Plastic hardware cloth?

[KenCoesta]

I don't think the wife would dig that idea, due to the kids.

 

[nelgkel]

I am a new egg, but researching lots and asking questions...cheaper/safe alternative I found was the stucco lath in the building materials section at lowes...it is galvanized, strong and only $7 for a 27" by 8 foot section....this is what I am using for my apron on the run and then up about 36"

have fun!

 

[NellaBean]

I'm in Loudon, just east of Knoxville.........what will your setup be like? If you have a secure coop structure for nighttime lockup, I would go with 2x3 or 2x4 welded wire fencing with a smaller gauge wire or mesh at the bottom for the "day pen". I did make a larger pen that needed to be 6 feet tall.....it had 1x2 mesh as the bottom 2 feet and 2x2 woven wire fencing for the top 4 feet. That is secure enough for my daytime use. If hawks were a big issue I could cover the top with mesh, I guess. If I had to do it again I would probably buy the 6 foot tall woven wire 2x4' fencing.....and then cheap plastic mesh to put on the INSIDE for the bottom 2-3 feet. It was a pain in the butt to use the two different types of fencing and try to keep them straight...........probably would have been easier if I wasn't on a hill, grrrr....

Ignore the zip ties, they were temporary and have been replaced with j-clips.

If this pen will need to be secure enough for nighttime, I would not do anything but full on 1/2" hardware cloth for sides, top, etc.

 

[KenCoesta]

Stucco Lath, huh?
The price sounds right!
I'll check it out.

Another thing I was thinking about, was that the width of the fencing material would help to determine the width of the studs in the frame of the run.
That way I wouldn't spend hours snip snip snipping 300 feet of fence - 1 inch at a time!

 

[KenCoesta]

Thanks for the size/gauge recommendations, NellaBean.
You got some nice looking birds!
Got friends in Loudon!

I do indeed plan to have a full-on secure coop for the chickens at night - gonna build that before building the run.
Honestly, the only predator problems I see are the dogs and my 2yo! ^_^

I dunno, I REALLY don't want to clean up dead chickens and beat the fire outta my dogs (and/or 2yo).
If hardware cloth is the ONLY way I can have that peace of mind...
Guess I'll haffta whip out the plastic - don't tell Dave Ramsey!!!

 

[NellaBean]

I have 4 dogs...two are relatively chicken friendly, two are not. The two that are NOT chicken friendly, aren't allowed out back (they are old and stay in the house anyways). I used to have a tractor that was plastic hardware cloth only.....one dog ripped right through it...didn't hurt the chicken fortunately but did teach me a lesson on it! I do have a single "safe baby pen" that is 1/2" hardware cloth on all sides. Then I have my big pen that has the 1x2 at the bottom 2 feet. That pen is just fine.

I saw somewhere you were thinking about getting some specific breeds next....anything in particular you are looking for? I have a million and one chicks right now, LOL.

 

[KenCoesta]

Oh, do you?
The wife was looking at Silkies and Polish - something kinda neat like that.
I'm a bit more interested in the chocolate eggs layers myself.
Got anything like that?

 

[NellaBean]

LOL, Okay I have everything but that

I avoid breeds with the topknot aka limited vision since I free range. I have mostly bantam cochins, some d'uccles, bantam brahmas, red sex links (you have 2 already looks like), some Rhode island red pullets, 1 black cochin mix pullet, etc etc. Nothing very fancy or exciting.

 

[KenCoesta]

Keh heh - Isn't that always how it goes?
Let me look up those breeds and I'll get back to you.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Not really, there are a *lot* of folks here who use it. Although it is not appropriate for all situaitons.

FWIW, the reason I don't generally bother to recommend it is twofold: a) quite honestly, only a minority of people seem to bother to take the time and research to install it CORRECTLY and check it regularly, without which it should not be depended on; and b) ALL electric fence goes dead SOMEtimes, for a whole variety of reasons, thus I strongly feel that it should be the "cherry on top" of an already basically predatorproof fence, rather than being the main thing keeping the predators outta your chickens.

JMHO,

Pat