Wire & mess ??

[Newbie in Screamer Al]

I am a newbie now under contruction of our new coop and run. Lotsa fokls around here have chickens, and they all said go to hard wire only. We are out in the boonies, and have many critters that would love fresh chicken. I just bought 1x2 wire for the run, AND the roof. I also buried it 6-9 inches into the edge of the run, and extended it out another 9-12 inches. All my friends said that was the only way to go. The wire is expensive, but the way to go. 100Ft. 1x2 6 ft. wide was 279.00, and the 5 ft wide was 229.00 at Ace Hardware. We will be puttin our hens in this week end when it is complete. 1 more day to finish , I HOPE,LOL. When I get her all done I will post some pics of the journey.

 

[Reg]

Newbie in Screamer Al, :

I am a newbie now under contruction of our new coop and run. Lotsa fokls around here have chickens, and they all said go to hard wire only. We are out in the boonies, and have many critters that would love fresh chicken. I just bought 1x2 wire for the run, AND the roof. I also buried it 6-9 inches into the edge of the run, and extended it out another 9-12 inches. All my friends said that was the only way to go. The wire is expensive, but the way to go. 100Ft. 1x2 6 ft. wide was 279.00, and the 5 ft wide was 229.00 at Ace Hardware. We will be puttin our hens in this week end when it is complete. 1 more day to finish , I HOPE,LOL. When I get her all done I will post some pics of the journey.

Sounds like you have everything under control. What are these critters ? remember i'm from UK ?

Your getting hens this week !!! Lucky you. wish you luck with them.

Reg​

 

[Reg]

Quote:
He is used to an MK47 normally !

40mm is cool. Here's my son firing an M203.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q233/mesoas/guns/PB300002.jpg

I think my fox would pick him off from range. He would Know he was there

 

[Captain Carrot]

I've heard of foxes getting through chicken wire, and weasels and stoats are both a pain in the arse. my birds free range, but I will be building a large run for when I'm not at home, which is also when the fox came last year.

I can't wait for the fox to try it's luck this year though, I'll have to get past my Staffordshire terrier and me and my crossbow.

 

[elmo]

16 gauge is a good, strong wire thickness. However, if the wire is spaced 1" by 1", you still have "reach through" predation to worry about. That's when a critter with paws reaches through the wire and grabs your chicken and pulls pieces of it out through the wire. This can happen when terrified chickens pile up in the corner of the pen right next to the wire, or when they roost on a perch that abuts the wire. You can guard against this problem by reinforcing the bottom two or three feet of the run with smaller mesh or something solid, and doing something similar to any places where the perch comes next to the wire.

Snakes of a pretty decent size can also get through a 1" square opening, as well as rats and mice, too.

I use 19 gauge 1/2" by 1/2" wire for my runs, but for my coop (where my flock is locked up at night), I use the 16 gauge, 1/2" by 1/2" wire.

 

[WhySayWhat]

I don't know if they ship to the UK, but I just ordered a 100' roll of 1/2" hardware cloth from CSN stores for just under $60 for a 2' high roll. Orders over $69 ship for free in the USA (I ordered some muffin pans with it for the added benefit of not paying $10 to ship it). Locally, 25' rolls of the same stuff sell for just over $30! I got twice as much mesh for half the price, so I'm happy as a clam!

I'll be using a roll of 2"x4" for the top edge of the run walls though, the roll came with the house and I want to save the "good stuff" for areas that really need it. Also, I don't have to worry about a "roof" on my run since it is going under a second story deck next to the house. We're just going to "wall in" the entire under side, making the run 5.5'-6' tall (depending on if you stand under a support beam).

 

[Reg]

Quote:
In the Uk we only have 3 snakes all are small, only one is venomous. We only get grass snakes round here & they eat fish & frogs !

Wessals, Pole cats & Mink normally live in the countryside.

Our local Hawks are to small to tangle with a chicken.

Our gardens are fenced off so dogs dont normally get out.

So that only leaves Cats & foxes. Dont know what happens when a cat faces a chicken yet.

But the foxes is a devil. he will bite thro, dig under, jump over. In my area they only hunt at night.

There are no chickens kept in my area but my neighbour found a chicken burried in his flower bed.

I have concreated a path all round my run.
16G 1x1 wire fencing for the sides
Plywood roof.
Door & nest box will be locked
Hens will be locked away in coop at night.
When the mice & rats show I will deal with them.

Dont know what more i can do really !

 

[Newbie in Screamer Al]

Quote:
Sounds like you have everything under control. What are these critters ? remember i'm from UK ?

Your getting hens this week !!! Lucky you. wish you luck with them.

Reg

Been working on the coop, sorry for the delay. We have Hawks, coyoyes, bobcats, foxes, opposum, weasel sometimes, occasional stray dog, coons, and otters,(not sure if I ever heard of them gettin after chickens, but bring em on annyway, I am ready,LOLOL

 

[wannabchick]

Quote:
Oh my geisha look at that photo...