20 gauge chicken wire

[CarlaRiggs]

I was at our local Orchard Hardware Store, checking out the fencing prices that I thought would do well in a run. I've got raccoons, skunks, possums and rats. The rats love the fruit on my trees...
While the best fencing would be the 1/2" 19 gauge hardware cloth, the 1" chicken wire looked pretty dependable. It was a 20 gauge wire, and I can't really see how a raccoon could pull that stuff apart to get inside a run.

I couldn't find any chicken wire with a lower gauge than the 20. The price was much more reasonable than the hardwire cloth. What do you all think? If any of you have any personal stories, I'd appreciate hearing them.

But please note what gauge the wire you have, please. It makes the difference in strength.

Thanks!

Carla

 

[CarlaRiggs]

bump!

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

Carla,

The chicken wire that is produced now will not keep a coon out.
Coon's teeth are like a wire cutter, they cut through chicken wire very easily.

If you use this wire, you will have to take other precautions to keep your chickens safe.
You have to decide what risks you are willing to take.

I use chicken wire, but only in areas that are patrolled by my Great Pyrenees dogs or at the coop where my GD's dog, Sadie lives with the chickens to protect them.

We had an owl walk through the pop hole of our hoop house the other night and kill one of my young sex link pullets before we shut them up for the night. My GP's didn't get to it before this happened, but thanks to my gentle giants, that owl will no longer kill any more of my chicks.

Jean

 

[rufus]

Carla,

The chicken wire I see for sale nowdays is made in China. It is pretty much worthless. I suggest you look around to salvage old chicken wire that was made in the USA.

It is better to buy something used in the second hand store than to buy something new made in China.

Rufus

 

[patandchickens]

I don't know the gauge of it, but the chickenwire I used around my garden a few years ago was certainly not the flimsiest chickenwire I have seen, and in places where the grass grew into it, I accidentally ripped the chickenwire *myself* when trying to pull it up. Although I am larger than a raccoon, I am not sure I am all that much stronger (not that I'm a weakling, but they are STRONG buggers, much more than you might expect) plus raccoons have a heck of a set of sharp, slicing-type teeth on 'em.

Of course you can use your chicken wire if you really have your heart set on it, it's just riskier. If you believe in "build the fence as strong and predator-resistant as possible right from day 1", though, it would certainly not be my choice, not unless maybe run over the outside of strong 2x4 welded wire.

Pat

 

[CarlaRiggs]

Thanks, all!

I hadn't realized a coon's teeth were so sharp. Appreciate all the comments.
And I'm sorry about that owl! Must have been something of a surprise when you opened the coop in the morning.

Carla

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

We found the owl when the dogs were whining at the pop door of the hoop house that night when we went to close it.
When we opened the people door, my Great Pyrenees went in and took the owl out!

Jean

 

[wynedot55]

go with the 12 gauge welded wire.any chicken wire a coon possum or dog can ripp though with ease.