Something is eating through the chicken wire

[windwehen]

It looks like something is eating throught the chicken wire out in the chicken yard... The yard is 20x20x4 currently and has wire stapled from the ground up - attached is a 10x10 portable shed with a scuttle hole for the hens to get into at night? I don't htink I have lost any birds to an unexplained predator but am curious if there is anything that could or would eat through the wire.. it does not look rusted and there are a couple of impact type impressions in the wire on one side... anyone have any ideas???

TIA

 

[Katy]

A raccoon or dog will chew/tear through chicken wire.

 

[92caddy]

Ive had fox chew through my fence 2 times now, good luck......

 

[chantald]

I did tell my DH I thought chicken wire was not strong enoug.. what wire would you suggest for a run?

 

[Chirpy]

Chicken wire is only made to keep chickens in... several predators (dogs, raccoons, fox, etc.) can easily rip through chicken wire.

Sounds like you have caught this in time to save your chickens which is great.

The very best predator proof fencing is hardware cloth, but it's very expensive. The next best is 2x4 welded or woven wire. You would use that as the main fence and then you could put 1 inch chicken wire around all of it or just the bottom two feet (bury it into the ground about 15 inches also) so that raccoons can't get their paws through to grab a chicken and pull it back out the wire.

You've got your work cut out for you since you fencing is already done... but, I'd switch your fencing material is quickly as possible or you may be losing chickens.

Good luck.

 

[Cassandra]

Since you already have chicken wire around the whole run (if I'm reading you right) I would just get some 2"x4" weld wire and put that around the whole run, too--on top of the chicken wire.

I did that to my outside brooder, which had hardware cloth on the inside to keep the chicks in and weldwire on the outside to keep the dogs out.

Don't forget the top!

Cassandra

 

[halo]

I went to my local hardware store and they had heavy duty 2 x 2 welded wire, which Im putting outside all of my runs.

 

[chantald]

Question??

DH wants to know if the 1x1 chicken wire is strong enough to prevent predators from getting in??

The guy at the farm store said 2x2 chicken wire was not strong enough but that 1x1 was just fine for a run..

I really don't want to loose the chickens..

thoughts?

 

[silkiechicken]

I've had a coon go though fresh 1x1 wire.... when they want in... they will get in. It will just take longer. That said, my coops are surrounded in 1x1 chicken wire, from the 60's... when wire was thicker than that junk at home depot now. I doubled and tripple layered some places and have still had break ins. However, it is rare because but I do trap proactively.

 

[Eggseronious]

Just as quick as U get the wire reworked I would sure set a live animal trap, or something because this varmint is not going away soon.