What type of wire to use?

[txtammy]

Hello! We received chicks last week and we are brand new to raising chickens! I am grateful for this site!
We are putting our coop design together and I wanted to ask for advice.

We are thinking something like this but converting it to a tractor type design that we can move around the yard by attaching it to our riding lawn mower .

http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog...op-Plans-two-sets-Up-to-10-chickens-p361.aspx

What type of wire would you recommend? I have heard that chicken wire may not be the best bet because it is not good at keeping predators out. Someone recommended a smaller square hardware mesh. What about on the bottom? Is that ok on their feet?

Thank you for any guidance you can give us!

 

[kmartinez]

I would go with hardware cloth, its durable. No need to line the floor, just make an apron for it at least 1 foot coming away from the coop after a couple weeks grass will grow through it and u won't see it anymore (if you leave it in one spot). 2 foot is preferred but its not cheap stuff. I had to find ways around using hardware cloth because of the expense. my roof and anything above 4 foot off the ground has doubled chicken wire I was able to find 2 150 foot rolls on craigslist to keep within my budget. while the apron around my coop duck pen and chicken run are 2 foot of hardware cloth. My coop vents, and windows are hardware cloth and i got the smallest squares lowes carried unsure of the size but a 50 ft roll i went through quickly and it was costly..So I had to improvise because of the huge area i was doing.

In a small space i would use hardware cloth all over it.. especially if its not going to be in a fenced in area were animals can just walk up to it. My run is natural they ran the grass down to dirt. I had to add topsoil for low spots and I toss straw in there so I will have nice compost material. You will need to move it daily IMO cause in one week grass becomes bare dirt. Chickens are not easy on grass at all.

 

[txtammy]

Thank you so much for the reply!

 

[scooter147]

High quality hardware cloth.

There is a saying, chicken wire keeps chickens in and nothing out.

 

[txtammy]

Thanks
Do you think the apron around the coop is sufficient or would lining the bottom of the run be better? Overkill? Thanks!

 

[fischnchix]

Chickens like to scratch and lining the bottom could damage their feet. Some cover the cloth with a few inches of dirt but since you plan on moving it around the yard that wouldn't make much sense. Will you be leaving the chicken door open at all times or let them in & out?

 

[txtammy]

Thank you! Yes, we plan on letting them in and out.