Weld wire vs Hardware cloth

[KIDDSBANTAMS]

Question could a combination of chichen wire and 2X3 weld wire work as effectivly as Hardware cloth? The weld wire would be over the chicken wire.

 

[backyarder717]

My thought, No. I would not sleep at night relying on it.

at the very least, a raccoon will still grab a head and chew it off

use your 2x3 with the h.wire cloth instead

 

[underground chickenman]

I don't think you would get any benefit with respect to the size of the holes. The overall wire wall or whatever it is your covering would be stronger, perhaps, but I'm really not sure what else you accomplish. If you tell us more about what you are trying to accomplish, we can probably give you better answers. If you are concerned about the higher cost of hardware cloth, I would think the cost of the two types of wire together would be more than just using hardware cloth to begin with.

Incidentally, welded wire and hardware cloth are the same thing. The term hardware cloth is used to describe welded wire of 1/2" x 1/2" or smaller.

Personally, I use 1/2 x 1/2 hardware cloth. Raccoons have been know to pull a chicken through chicken wire a bite at a time. Some predators can actually get through it.

UGCM

 

[barred-rocks-rock]

I use Welded Wire , but I live in the city. If you have predators, I would just use hardware cloth.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Quote:
I agree except every piece of hardware cloth I have seen is 19 gauge & 2 by 4 welded wire is 14 gauge or stronger. A racoon is not going to reach thru chicken wire and will have a hard time ripping it with only a 2 by 4 hole in the welded wire. Chickens should be in the coop at night when racoons are active, so I would use this option for myself, no "quick" grab like thru chainlink etc.

 

[Zahboo]

Quote:
That's what we do, we'll.... Kinda. We use chainlink and chicken wire. The chickens can't get their head out and yes, I predator can stretch the chicken wire, but there is still time for the chicken to get out of grasping range. If you can't find hardware cloth or its too high budget, I'd say go with it, just either double layer chicken wire or keep an eye on it.

 

[sotelomary]

Use 1" or smaller hardware cloth. There is no point in doing a double wire if the holes are still going to be big. I've learned that it's better to invest in the right thing than to lose an animal or have to redo the project. You will sleep better at night knowing that your coop is predator proof.

Mary

 

[Qi Chicken]

We are just getting ready to build the run. THis is my question too.

So could you use hardware cloth (smaller holes) say 1 X 1 and Welded wire (say 2x4) together?

I thought you had to have the most protection at the bottom, so from the ground to the top of the run could the larger welded wire. But have the hardware cloth buried in the ground 12 inches out and up onto the welded wire....like a foot up? WOuld that be enough? Or should it be 18 inches buried perpendicularly to the fence and going up the fence two feet?

I am not saying what I mean at all. I hope someone can interpret this and tell me what I mean and then give me an answer too! I think maybe I'm making this way too expensive? I just don't like chicken wire, it bugs me.

 

[chickerdoodle]

Hardware cloth 1/2 " x 1/2" is the only thing that can protect chickens from those clever raccoon's fingers. They can grab chickens and kill them by pulling them piece by piece through holes any larger. If you are trying to save money do at least the first 30" with the hardware cloth and the rest welded wire. We will use only 1/2 hardware cloth just to be sure and it'll keep rats out too.