Would chicken wire be a safe choice behind a picket fence?

[jspeese]

I have found turkey wire to be a good compromise. It's less expensive and easier to work with than hardware cloth, but much more durable than chicken wire and won't rust in a season or two (depending on where you live and how much rain you get) like chicken wire. I wouldn't recommend chicken wire for outdoors, at least not as the primary enclosure means, and if you live in a wet area it will rust off at the soil level very quickly. And a medium-size dog can tear it. Because it has smaller mesh, t have used it around the base of my pens to keep chicks in, but only in conjunction with something more durable.

 

[aart]

I have found turkey wire

@jspeese .... Do you mean this stuff?:

"14 Gauge with 1" x 2" Spacing"

 

[momentspicd]

We used hardware cloth and that works great but is very expensive if you have a large area. We have discovered that stapling deer netting works even better. You can get 100 x 14 ft for $20. It will also keep snakes from getting in the area.

 

[Cryss]

We used hardware cloth and that works great but is very expensive if you have a large area. We have discovered that stapling deer netting works even better. You can get 100 x 14 ft for $20. It will also keep snakes from getting in the area.

I use deer netting around my garden above the inground hardware cloth that keeps out diggers. Deer feel the stringy net as a barrier and back away. Predators aren't polite. If there's a chicken on the other side that net doesn't stand a chance. Neither does the chicken.

 

[momentspicd]

The netting is the sole barrier. You attach it to a fence.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

? The netting IS, or is NOT, the sole barrier?

 

[Cryss]

Yes, its attached to a very short hardware cloth fence, about 2 foot high around my vegetables. The netting is about 5 ft high. My point is that if I used netting around my chickens it would not be safe. It's called "deer netting" because deer will back away from the barrier. It's not called "raccoon netting" or "fox netting". It's great for gardens, not for animals.

 

[momentspicd]

Sorry , it is Not the sole barrier. We have a 5 ft fence around the perimeter and on the outside of that we attached the netting. It will not of course keep out predators on its own, the fence does that. But it will better help keep rodents and snakes out that could otherwise get through the fence. It has been a helpful, less expensive than hardware cloth, addition to my chicken/ garden area. In the past 5 yrs the only predator I have lost a chick to was a snake. And this year since adding the netting to the outside of our fence it has kept several out. I also use it around my raised garden beds to keep the chickens out of them.

 

[Cryss]

Sorry , it is Not the sole barrier. We have a 5 ft fence around the perimeter and on the outside of that we attached the netting. It will not of course keep out predators on its own, the fence does that. But it will better help keep rodents and snakes out that could otherwise get through the fence. It has been a helpful, less expensive than hardware cloth, addition to my chicken/ garden area. In the past 5 yrs the only predator I have lost a chick to was a snake. And this year since adding the netting to the outside of our fence it has kept several out. I also use it around my raised garden beds to keep the chickens out of them.

Ah! Ok! Ya had me worried!

 

[lgwilliamson9]

I used hardware cloth for the actual coop, down low on the A- frame covered run and under ground around the perimeter of coop and run. During the day they are roaming a chicken yard fenced with just Home Depot wire that is 4 ft high. A 4 ft. fence means you clip chicken wings because they can fly over. I live in an area that has mostly night time predators, days are dogs and hawks. Except for the new pup, our dogs are no problem. Hawks are deterred by lots of low trees (we live in an orchard) and shrubs that the chicks hide under. I did lose two young chicks to hawks - but full grown hens don't seem to have problems. I let the young ones out too soon and learned my lesson the hard way. The girls always put themselves to roost at night and we close up the doors. SAFE The coop is up 3 feet off the ground and has double floors using wood and then hardware. We also have solar motion detector lights that seem to help. I grew up with my Grandad's chicks, but this is my 3 year as a full time Back yarder.