Alternatives to hardware cloth??

[LulaBell]

Looking for a little guidance...What can I use to enclose our run....We have poultry netting up right now but I know this is not going to be enough. Hardware cloth is very expensive and I would require a lot of it....any suggestions for alternatives? We are in SE Ohio, predators we see the most of are coyotes, fox, raccoons, some weasel and mink, and more recently bobcats. We have discussed installing hardware cloth part way up the run, also talked about installing a run of electric around the base. I would love to hear what others have had success/failure with.

Thank you for the help!

I *think* our run is approx. 16x32 ish. We recently moved to our new home and our plan for a coop and run fell through. We had this run built quickly so the girls would have a safe place to get outside. We live in a rural area, our property is bordered by a state route and a tree farm. Because of this we will do very little free ranging.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Well, I don’t have an alternative, but, when we went to buy our hardware cloth...we searched, and searched...TS was high...so we stumbled onto a small store that sold us 1/2”x100’ rolls for $64... it still added up, but at the time I think TS was $75..and, so my suggestion would just be to shop around...and maybe you hit it at the right time of year for smaller stores? Good luck!!

 

[IamRainey]

How expensive is replacing chickens? And the materials that chewing predators like raccoons and strong ripping predators like bobcats and coyotes will destroy on their way through?

Bite the bullet now. Get the heaviest gauge hardware cloth you can locate and do it right the first time. Dig it in 12-18" or create 12-18" apron around your run to prevent a digging attack. If necessary, do a smaller portion of your run first and expand it as you're able to. I applaud having a generous size run but your chickens will stay safer in a smaller portion of it if you have to go that way.

Seriously, next year when you still have your chickens you will have absorbed the expense for materials and be over it. Carnage will be harder to get past.

 

[Mossy Dell]

Since you have chicken wire up, I would add 2x4" or 1x2" welded wire. It is stronger than hardware cloth and easier to work with. Combined with chicken wire, you have joined two strengths, the tightness of chicken wire and the strength of welded wire.

I am getting to be a geezer, so if I am working alone, for a 6-foot-tall side I use two 3' tall/wide rolls of welded wire and join them in the middle with j clips or hog rings.

 

[LulaBell]

Well, I don’t have an alternative, but, when we went to buy our hardware cloth...we searched, and searched...TS was high...so we stumbled onto a small store that sold us 1/2”x100’ rolls for $64... it still added up, but at the time I think TS was $75..and, so my suggestion would just be to shop around...and maybe you hit it at the right time of year for smaller stores? Good luck!!

Thanks! We did some looking but could only find 25' roles. We will keep at it!

 

[Mossy Dell]

Yes, the wire comes in various length rolls. 25' is easy to handle and 50' if only 3' wide isn't bad. So what I meant is that a 6' wide roll can be awkward to handle, so I use two 3' width rolls to make 6' if that's my height. Then just make sure to crimp the seam together with j clips or hog rings.

 

[LulaBell]

How expensive is replacing chickens? And the materials that chewing predators like raccoons and strong ripping predators like bobcats and coyotes will destroy on their way through?

Bite the bullet now. Get the heaviest gauge hardware cloth you can locate and do it right the first time. Dig it in 12-18" or create 12-18" apron around your run to prevent a digging attack. If necessary, do a smaller portion of your run first and expand it as you're able to. I applaud having a generous size run but your chickens will stay safer in a smaller portion of it if you have to go that way.

Seriously, next year when you still have your chickens you will have absorbed the expense for materials and be over it. Carnage will be harder to get past.

It would be ideal to do welded wire up front.We just didn't have the $$$ and couldn't find anything longer than a 25' section. What we could afford and find enough of was the poultry netting. Our plan from here is to buy a roll or two every pay day until we can get the entire thing covered. From now until then I intend to do what I can to decrease the risk as much as possible. Thank you for your input!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Look on Amazon is my recommendation hardware cloth is in larger rolls there
save for it even one row at the bottom would be huge help

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Amazon has 100' rolls, free shipping right to your door.

 

[Mossy Dell]

Hardware cloth is great if you need really tight spacing. I think by definition its squares are 1/4" on each side or 1/2". Welded wire is much heavier and starts with spacing 1/2" by 1" or 2" and goes up to 2" x 4".

I like 2"x4" or 1"x2" welded wire for a base, with hardware cloth or chicken wire over it. That's important down low for security and can be important all over if you are trying to keep out sparrows.

I have used hardware cloth only on pens up to 3' tall. But it's harder to work with and to see through. Tradeoffs . . .