New run with hardware cloth or farm fencing?

[photo chick]

I've read many posts on here as well as scoured pictures on chicken runs. I need a new one. I've had ours for a few years and with all of our torrential rains and flooding it's lost it's integrity. Many of the posts I read have the hardware cloth on the bottom and then other fencing above. Why is this? The farm fencing is not secure since weasels can fit right through it. We have had a weasel in our coop and I NEVER want one again. I love the idea of saving money using something other than hardware cloth...but is it safe? Do weasels only come at night when the chickens are inside the coop and safe? I think the weasel is the smallest predator that I need to worry about.

 

[suebee]

As long as your chickens are in a secure coop at night I think farm fencing would be okay. The only time I've had a weasel was at night. My run was fort knox...wrapped in farm fencing, lower part wrapped in hardware cloth, top covered in farm fencing. I thought it was so secure I left the pop door open thinking they were safe from raccoons. Weasel came in and took the head off my broody laying on the floor of the coop.

 

[photo chick]

Thanks suebee! Then why do hardware cloth on the bottom? Just curious.

 

[suebee]

Well I'm on my 10th year of chickening and I was told that raccoons and such couldn't grab the chickens through the fence because of the hardware cloth.

 

[photo chick]

Makes sense. Thanks - that's a LOT cheaper!

 

[4 the Birds]

I would do hardware cloth in the run. Expensive but it would be worth it. This will allow you to leave the coop open to the run for ventilation and allow the birds indoor/outdoor time as they wish. My run is woven wire fencing since I have goats around the coop and they would shred hardware cloth. If you decide to go with woven fence then you may want to add chicken wire and deer netting inside of that to keep out small predators and nuisance sparrows from raiding the feed. After all the double fencing, the hardware cloth will look like the best option.

 

[suebee]

I have 2 dog kennel runs on either side of the coop. Both have hardware cloth 3 feet up and 6 inches underground. I think it's useful when you have chicks so they can't sneak out of the run. I've never had a predator try to reach through the fence and grab a chicken but many peeps on here have had that happen. Like I said, the only time I've had a predator was at night and I left the pop door open. Weasel.