What's the difference

[startingaflock]

I used an old dog run that is 10ft X 10ft and is chain link fence all the way around. I put chicken wire all the way around (except over the door), 3ft up and have only had 2 times that something tried to get in but didn't succeed because of the chain link underneath. Nothing has ever tried at the door but the coop is on the other side of the pen. I occassionally get a chipmunk or two but all they do is eat up what the chickens have spilled on the ground under the feeder!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

That wire in that pic should be about bomb proof. You may be able to get the same wire in a thicker gauge or smaller hole size. But frankly, if you have a predator that can rip what you have apart its time to add a electric fence.

 

[Judy]

I have some heavy gauge galvanized fencing that looks like chicken wire but is definitely as strong as hardware cloth. I also have some very flimsy chicken wire, nice and cheap, that works well to keep chickens out of the garden. There is chicken wire and then there is chicken wire.

Seems like every store has a different name for hardware cloth; half the time they don't know what I mean and I have to go find it, then they say, oh, you mean.... different words for every store, seems like.

 

[weaveagarden]

Chain link sounds like a good idea with the hardware cloth. It does sound like a very determined predator..... Almost makes you wonder if it isn't a 2 legged one with a few tools. I hear that raccoon are pretty crafty, but can they really use wire snips?

 

[journey's end]

Quote:
LOL, it wasn't a 2 legged one, I'm thinking weasel but I can't see how it could be that strong. 29 6 week old birds, all dead, but only 2 or 3 that had been eaten at. Can a weasel be that strong?

I may have to get electric. I do have a new pup that will be trained to keep predators away. hopefully that combination will help.

 

[Bosque]

I used rabbit wire as it is stronger than hardware cloth. Hardware cloth is a galvanized wire mesh in 1/4 or 1/2 inch squares. Rabbit wire is usually 1x2 or 2x2 welded wire of a heavy gauge wire. Either will work, I just like the heaver wire. I think I paid .80 per foot for 1x2 welded wire 2' wide.

 

[HEChicken]

Quote:
Amen. Years ago I went looking for "hardware cloth" to build a rat cage. I asked a store associate at one of the big name home improvement stores to direct me to where I could find it and he didn't have a clue what I was talking about. I think he was confused by the word "cloth" and kept trying to direct me to the paint section to look for groundsheets! I eventually found it by myself. On the way out of the store I spotted him, so I flagged him down and told him "THIS is Hardware Cloth"