Reinforcement ideas

[EddieSalita]

You could also invest in electric netting to go around it. It will be useful at a later date once they start free ranging. Dogs don't like electric shocks. They can't dig under it either.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Is that real hwc? It looks like plastic ...

 

[linguini]

Is it possible to find free pallets as reinforcement?

 

[aart]

It looks to me as if your hardware cloth (hwc) has insufficient support. I see large areas where there is nothing but hwc between what looks like 8' gaps between tubular steel supports.

Good point, and probably why the mesh was loose enough to get a tooth in.

Is that real hwc? It looks like plastic ...

Probably vinyl coated.

 

[Penpal]

I have found electric netting keeps dogs out. Even if they can jump over it, they don't like fences that bite.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Is it possible to find free pallets as reinforcement?

Sorry to hear about your sweetys .
You could use the lumber from them .
to make something sturdy

 

[ChaosMom]

Good point, and probably why the mesh was loose enough to get a tooth in.


Probably vinyl coated.

It's hard to tell for sure, but the openings look way bigger than 1/2 sq in. Doesn't having larger openings result in a weaker HWC, even with the same gauge? It just looks way more bendy that the stuff we're wrestling (19 gauge but with 1/2 sq in openings.)

 

[Appalachickens]

Yikes. I just stumbled on this when I was asking about whether I should add welded wire fencing as a double layer with hardware cloth. Looks like the answer is yes. I’m sorry for what happened.

 

[MichaelDJ]

What is the wire gauge of the hardware cloth?

You may need an electric fence. Just a few strands should do the trick.

Or a 00 buckshot.
Seriously though. I have a ton of raccoons and frequently see coyotes walk by my coup and run at night. I've had chickens for 4 years and they pay zero attention to them. Seems kinda weird to me.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

. I've had chickens for 4 years and they pay zero attention to them. Seems kinda weird to me.

Coyotes and raccoons don't bother my flock either. I think they have learned my birds are too well protected to bother messing with. Perhaps the same is true on your property. Once word gets out that your birds are unavailable, the major predators will give them a pass. That is, of course, until they don't.