Welded wire or Hardware cloth?

[BGinVA]

We are getting ready to start our run and I'm trying to price things out. We used hardware cloth on all of the windows and ventilation areas. But I've read Don't use Chicken wire (which we don't intend to so no need to tell me why), use welded wire or hardware cloth. Now I'm confused as its time to buy a large quantity. It seems that welded wire is cheaper than the hardware cloth. What are the pros and cons of each? Thanks in advance!

 

[Barred Rock Caf]

BGinVA, Depending on how high your run fencing will be, the cost differential between HC and WW fencing can be significant. A little math will show you the relative difference. Speaking from experience in very recently building a run with fence legs of 25' x 20' x 30' x 5', the difference for my 72" high enclosure was too much. It also seemed to me to be overkill for me to enclose my birds in 1/2" squares HC. So, what I did was what many do; I used 2"x4" x 72"H welded wire fence ($50.00/ 50' roll) for the entire 80+ foot fence. I then purchased 36" high HC, which allowed for 24"of the 36" to be above ground and protecting the birds from predators which may reach through the WW fencing and rip their faces off, and the remaining 12' of the 36" I bent at a 90 degree angle, garden stapled it to the earth, and then placed field stone on top of that. I did not dig 12" trench to submerge the HC in the earth. It looks nice and gives me piece of mind.

Good luck with your project!

 

[joncro55]

For this purpose, welded wire and woven wire cloth, will make virtually no difference. They both will hold up over the test of time, the weld of the wires will not break apart.

Depending on how much you need, I know the way these places usuall sell this stuff in rolls of a width of either 36" or 48"and usually the length is 100'.

If buying a roll, you will likely get your best price at a manufacturer, possibly:

http://www.bwire.com/index.html

or

www.mcmaster.com


I would go with whatever will be cheapest, which will be welded. Decide what opening size of the wire cloth or wire mesh that you need, the wire diameter, and work backwards from there in ordering the material...

 

[BGinVA]

Thanks for the links. One concern I have with some of the welded wire I looked at is that I have outdoor cats, I don't want them to be able to get their paw through and spear somebody with a claw. Any suggestions on what size opening would prevent that?

 

[rikithemonk]

Thanks for the links. One concern I have with some of the welded wire I looked at is that I have outdoor cats, I don't want them to be able to get their paw through and spear somebody with a claw. Any suggestions on what size opening would prevent that?

I intend to update my chicken run from my two 4 X 8 hoop runs because they are far too short to work comfortably in. I saw a nice looking 10 X 10 dog kennel at Lowe's for $299 US. I'm going to use this for my new run, but I also am worried about a chicken getting snatched through the fencing so after a little though, I intend to use the chicken wire from the old run to cover the lower three few feet of fencing. the fence provides the strength, the chicken wire deters the paws. The only thing I dont have figured out yet is how to cover the kennel. I intend to use a tarp for sun shade and rain protection, however I'm not sure how I'm going to predator proof it.

Riki