Chicken Wire and wild birds

[beavis]

I am building what is basically a chicken run, but this one is to keep vegetables in and everybody else out!

My chickens, dog, rabbits, etc.

But will regular, standard size chicken wire keep out wild birds like house finches and house sparrows?

 

[toddy111]

I would think this depends on the size of the birds and the size of the holes in the chicken wire !!! But I would say the birds would stay out !!

Just my opinion though

 

[pips&peeps]

No, you should use hardware cloth. It is also stronger.

Once they find a way in, you won't be able to get rid of them.

 

[waynesgarden]

Hardware cloth to protect a vegetable garden would be expensive beyond belief.

Suggest you use regular welded wire garden fencing for the sides and use a light-weight plastic bird mesh to protect the veggies from air-borne invaders.

In my own veggie garden, I only use a light-weight mesh to protect only the plants that are at risk from bird attacks such as the newly-sprouted peas.

Wayne

 

[mamaKate]

Chicken wire won't stop the small sparrow type birds. My darling Japanese Bantams would regularly kill the sparrows who came in for food and then were too panicked to find a way out. On the up side, the little birds won't really harm your garden.

 

[chantecler]

I use bird netting, you can get at most nureseries or the gardening section of the hardware store.

 

[Dawn419]

Personally, I don't mind our wild birds hanging out in the veggie patch as they are great for eating unwanted pests.

Dawn

 

[PortageGirl]

yep, I'd think they'd eat lots of pests and wouldn't bother normal veggies. If you have berries planted that you really need to protect, cover them with bird netting or even floating row cover cloth.

 

[beavis]

Here's the structure to be covered.

I posted it over at easygarden forum as well.....

 

[chicksalot]

The chicken wire probably won't keep out the smaller birds like siskins & finches.