Opinions on Fencing Please...

[Kezzie]

I'm getting close to completing my coop and now have to work on the fenced runs. I have purchased landscape ties as posts because they were the most cost-effective here. As for the fencing, I was planning to use welded wire fencing with a 1" X 2" spacing and then attach hardware cloth as an apron under the soil to prevent digging.

Our Home Depot only stocks the welded wire in 2" X 4" but they can special order the 1X2 in 2 or 3 weeks. It's really expensive and will take longer than I was hoping to get this done. I have meaties and laying pullets together and the boys have started "courting".

Can I get some opinions on alternate fencing that is less expensive and just as safe? My birds won't be in the run at night- they'll be locked in the coop. Our worst predator around here is raccoons but they don't come out until about 3 am- they're never around in the day.

Is the 2X4 okay to use? Or is that just too wide? The girls would have lots of room to move away from the fence if someone stuck a paw in.

Any and all suggestions are much appreciated!!

 

[Snakeoil]

Kezzie, I used the 2 x 4 wire and have never had a problem, I like you lock my birds up at night. Here is a picture of my run with the welded wire, hope this helps.

 

[astylishgirl]

Chicks will get out... but if you keep your chicks separate, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[RM44]

If you were going to bury the 1/2" hardware cloth vertically, you might could bury 12" and leave 24" above ground. That would keep the chicks from going out and the coons from going in.

Like you, I securely coop my chickens at night and have never seen a coon during the daytime, even though I trapped 15 of the little masked devils in a years time.

My run is just six feet high chicken wire, but we are thinking about lining the lower portion with hardware cloth buried down a foot (mostly to keep a dog from digging up a chicken dinner).

 

[hangin'witthepeeps]

I have a secure run with 2x4 welded wire and then hardware cloth on the lower 18" with 18" buried apron. Its 10 x 16 run. Then around the coops and secure runs I have 2x4 welded wire which is 5' high set in with t-posts (50' long x 15' wide). I have electric wire on the outside 6" from the bottom and 1" from the top. It's their day run. I let them out when I get home and then when it's time for bed I throw scraps and scratch in the secure run and they follow me in. I shut them in the run and check the status of each chicken and fill feed and water bins do a little coop maintenance and they one by one go in the coop and when the last stragglers are in I shut them up for the night. They get more "free range" in the outer run on the weekends when I'm home. I like to call it my "Fort Knox Coop". I have bought concrete sacks here and there and filled in around the coop and run as I could afford it. I was lucky and had a lot of fence stuff because I have a horse and a mule. I only had to buy the welded wire and hardware cloth. I enjoy sitting in the yard on my park bench with treats and they will wander over and sit with me and get a snack. I got my ideas from other people here at BYC. Just search for run pictures. Sorry so detailed. I will get pictures this weekend and post them for you if you want on Monday.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

2 X 4 will be just as good

Check Agri Supply for the wire, if there is one near you.
They will probably be cheaper

 

[patandchickens]

I think good-quality (heavy gauge) 2x4 mesh is TOTALLY FINE.

To keep chicks and chicken-heads in, and predator feet out, it is smart to run some chickenwire along the bottom 2' or so (I like 1/2" chickenwire, but even the normal 1" chickenwire that's cheaper and easier to find is actually fairly effective)

If you will never, ever have chicks in the pen, and accept the fairly small risk inherent in things being able to stick body parts thru the openings, you COULD skip the chickenwire part, but it is really pretty cheap insurance. Put it on the inside so ambitious predators can't pull it apart/off (not a big risk to your chickens, but annoying to replace when it gets that damaged)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[FarmGirl01]

I think your idea is fine. Everyone has good suggestions. Here is a pic of mine.

It has wood post for the corners and T-post with woven wire. We deceided to put netting on top because of the hawks.

 

[Grammahen]

I use the 2x4 welded wire with no problems. On the inside I have zip tied chicken wire so that nothing can grab at them and they don't pop their heads out. I got the wire that is green. I think that I can see my chickens better from a distance because it is darker in color. I lock them in at night too. Hope this helps.

 

[Davaroo]

Ponder this: electriified wire added to whatever retention fencing you choose.