Has anyone used plastic lattice?

[Whisper]

I live in a very new neighborhood-- we still have construction going on throughout the 'hood, in fact. Right now, the muddy sad chicken yard, fenced in with chicken wire and poultry netting, just isn't cutting it for style.

I was wondering if anyone had used the plastic lattice that they now make to build a chicken run. It comes in 4x8 sheets, and you can cut it and use screws to hold it to posts and whatnot. I was thinking of building a sort of chicken gazebo around my coop, to disguise it and also to provide a more encompassing protection for the chooks. Might even put a bench next to it, the better to sit and watch them.

Anyone used it or had problems with it? Anything I should know? The holes are too small for chickens to get through. It wouldn't stop mice or rats or snakes, but not much stops them anyway.

 

[NellaBean]

I have not used it for a chicken yard, but do have some in the yard and have it for a dog area. You could use it with chicken wire behind to keep smaller animals out of the holes. It does disguise the coop well......

I have seen some really fance lattice pens on here, although I believe they were with the "real" wood lattice (not white, regular wood color).

I would definitely run something along the bottom couple feet, if you go with lattice, otherwise any chicks will fit right out and/or chicken heads

 

[allison finch]

It's not predator proof at all. Chicken wire behind it won't keep the coons out.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

The plastic stuff is very brittle in cold weather. A predator won't have to work very hard to destroy it.

 

[suzpyoung]

Lowe's has some heavy duty wood lattice with holes that are a fraction of the standard ones. No way a chicken could stick their head thru. It's pretty nice stuff.

 

[grandmaof5]

I would use the lattice with hardware cloth on the inside...best of both worlds.

 

[elmo]

I think what others are saying is that the lattice would pretty much be decorative only. You'd still need to frame and cover your run with hardware cloth.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I think it's a great idea.
I was thinking of using it myself but wasn't sure if it would let in enough "light". I don't have a rabid coon problem so was not concerned with that issue although that stuff is pretty darn tuff for plastic a coon would have to chew through several of the cross x's to fit through.
I'm going to buy one sheet and put it up and see how I like it over a monthor so before I go with the whole thing.
I especially dont like the way my chicken wire "sags" on the roof of the run and thought of replacing that with those panels.

 

[jerseygirl1]

We use the lattice around the bottom of the coopr with hardware cloth behind it - it saved our smallest chicks from runnign thru the lattice quite a few times - I would suggest as above and use something underneath it

 

[Whisper]

Thanks for the feedback. I think we're going to try it in the "big coop" area. We don't have too many predator problems here, since the Great Pyrenees and Great Dane tend to keep coons and such at bay, and we're doing this in a backyard situation. I certainly wouldn't try it if the wooden privacy fence wasn't standing between the chickens and the coyotes I hear howling in the nearby woods!

Chicks won't be housed in this coop, though-- this is the coop for my layers and my EE rooster. All my lil bantams are going to get a custom designed house once they're old enough to move out of the brooder!

I'll tell you how it works out!