.

Thanks!!!