DIY Uses of Scrap Hardware Cloth

[gtaus]

I had a problem with squirrels getting into my bean planter and digging out the young plants. So, I used some hardware cloth on a wood frame made with 2X4's to make a temporary protective cover for that planter..

By the time the bean plants start pushing against the hardware cloth, the plants are big enough that the squirrels leave them alone - for the most part.

Bonus: That same frame and hardware cloth cover can be flipped over and used as a manual compost sifter on top of a wheelbarrow!

Picture of another planter full of beans with a cover of used chicken wire on that frame...

I have a number of those covers, some with hardware cloth, others with leftover chicken wire. Almost all my raised beds are either 2X4 foot or 4X4 foot, so I can swap out the protective covers as needed.

 

[gtaus]

Project Posts to come:
• Durafork Sifter
• Brooder Lid
• Etc.

FWIW, here is a picture of my brooder setup in my garage using a tow behind cart with a brooder lid made from 2X4's and hardware cloth...

That cart is almost 30 years old. It serves as my brooder for up to 10 chicks in the springtime when we still have snow out on the ground. Might as well use that dump cart for something useful.

Advantages to using the hardware cloth frame and cover on the brooder is that it provides one additional barrier between my heat lamps and the brooder litter. If, for any reason, my heat lamp should fall down, it would land on the hardware cloth and never fall into the brooder litter, potentially causing a fire.

I like the fact that I can look down into that brooder at any time and actually see how the chicks are doing. I can adjust the heat lamps as needed. The hardware cloth keeps the chicks from jumping out and getting hurt/cold.

I keep my chicks in that utility cart brooder setup for 8-10 weeks, and then move them to the main coop and run. At that time, I put my cart back into use outside and can flip the "hardware cloth brooder cover" over for a perfect fit manual compost sifter.

 

[Tiffany Wikk]

I had a problem with squirrels getting into my bean planter and digging out the young plants. So, I used some hardware cloth on a wood frame made with 2X4's to make a temporary protective cover for that planter..

View attachment 3884594

By the time the bean plants start pushing against the hardware cloth, the plants are big enough that the squirrels leave them alone - for the most part.

Bonus: That same frame and hardware cloth cover can be flipped over and used as a manual compost sifter on top of a wheelbarrow!

Picture of another planter full of beans with a cover of used chicken wire on that frame...

View attachment 3884597

I have a number of those covers, some with hardware cloth, others with leftover chicken wire. Almost all my raised beds are either 2X4 foot or 4X4 foot, so I can swap out the protective covers as needed.

Oh, this is so wonderful! Your bean plants look great, and those covers are awesome! Looks to me like the second cover is made from pallet wood? It's so useful to be able to re-use things like that.

My sister and I have done a similar thing with sifting. Back before we made our coop and run we were clearing off an old concrete slab. We used an old piece of fencing placed on our wagon to sift through a bunch of dirt for a new garden. We got rid of tons of weeds and sticks that we didn't want in the dirt.

Thanks for sharing your hardware cloth projects! This is exactly what I made the thread for. I love hearing about other peoples useful tips and ideas!

 

[Tiffany Wikk]

FWIW, here is a picture of my brooder setup in my garage using a tow behind cart with a brooder lid made from 2X4's and hardware cloth...

View attachment 3884625

That cart is almost 30 years old. It serves as my brooder for up to 10 chicks in the springtime when we still have snow out on the ground. Might as well use that dump cart for something useful.

Advantages to using the hardware cloth frame and cover on the brooder is that it provides one additional barrier between my heat lamps and the brooder litter. If, for any reason, my heat lamp should fall down, it would land on the hardware cloth and never fall into the brooder litter, potentially causing a fire.

I like the fact that I can look down into that brooder at any time and actually see how the chicks are doing. I can adjust the heat lamps as needed. The hardware cloth keeps the chicks from jumping out and getting hurt/cold.

I keep my chicks in that utility cart brooder setup for 8-10 weeks, and then move them to the main coop and run. At that time, I put my cart back into use outside and can flip the "hardware cloth brooder cover" over for a perfect fit manual compost sifter.

Wow! That brooder is wonderful. Being able to repurpose things makes me so happy.

- Project #5 - Brooder Lid -

I've only ever raised chicks once, with that being in July of last year. We used a free cardboard watermelon crate and cut hardware cloth to size for the top. If I were someone who would be raising new chicks frequently, I would absolutely love to have a brooder with a lid like yours! The watermelon crate was a one-time use, but it served its purpose well.

Very useful point you have about the hardware cloth protecting the heat lamp from falling and causing issues.

I enjoyed being able to see my chicks whenever I wanted through the lid, but I also wanted to be sure they were safe without worrying about them escaping.

For us, the hardware cloth was going to be sagging a bit. So my dad did something fancy and bent it in the middle to add support—hence the folded section in the photo.

 

[Tiffany Wikk]

- Project #3 - Grazing Boxes - Part 3 -

Seeds are doing well! They sprouted so fast. The chickens are beginning to eat them. They are loving it so far!
I lifted the cover to take this photo:

If they demolish the seedlings too fast as they grow, I'll put another cover over them until they are more established. For now, though, I'm excited to see how well it does without the extra effort. Especially since they have been so easy so far. The clover has definitely grown the fastest.

What's everyone's favorite plants to grow for your chickens?

 

[gtaus]

Looks to me like the second cover is made from pallet wood? It's so useful to be able to re-use things like that.

Yes, I make all kinds of things out of free pallet wood. I don't mind the extra work to take apart a pallet to salvage useable wood. I enjoy it. It saves me a lot of money. Plus, I have saved a lot of pallets from being dumped in our landfill in the process.

Being able to repurpose things makes me so happy.

Me too. The older I get, the more I am determined to leave behind a cleaner footprint. I also save scraps of hardware cloth and chicken wire and seem to find a use for them somewhere along the line.

I've only ever raised chicks once, with that being in July of last year. We used a free cardboard watermelon crate and cut hardware cloth to size for the top. If I were someone who would be raising new chicks frequently, I would absolutely love to have a brooder with a lid like yours! The watermelon crate was a one-time use, but it served its purpose well.

I have been raising chickens, and other small animals, on and off over the past 50 years depending on where I am living and what job I have at the time. I went through a lot of one-time use brooder setups over those years.

But when I got the idea to just use my utility dump cart with a hardware cloth cover as a brooder, that is all I have used for the past 5 years. Works great for me for up to 10 chicks. That is more than what I need to refresh my backyard flock every other year.

When I'm done brooding the chicks, the utility dump cart gets back into action towing stuff with my riding mowers. The hardware cloth cover, as I mentioned, can be used as a compost sifter for the rest of the summer and fall. Essentially, all my "brooding" setup can be used almost year-round when not used for the chicks. Nothing to put into storage and take up valuable space in my garage when the brooder is no longer needed.

 

[Tiffany Wikk]

Yes, I make all kinds of things out of free pallet wood. I don't mind the extra work to take apart a pallet to salvage useable wood. I enjoy it. It saves me a lot of money. Plus, I have saved a lot of pallets from being dumped in our landfill in the process.

I love free pallets! They are so useful. Sometimes they are super hard to take apart, but ever since we got a "deck wrecker," it's been so much more pleasant to rip them apart, and we've saved so much money.

We originally began looking for free pallets for our new garden. Quickly, we found out some places were charging $15 (if I'm recalling correctly) for a pallet. Finally, we found a place that had lots of pallets. We asked if we could have them for free, and they loved that idea. Shortly after that, they put up a sign for others to come get them for free too. They were super nice.

Here's a photo from May of our two garden beds made entirely from pallet wood. This is our third year using them. They are hügelkultur.

Me too. The older I get, the more I am determined to leave behind a cleaner footprint. I also save scraps of hardware cloth and chicken wire and seem to find a use for them somewhere along the line.

We have plenty of scrap pieces of hardware cloth laying around. Some pieces I never thought would be used, but I'm finding out more and more how useful a tiny piece can be.

I have been raising chickens, and other small animals, on and off over the past 50 years depending on where I am living and what job I have at the time. I went through a lot of one-time use brooder setups over those years.

But when I got the idea to just use my utility dump cart with a hardware cloth cover as a brooder, that is all I have used for the past 5 years. Works great for me for up to 10 chicks. That is more than what I need to refresh my backyard flock every other year.

When I'm done brooding the chicks, the utility dump cart gets back into action towing stuff with my riding mowers. The hardware cloth cover, as I mentioned, can be used as a compost sifter for the rest of the summer and fall. Essentially, all my "brooding" setup can be used almost year-round when not used for the chicks. Nothing to put into storage and take up valuable space in my garage when the brooder is no longer needed.

Being able to use your brooder for other purposes during the year is absolutely wonderful! I love your brooder, and I hope it serves you many more years.

 

[gtaus]

I love free pallets! They are so useful.

I got into using pallet wood a few years ago at a time when COVID pushed a price of a standard 8-foot 2X4 to almost $4000.00 each! Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but all wood prices went through the roof where I live for a long period of time.

Anyways, you might enjoy the thread here on the BYC forum called Show Me Your Pallet Projects which shares ideas and pictures of lots of things made from pallet and/or salvaged wood. I posted your excellent hügelkultur pallet wood raised beds picture over there with a link to this thread.

I suspect many people who enjoy reusing pallet wood would be interested in ways to use scrap hardware cloth as well. As you have already noted, I used pallet wood 2X4's to make my wood frames for the hardware cloth and chicken wire protective covers. I have about half a dozen different covers/cages built to protect my raised beds and have been able to use old chicken wire and leftover hardware cloth from other projects.

It's great to use what you have for free before you have to go out and buy anything. With a little imagination, you can often find great ways to use stuff that other people might just consider trash. I find great value in sharing my thoughts and seeing what creative projects other people use their scrap hardware cloth for.

 

[Tiffany Wikk]

I got into using pallet wood a few years ago at a time when COVID pushed a price of a standard 8-foot 2X4 to almost $4000.00 each! Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but all wood prices went through the roof where I live for a long period of time.

Oh, yes! Wood prices were and still are outrageous.

Anyways, you might enjoy the thread here on the BYC forum called Show Me Your Pallet Projects which shares ideas and pictures of lots of things made from pallet and/or salvaged wood. I posted your excellent hügelkultur pallet wood raised beds picture over there with a link to this thread.

Wow! Your thread looks so awesome! I will certainly enjoy perusing it. I'm excited to learn.
Thank you for your post! I'm honored.

I suspect many people who enjoy reusing pallet wood would be interested in ways to use scrap hardware cloth as well. As you have already noted, I used pallet wood 2X4's to make my wood frames for the hardware cloth and chicken wire protective covers. I have about half a dozen different covers/cages built to protect my raised beds and have been able to use old chicken wire and leftover hardware cloth from other projects.

It's great to use what you have for free before you have to go out and buy anything. With a little imagination, you can often find great ways to use stuff that other people might just consider trash. I find great value in sharing my thoughts and seeing what creative projects other people use their scrap hardware cloth for.

I very much agree! There are so many uses for so many different things. I'm very thankful to my dad for letting me follow him along on all his projects and teaching me so much along the way. I find it so enjoyable to build different things and use my imagination to come up with ideas. He's taught me so much, and I love building things with what I've learned from him.

 

[gtaus]

There are so many uses for so many different things. I'm very thankful to my dad for letting me follow him along on all his projects and teaching me so much along the way. I find it so enjoyable to build different things and use my imagination to come up with ideas. He's taught me so much, and I love building things with what I've learned from him.

I am an old guy now, but most of what I learned on building stuff was from following my Great Depression era grandfather around way back in the 1960's and early 1970's. My grandparents could teach a master class in not throwing anything away! I remember grandma washing off plastic bags and reusing them until they feel apart. I don't ever remember buying new nails if we had old bent nails that could be straightened out and reused. I guess if you survived the Great Depression, you developed lots of skills to save money.

I guess a lot of those lessons stuck with me. The other day I had a 6-inch-wide strip of hardware cloth cut off from a project, and I thought to myself, that might make a very nice scoop/sieve. So, I saved it - just in case...