Wire questions

[Laurennturn]

I plan on building my run here in the next week or so. It’s going to be a pretty basic 8x16 framed structure with a a free standing coop inside.
Now for my wire questions as I have seen so many different options.

What’s the pro vs con of hardware cloth vs welded wire. I’ve seen rabbit wire, pvc wire, and so many different types. I’ve even seen coops with two types of wire.
From your personal experiences what type of wire do you like and why?

I live in an rural area with little predators and my next door neighbor has chickens in a dog run currently without wire for diggers and only a tarp for a roof. They have only ever had to deal with cats trying to get in.
Any tips would be well appreciated.
money is not a major concern. Practically is my top priority.

 

[Chickenman1994]

I use the 2x4 4ft y’all welded wire on everything. It’s so much easier to handle and deal with than the others and in my experience it’s a lot stronger than most I like hardware cloth for chicks and you could also get some that’s 2ft and add it to the bottom of your other wire but otherwise the 2x4 welded stuff is my go to every time. Especially with you not having much predator activity or would be your best bet you could also add electric fence later on if you wanted. That’s just my 2 cents.

 

[Laurennturn]

I use the 2x4 4ft y’all welded wire on everything. It’s so much easier to handle and deal with than the others and in my experience it’s a lot stronger than most I like hardware cloth for chicks and you could also get some that’s 2ft and add it to the bottom of your other wire but otherwise the 2x4 welded stuff is my go to every time. Especially with you not having much predator activity or would be your best bet you could also add electric fence later on if you wanted. That’s just my 2 cents. View attachment 2075025View attachment 2075032View attachment 2075033
I have been leaning towards welded wire with maybe mesh around the bottom just in case I do end up with a digger. That’s for the advice!

 

[Chickenman1994]

That would work best for sure.

 

[Ridgerunner]

There is no ideal wire. The finer gauge chicken wire or hardware cloth can be torn by larger predators, such as large dogs or old boar raccoons. But stronger wire typically has larger openings so certain smaller critters can get through. It's a trade-off, even if cost doesn't come into it.

In a rural area of west Georgia you have a lot more potential predators than a few cats. Dogs, coyotes, foxes, bobcat, raccoons, possum, weasels, hawks, and owls to name a few. The thing with predators is that they don't always immediately attack. Some people can go years without major problems even with them all around while others would be wiped out immediately. The potential is always there. You don't know how good your defenses are until they are tested.

One story I tell about that is of one guy that used to be active on here, a real nice guy, raised grand champion show chickens. He kept them behind chicken wire for years, over a decade with no problems. Then one day two big dogs came by, ripped up his chicken wire, and wiped out his flock. His chicken wire enclosures were enough of a deterrent to get him through a lot of years but they ultimately met a test they failed. If he had been home to shoot those dogs he might have been able to go another decade or more. You never know.

My approach is to use 2" x 4" welded wire for the main run. I put a roof over it, most material coming from a shed roof that blew off in a windstorm. I also put an apron around it to stop digging predators. For that apron I used left over 2x4 welded wire and some extra hardware cloth from making the coop predator proof. I consider my run predator resistant but lock them in a pretty secure coop at night. That welded wire should stop anything big short of a bear.

I also put some chicken wire on the bottom 18" or so of the run fence. Thaw was more to stop baby chicks going through the wire and away from the broody hen. And I have big area outside that inside electric netting, which stops all ground based predators.

Snakes, weasels, and rats can get through that welded wire. I have had issues with snakes eating eggs and a baby chick. I'm constantly trapping rats just in the general area outside the run. Luckily I haven't had a weasel. Weasels are pretty rare but if one gets in it can be devastating. It's a risk I take.

Wire isn't your only concern with predators. If the wire is not connected well they can rip it off. Gates and corners can be weak spots, either weak materials and connections or gaps.

Good luck with it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I use 2 types of fencing: chain link as the base material, and hardware cloth up a few feet and aproned out, to prevent coons from reaching in and to make it harder for things like rats to get in (yes they can climb, so far I've not had any climbers though). Netting over the top for birds of prey. However as I'm at home most of the time my set up is more predator deterrence rather than predator proof.

If you truly want to go for overkill it'd be electric around the perimeter (only thing that'll stop a bear or other very large animal), then something like 2x4 welded wire as base material, then hardware cloth over the entirety of the welded wire and aproned out. I think that'd be able as solid as you could make things, short of a concrete bunker with guard towers.