Two questions about coops and runs

[AnonAMauze]

First about the coop. my chickens will only be in the coop at night and will be free-ranging during the day in their 23' x 25' run. Should I use any kind of floor covering, like straw or pine chips?

Also, hardware cloth is hideously expensive to buy for such a large run. Yet, I look around online at lots of places and can't find any kind of chicken wire heavier than 20 guage. I haven't yet looked in my local stores so they may have something, but it will be more expensive.
Can anyone suggest a place online that would likely have what I am looking for?

 

[Jakoda]

I got my 1/2 mesh wire off of Wayfair.com, it was VERY cheap at the time (this past may), and shipping was free. I got 3 rolls of 50 ft x 4 ft wire for around 160 bucks..It was the perfect gauge, My run is 12 x 22 or so, plus I did the roof, and had 1/2 roll left over, did all my windows and still have some left. Here's a quick pic of my set up.



I wanted my pen to be like Fort Knox even tho my entire yard is fenced as well, I have alot of critters here , Very happy with this stuff and to be really predator proof the hardware mesh is the only way to go

 

[SSTupperware]

Nice run... but if people put in their profile where they were it would help...

 

[MaggieMay'sMom]

Great set-up. What are the dimensions of your coop?

 

[AnonAMauze]

Great set-up. What are the dimensions of your coop?

the coop itself is 10' x 6'. A bit small for 36 chickens I know, but they'll be spending most of their time outside. Oh, and just so you're aware, I have all kinds of predators to deal with up here. Hawks, Foxes, Coyotes, Mountain Lions, and the occasional Bear. Strangely I don't have raccoons. Just skunks. Don't know if they'll prey on chickens.

 

[AnonAMauze]

Nice run... but if people put in their profile where they were it would help...

I live in Extreme Northern CA. It's mountainous up here. The weather tends to be a dry 85-95 degrees in the summer, with a week or so long spike into the 100s around the beginning of August. The start of winter is fairly mild, with temps staying in the 50s-60s. It rains off and on in short waves and we get a few weeks of light (< 3") to moderate (<1') snow in Jan-Feb. Spring is cool with more off and on rain. We do get one or two downpours that may dump up to a 1/2" of rain in an hour. They never last long.