Predator Proofing

[Unswydd]

Hi ya'all, Question.
Budget is super tight as with so many but I have a roll of aluminum screen and was wondering if I could use that instead of chicken wire or hardware cloth around the base of my coop. It would help tremendously if I could.
What say you?
Thanks!

 

[sourland]

Do you mean like window screen ? Predators would shred that in an instant. Even chicken wire is easily shredded by predators.

 

[Mamatomany123]

If you mean window screen then, no, it wont work. My cat accidentally put a hole in ours by pushing on it a little hard. A determined predator will have not trouble shredding that in a matter of seconds.

 

[Unswydd]

Ok. Bummer

 

[Backyard Dacks]

You mean predators can rip through galvanized chicken wire?

 

[Mamatomany123]

You mean predators can rip through galvanized chicken wire?

Chicken wire, yes. Hardware cloth, no.

 

[Backyard Dacks]

What's the difference?

 

[Mamatomany123]

What's the difference?

Hardware cloth is much stronger than chicken wire. The holes are smaller so nothing can reach in and grab a chicken. They also can rip apart hardware cloth like you can with chicken wire. Chicken wire keeps chickens in. Hardware cloth keeps predators out. It's a bit more expensive but 100% worth it in my opinion.

 

[3KillerBs]

Chicken wire:

Hardware cloth:

The latter is much thicker wire and more strongly constructed.