Welded wire for a cover?

[LisaMarie81]

Adding another section on to our run and am wondering what to use for a covering. I did some research on this forum and have seen many use the 2 x 4 welded wire. I have shied away from this because I thought the holes were WAY too big! But maybe for a cover it’s not? The run will be 6ft high and it will have a hardwire 3ft skirt around the bottom. Is 2x4 welded wire sufficient for the top? Does anyone have critter problems getting through the top? I envision rats, possums, anything small climbing my fence now and squishing through those 4” holes! Or am I out to lunch on this?

Input appreciated!
Thanks

 

[Folly's place]

Any cover helps! BTW, I hope you are all short, because 6' high isn't all that tall! All the men in my family would be crouching and cursing in there! At least have a tall center pole, or a taller side, or something. I could walk in it, but mine is 8' tall, and everyone's happy.
Welded wire is inexpensive, and will keep raptors and many less determined varmits out. Small songbirds will get in easily, and any rats, mice, or weasels won't have a problem. It's all about trade-offs between cost, convenience, and security. Woven wire is stronger, but again, not as secure as an actual roof.
Consider snow! Both managing snow load, and shoveling it out so the birds actually use their run in winter. Having a roof over part of your run at least gives them winter space too.
Mary

 

[JDN]

Adding another section on to our run and am wondering what to use for a covering. I did some research on this forum and have seen many use the 2 x 4 welded wire. I have shied away from this because I thought the holes were WAY too big! But maybe for a cover it’s not? The run will be 6ft high and it will have a hardwire 3ft skirt around the bottom. Is 2x4 welded wire sufficient for the top? Does anyone have critter problems getting through the top? I envision rats, possums, anything small climbing my fence now and squishing through those 4” holes! Or am I out to lunch on this?

Input appreciated!
Thanks

Having seen and read about all sorts of problems, many of which are local (I've never heard of any weasels here, but 50 miles away my colleague lost some to what they think is a weasel,) I'm progressively more convinced that the most cost effective option is an electric wire.

Rats could probably get through, but do they prey on chickens? I thought they were more a concern for loss of feed.

Run it around the bottom a few inches up, around the top edge, as much as you care to, and something that will prevent Owls and Hawks.

 

[Folly's place]

Rats eat feed , eggs, and do kill chickens at night in the coop. Happened here last year!!!
We fixed the coop, and had bait out, and eliminated the problem. For then. Rodents will show up, and need to be managed.
Mary

 

[Ridgerunner]

Mary is correct, there are trade-offs. The more predator proof you want to make it the more you need to spend. Any mesh fencing will provide some protection. The heavier the gauge the more likely it is to stop something big. Larger dogs, big male raccoons, and some other big critters can rip chicken wire or even hardware cloth. 2x4 welded wire will stop big critters up to a bear. Electricity is about the only thing that stops a determined bear. But the larger the mesh the more critters can fit through it. Properly installed 2x4 welded wire will stop birds of prey, dogs, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, adult raccoons, possum, and skunks. But snakes, rats, mice, many members of the weasel family, and maybe really young of some other critters might be able to squeeze through.

Just because something is possible does not mean it is likely to happen. I consider it highly likely mice will go through 2x4 wire to get to your coop. Snakes and rats are less likely but still highly possible. Snakes are mostly after the mice but can eat eggs or baby chicks. Rats are mostly attracted to the feed but can cause other problems. It is extremely hard to build a coop/run that can keep weasels out, especially the smaller ones, yet most of us don't have weasel problems. They just don't show up that often, but when they do it is really bad.

My run is basically 2x4 welded wire. Does it absolutely stop everything? No. But I've been satisfied with how it does work. I don't know if you will be or not.

 

[aart]

I used 2x4 on the run...roof, walls and apron.
Later added a 2' high piece of 1/2" HC on the insde to keep chicks and deep litter contained.
But my main daytime predator are hawks, and I'm home most the time-coop is Fort Knox at night, tho this run has repelled several canine(fox and coyote) attempts(they dashed in and bounced off the wall).

 

[Susan12]

We have bird netting on the top, discourages hawks,chickens locked in coop at night.