Who named It "Chicken Wire"? The Racoons did.

[JeffOeuf]

OK,

So, if I'm reading your other threads correctly, you have about 72 hours of experience in chicken keeping. Am I wrong?

I'm new, too. I read a lot of threads on here about the advantages of hardware cloth, but most locals seem to do fine with chicken wire, and I was already way over budget on my coop, so I went with chicken wire. Since coons are nocturnal, and my girls are locked inside a coop at night, I feel like the risk I'm taking is within reason. Most of the posts I've seen regarding lost chickens have been with chickens in the run at night, or in a less than secure coop. Hope I don't turn around in a week and eat my words, but I had a hard time justifying 100 worth of hardware cloth to secure 15 dollars worth of chickens.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Yes chicks you don't have to worry about them coming back with that method. destinduck i'm sure your method works for you. Nothing wrong with what your doing and thanks for your input. What prompted this thread was I just talked to a guy who lost almost all of his birds this week because a coon chewed thru his chicken wire. I feel like had he used hardware cloth then he would not be telling that story. I agree if you back the chicken wire up with a electric fence your probably fine. You probably know coons and how they operate better than most. My whole point here is if you rely solely on the fence to protect your birds then you are better off with hardware cloth. Like I said the electric fence is keeping your birds safe but apparently you don't think the chicken wire is enough or you wouldn't have the electric fence. I don't like not being able to see the birds as good by using hardware cloth you have a good point there, but I think what I give up there is worth the added protection. My lack of experience with chickens has nothing to do with this. I hunt, fish, trap, and have had animals all my life. I kept my rabbits safe with hardware cloth so I know it works. Not everybody that reads these threads know coons and how to protect their birds like you do. It works for you and I respect that. But to the folks looking for information about fenceing in chickens i'm going to advise the use of hardware cloth as the best protection. One thing I might add I notice your from Florida and you probably don't have to deal with ice storms that knock out power sometimes for weeks in which you would be without the electric fence so your lucky for that as well. Thanks again for your comments. You sharing the electric fence idea is very informative and i'm sure somebody reading this might add one around their run to protect their birds. If I have a problem with the neighbors dog messing with my birds I will install one as well just to teach him that he needs to leave them alone.

 

[dainerra]

what about dogs? chicken wire is nothing to them and they definitely AREN'T nocturnal.
Also, coons will be out in the day, esp a Mama teaching her babies too hunt. And it's not a matter of them being starving, it's a matter of easy prey that is super tasty. It's no task at all to tear chicken wire. I can make a hole just stretching it with my bare hands that is more than big enough for a coon to get through.

I've seen coons walking in early dusk while my birds are still out roaming the yard. I've seen them later in the morning on their way back to their den. In a drought, you can often see them in the middle of the day scavenging for food.
And there is no such thing as an area with no predators. Did you know that even birds will kill chicks? blue jays and mocking birds are two of the biggest threats. Crows will also mob up on and kill even larger birds. Maybe that's why it's called a "murder" of crows?

So, while I don't use hardwire for my entire coop, it is a chain link fence. Too small for coons to fit through, too heavy for anything to tear it. I used a section of hardwire along the roof of the coop where it backs against the fence because when it's hot the birds like to sleep on the roof of the building. The entire run has a solid roof and there are no gaps between wood and fencing.

 

[mixitup]

I think everyone has different methods that work for them. And being experienced with one type of animal is not an indication that other animals aren't as proficient at figuring out the fencing that they can get through. If a coon really, really wanted, it would get into a coop as well. You do what you can for your area. I had a trapper out here and the only thing he caught was an old possum. Doesn't mean there aren't other animals out here either. I've seen a muskrat. Smelled a skunk, heard and seen two packs of coyotes, seen wild turkeys and know there are rats and definitely mink. Mink will get through chain link and do a lot of damage just for the fun of it. Everyone does what works for them until it doesn't work anymore. I agree with the expense part. I'm not willing to pay a lot of money for fencing because I've already had mink in my chain link enclosures. I've had a mink in my coop, and rats in the barn. Dogs can roam and coyotes will jump and climb if need be. This is not to condemn anyone or anything anyone wants to do for themselves. If it works for you-great! If it doesn't, live and learn. I wouldn't want to lose my chickens either, but if a predator is determined, it will succeed. My opinion only!

 

[destinduck]

I agree mixitup. Everyone has methods that work for them. Me and the OP included

The main reason I put the electric fence around my biggest pen was because years ago there is one tree next to it and a coon crawled up it and got thru the top netting by jumping on a pole chewing thru the netting and killed some of my birds.Talk about smart! I bury all my chickenwire at least a foot down and a foot out. I had numerous coons and possums try to get in by digging in but NEVER BY EATING OR TEARING THE WIRE before the electric fence. Im sorry dianerra but I dont buy any of it at all about what you said about streching( let alone breaking it) the chickenwire with your bare hands.I have very tough hands and JUST NOW tried it myself with 1inch chicken wire. So that right there is 100% bullcrap. Again it was never my intention to be a wanker about none of this. But I get so tired of all the kinda stuff just like what dianerra said and talking bout bunnies chewing thru wire like silverfox said .

Heck yall do this strech test yourself or put some bunnies in a chickenwire pen See for yourself who is right. Is hardware cloth srronger though? The whole point I was trying to make here is that is EXTREMELY RARE for a possum, coon or similar critters to tear or bite thru good( not rusty) 1 inch chicken wire most of the time. They will however find the weak point by digging or climbing most always.Also if they can see the birds you are more at risk. So sight barriers are also good ideas.I was also talking for the people on a tight budget for favoring the chickenwire with or without the electricity. The OP is right. I dont have ice storms but every once in a while hurricanes might put power out for a week or so and make a mess of things. So yes no perfect system. But seriously, I employ all kinds of methods to predators. Shooting, trapping, electric fence. And to be quite honest honest when I build my next big pen it will be made of 8ft chainlink fence with 2ft hardware cloth and plastic coating 1nch chicken wire around the bottom with 2 strands of hotwire at the bottom one 2inches off the ground and one 2ft of and 1 strand around the top.Like Fort Knox

My friend has a pen just exactly like this and I plan on copying it to the tee. Yes it definitely sucks to lose any bird to a predator so do what you can with the budget afforded to you.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

I rest my case. I REALLY like the pen your friend has. How much did that cost?

 

[chicks@feathers]

I agree with you the best thing to use is hardware cloth 4 foot tall then I go with a stan of chicken wire about the hardware cloth with them over laped. and then I also for over kill is pit chicken wire over the run so that howls and hucks cant fly in also they are death from above for us in missouri. Bird netting also work in this case for the eclectric fence I have seen theat get torn down and up and over they go for if it ever touches the other fence it sorts it out and they dont feel anything going aroce it

 

[jimlas]

I use the 1/2 square hardware cloth as well. After reading all of the posts on predator proofing the chicken run I thought it would be worth the investment. I have the run built right around the coop. Over the top, down in the ground a foot and bent in 6 inches, and then all of the rocks thrown back on top with the clay soil. I hate the thought of anything getting to the chickens. Now I
have baby ducks in the basement and need to start a whole new home for them. Just wish the hardware cloth wasn't so expensive but in the end it is worth it.

 

[destinduck]

I guess he has about 1,500 in it Maybe more. I will have to ask him. It is a big pen,I think its like 50ft x150ft twice as big as mine. Chickfeathers yes it would for sure get torn down or short out if you didnt put it up correctly.That is why I also use trapping and shooting.

I love my electric zapper. Its the cheapest and best investment in keeping my birds safe I feel with whatever wire you use. I have my bottom wire about 4inches off the ground. It has killed a coupla snakes, 3 squirrels,4 rats and unfortunately a wild female woodduck a month ago trying to get IN the duck pen and a coupla more birds. All this happened mainly when the ground was real damp or raining. I have watched it hit one hawk, squirrels,dogs ,birds , small children and myself on occasion and knock them all for a loop. I got it at ace hardware for 25 dollars. Here is a photo.