Tight chicken wire????

[WestKnollAmy]

Just how do you get chicken wire tight?
I have strung it between coops and pulled as hard as I dared but it winds up looking saggy.
How do you pull it tight and not make it look saggy?
Do you run a pole down the side of it and pull for equal leverage? We did that with hog wire and dog wire but I didn't think it would work with the flimsy chicken wire.
We are about to start another coop and it will have several divided coops inside so we want it to look good.
Thanks! You guys are always so smart about this stuff!

 

[Colored Egg Farmer]

I guess you could pull it as hard as you want then hammer it down. If there are any loose sections I guess you could try twisting the wire to get it tighter.

 

[hinky toes]

Use diagonal tension when running new fence (especially chicken wire). It'll stretch nice and neat.

 

[Just-Like-Hatching]

Tension on the sides is just as important as it is on the ends.

 

[hinky toes]

Quote:
Very true. It really comes down to finesse when securing.

 

[joerogrz]

A good way to do it without any help is to stretch the top first and get it secure all the way to a corner or end. Go back to the beginning and stretch the bottom straight down and secure it. Go to the other end, stretch the bottom and secure it. then go through the middle, stretching straight down and securing as you go. Make sure you allow for the stretching when sizing everything like posts and such.

It is better done with two people unless you have a special stretching tool for poultry wire.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Okay, we will try that.
Thank you all for the guidance.
They are delivering our building in the morning and as soon as we can get it painted inside we will start on dividing it up into several small coops with access to outside runs.
I have seen quite a few on here and really want ours to look as neat instead of how horrible I keep getting the chicken wire on my other coops. Even when I tack it on one side and pull to the other side it manages to sag after I have all the staples in. Hopefully DH or DD will help me with this project.
I have tried going side to side with the wire and also up and down. Mine still looks awful.

Maybe with your instructions ours will look better this time!

 

[hiddenmagnolia]

There is simple way. First do not nail the top or bottom boards to the post in the beginning . Unroll the wire on the ground. Slide the top board under the top edge of the wire. Nail wire to board. Making sure that wire is tight across board. Next slide bottom board under the wire on opposite edge of wire. Nail wire to bottom board. The same as the top. Next step is easier if you have help. Bring top and bottom board together(makes it easier to move) bring it to the post nail top board to post. After the top board is well secured it is time to nail the bottom board. Pull the bottom board down tight on one end then do the other end nailing each side down securely. Your wire is stretched and tight and looks neat. Any questions pm me will be glad to explained more.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Eww! Sounds like a good plan!
We will go over this and try it this weekend. If we have any questions I will ask.
Hopefully our measuring will be accurate and this will work really well for us. Never thought about doing it this way before! I always add the wire after the frame is together.
Thanks everyone!