wire suggestions for run please

[vickibiro]

My sweet and hard working husband has been knocking himself out building our coop. I keep saying I am not in such a hurry for the coop but with the chicks already a week old it would be nice if the run were finished so I could use the space during the day.

Here's the thing. He is planning a 25 ft x 8 ft run with landscape timbers as posts which seems fine. My problem comes in with his wire choice. He wants to use 2x4 wire, the holes seem large to me and he wants to use chicken wire around the top and bottom of the coop to keep predators from digging under or going over the top. He is trying to cut costs and I understand that. I would feel better if I had some other people here tell me his ideas are good or give me suggestions about what we should be using instead.

Thanks so much for your suggestions

 

[bfrancis]

2x4 wire is great for keeping out predators. Just "line" the interior with regular chicken wire or rabbit wire. That will keep chicks in and also keep 'coons from reaching in and grabbing babies. Check out my BYC page for examples.

Good luck

 

[vickibiro]

thanks so much for the answer, I feel better now and can't wait to be able to set them loose in their own space!

 

[cherylcohen]

1/2" hardware cloth is the only way to keep predators out

 

[elmo]

If you use chicken wire on the top of your run, you'll need to lock your chickens inside a secure coop at night because chicken wire can be easily ripped apart by predators like raccoons that usually but not always prowl only at night. I myself would not bother with a chicken wire apron, because most anything that digs can rip apart chicken wire.

 

[patandchickens]

2x4 with something smaller-meshed (ideally hardwarecloth) on the bottom 2-3' is really not much less secure than hardwarecloth IMO. You do want 2x4 on the run *top* as wel, though, if possible -- just chickenwire up there will not keep out raccoons or jumping/climbing dogs.

Chickenwire makes a 'sort of ok' apron to digproof, but I still like 2x4 much better for that purpose.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[CityChicker]

I, personally, prefer to use lower gauge (thicker) welded wire. I use a lot of the 1/2 x 1 and 1 x 2. I also use a lot of 1/2 hardware cloth. Generally, I use the smaller openings on cages that are smaller that something could reach into. I have used (rarely) the 2 x 3 and 2 x 4 wire, but don't personally like it. I certainly understand the expense issue though. The best place I have found for prices on wire is Ace Hardware, especially because you don't have to pay shipping if you do ship to store. We have spent close to a $1,000 on wire just the last year. It is one of the more major expenses unfortunately.