Tell me what you think---HONESTLY!!

[skyblues22]

Okay, be easy on me,,please

My father and I started building my first chicken coop for my 6 beautiful golden comets, and wouldn't you know it----I have CHICKEN WIRE to cover the runner!! Can I double up on it to make it safe, or am I just asking for KFC? I don't want my chickens harmed, but I am not sure if my purse has anymore $$ to spare...Whether it matters or not I am not sure, but this coop will be a tractor coop if it makes any difference in everyones views. I know the golden rule to a coop is hardware cloth, but I didn't know this til after I got LOTS of CHICKEN WIRE for next to nothing which helped on expenses big time. And I have spent over 300 alone in lumber now, so my $$ is extremely tight right now. HELP!! What am I going to do??

 

[KKatknap]

Do you have any extra horse fence or field fence? You could use that, and then use the chicken wire over it. The regular fence is strong enough to keep predators out, and the chicken wire will shrink up the holes.

 

[downhome]

I second the 2"x4" welded wire. put a wanted ad on craigslist and look through the freebies.

another option is get some galvanized wire like they use for a "hot wire" you can "weave" your own reinforcement. may take a little time
but should be plenty cheap.

one more is get some cattle pannels and put your chicken wire on both sides. you may find these used too?

last one and this is how my run is done, I used 1"x6"x 6' dog eared fence pickets spaced 6" apart they inturn are nailed onto 3 evenly spaced 2"x2"s then I stapled (heavey duty long staples) the chicken wire on the inside. you could do simular or even create a latice work. rip slats from 2 by lumber does not matter 2"x4" 2x6 2x8 ect. the wider the board the more slats make them a 1/2" thick and space appropriately. use a table saw and fence and you want the 2" side toward the fence (its actually 1 1/2") you will get 6-7 slats
from a 2x4 you will get about 22 from a 2x12 but all the slats from either will be the same width and if you cut them all the same ,the same thickness. so you could make use of a good bit of scrap lumber. Im thinking maybe a 2"x4" latice straight up and down or do a diamond type maybe 3"x3" but then run your chicken wire on at least one side.

 

[greenpeeps]

I also only used chicken wire on my coop and for fencing the yard and I don't have any problems. Most preditors such as raccons and coyotes strike at night, for that reason the coop is locked up tightly
. I have bird netting covering the top of the yard, mainly to keep them in. I think the main reason I don't have any problems with preditors though is because of the dogs.

they keep a close eye on the chickens & kids. Good Luck

 

[Mervin]

downhome

Have you actually tried reinforcement with galvanized wire? I've been considering it myself b/c it is strong and fairly inexpensive. I am mostly concerned about keeping neighbor's dogs out. I was thinking one hot wire and a couple weaved into the chicken wire. I was also thinking about weaving a top rather than trying to put bird netting or something else up there.

 

[downhome]

no i have not, same concept as woven wire though. but like I said if you have a large run it could be a time labor consideration.

the fence pickets work great for me. I have white german shepards with a high prey drive. they can and have ripped up chain link fence.
the smaller wire stuff they just crash through. chicken wirw alone is no determent to them at all.

they check out the chickens but dont bother with them as they know, the boards act as a visual deterent, that they can not get to them.
wire just does not have the same effect.