*****To all you newbies!!!*****

[Longhornlove]

Where most people live hardware cloth will work fine.

Also adding some hotwire around the perimeter should add some extra protection

 

[neo71665]

Although I agree chicken wire provides minimum defense I do not believe hardware cloth provides near what people think.
I've watched dogs go through hardware cloth almost as quick as they do chicken wire.
It does do well against small creatures but if you have larger predators it won't stop a determined one. It's definitely over rated.
Your best bet is 1/2" X 1" or 1" X 1" welded wire.

I'm with ya on the hardware cloth is over rated but I think most people it will be fine. That said I only use chainlink and welded fencing on my enclosure.

Seen people brag about electric fences and I've seen coyotes take that out pretty easily. I'm not talking about one of the little corner hardware store unit either, one "designed" to be used on cattle.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Where most people live hardware cloth will work fine.

I disagree.
I ain't trying to give you a hard time. I know you're just putting this out there to help inform newbies about chicken wire but I'm also trying to inform that although hardware cloth is a much better choice it too is far from the best choice and isn't near as reliable as many think.
I'm in the country where everything shows up occasionally to snag a meal but my hunch is that whether you're out here or in an urban setting the predator that most often ends up causing the most deaths in a flock is a dog. Or at least they do the most damage in a one time attack.
So IMO hardware cloth will work a lot of the time but when push comes to shove it isn't that reliable to kick back and think your birds will always be safe.
I'm sure there's a few threads here on the subject but without much effort I found this one.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/dog-vs-hardware-cloth.1105056/

 

[mowin]

If installed properly, and if the structure it's attached to is properly built, HC will stop all small predators up to and including large dogs. I'd can guarantee you, no dog is getting through my HC enclosure.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

If installed properly, and if the structure it's attached to is properly built, HC will stop all small predators up to and including large dogs. I'd can guarantee you, no dog is getting through my HC enclosure.

Exactly! Thanks for making that clear. Same for me.

 

[cmom]

I have had just chicken wire for years but I also have electric wire around my coops and pens. I have had no issues with any predator going through the chicken wire but they have to get past the electric wire first. I did put up welded wire too because after some years the chicken wire had to be replaced, so now I have welded wire and chicken wire. Because my pens are so large and it would cost a fortune to put up smaller mesh welded wire, I also put up the chicken wire to keep the males from sticking their heads through the wire to fight with the male in the adjacent pens. They can't put their heads through the chicken wire.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I have had just chicken wire for years but I also have electric wire around my coops and pens. I have had no issues with any predator going through the chicken wire but they have to get past the electric wire first. I did put up welded wire too because after some years the chicken wire had to be replaced, so now I have welded wire and chicken wire. Because my pens are so large and it would cost a fortune to put up smaller mesh welded wire, I also put up the chicken wire to keep the males from sticking their heads through the wire to fight with the male in the adjacent pens. They can't put their heads through the chicken wire.
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I can see how that works for you. Since you have so many coops, yeah. It would cost a lot! But I'm talking about people who don't use electrified wire.... Hardware cloth will help protect your chickens. It's much better for a first time chicken owner to have a good experience then a bad...... if you get what I'm saying.

I don't use electrified wire, so using chicken wire by itself might turn out pretty bad. I mean.....my chickens are pets. And I'm sure after all these months of going out to the coop I would get shocked a few times! LOL

I would be worried about my chickens all the time if I used chicken wire. Hardware cloth is GREAT! And besides, I installed it right. (Buried it six inches with a skirt and used strong posts pounded far into the ground WITH rocks on the inner and outer edges of the fence to keep digging predators OUT.

So I hope that explains a lot.

It's not just the hardware cloth, it's how you install the hardware cloth.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you."

 

[cmom]

My flocks have grown over the years and I have lost birds to many different predators. The electric wire helps me sleep at night unless the power goes out. Lately I have had a fox lurking during the day and at night so I have been leaving it on. I check it every evening after I collect eggs. I also have game cameras out around the coops.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

My flocks have grown over the years and I have lost birds to many different predators. The electric wire helps me sleep at night unless the power goes out. Lately I have had a fox lurking during the day and at night so I have been leaving it on. I check it every evening after I collect eggs. I also have game cameras out around the coops.

Sounds like that system works for you, but it wouldn't work for me. Thanks for your input.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

@macbow - thought you might find this thread helpful. Look at the first post to find out all you need to know.