Welded wire for chicken run? (on upper portrion)

[Lulu-vt]

I'm making my chicken run this week. My thoughts are to do the bottom 4' in hardware cloth and the top 4' in welded wire. I found some that has 2x3" holes. I know that weasels could fit through this but could they climb 4' to get there? I'll also put in a wire skirt around the run. Does it also have to be hardware cloth or could I use the welded wire underground?
I want my chickens to be safe but the hardware cloth is challenging to work with and expensive. I know this would be best (hardware cloth around) but do you think having the top a less tight gauge would be ok?
My predators are all of them! Ranging from weasels to bear. Although I have never had a bear get into our coop, we did have a teenage bear break open our garbage shed about 6 weeks ago.

 

[FrostRanger]

I'm making my chicken run this week. My thoughts are to do the bottom 4' in hardware cloth and the top 4' in welded wire. I found some that has 2x3" holes. I know that weasels could fit through this but could they climb 4' to get there? I'll also put in a wire skirt around the run. Does it also have to be hardware cloth or could I use the welded wire underground?
I want my chickens to be safe but the hardware cloth is challenging to work with and expensive. I know this would be best (hardware cloth around) but do you think having the top a less tight gauge would be ok?
My predators are all of them! Ranging from weasels to bear. Although I have never had a bear get into our coop, we did have a teenage bear break open our garbage shed about 6 weeks ago.

With that predator load, I'd use hardware cloth and surround that with electric fencing. Electric fencing is the only thing that'll keep bears out and they'll try to get in sooner or later

 

[rosemarythyme]

Would the welded wire run the entire height of the run or were you specifically only including it at 4'+? I assume it would cover the whole unit for fence strength and structure but not sure based on your description.

Preferable to have HWC as the skirt but a welded wire skirt should at least keep larger things like dogs from digging in (would not exclude smaller pests like rats though).

Not sure if weasels climb well but I'm guessing they probably can.

 

[Lulu-vt]

Would the welded wire run the entire height of the run or were you specifically only including it at 4'+? I assume it would cover the whole unit for fence strength and structure but not sure based on your description.

Preferable to have HWC as the skirt but a welded wire skirt should at least keep larger things like dogs from digging in (would not exclude smaller pests like rats though).

Not sure if weasels climb well but I'm guessing they probably can.

I wanted to do hardware cloth for the bottom 4 feet. Plus a skirt. Then the welded wire would start at the 4ft height and onto then top which is 8ft.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Yes, weasels can climb. If you don't want to spend the money on hardware cloth, 1" chicken wire might be better than welded wire (or both). I agree with @FrostRanger - since you have had bears an electric fence would be best.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I wanted to do hardware cloth for the bottom 4 feet. Plus a skirt. Then the welded wire would start at the 4ft height and onto then top which is 8ft.

Probably depends on your supports (i.e. would you have horizontal wood slats between the two layers, so all wire is securely attached to wood and not wire to wire between the transition) but normally you'd layer the HWC over a larger opening thicker wire (such as the welded wire), or use it as the sole wire layer. Bears would still require electric as the HWC would not keep out a bear.

 

[Lulu-vt]

Yes, weasels can climb. If you don't want to spend the money on hardware cloth, 1" chicken wire might be better than welded wire (or both). I agree with @FrostRanger - since you have had bears an electric

Probably depends on your supports (i.e. would you have horizontal wood slats between the two layers, so all wire is securely attached to wood and not wire to wire between the transition) but normally you'd layer the HWC over a larger opening thicker wire (such as the welded wire), or use it as the sole wire layer. Bears would still require electric as the HWC would not keep out a bear.

Yes. Ok. I will be sandwiching the wire with wood. I’m not sure about a hot wire. Maybe. We don’t have power so I’d have to rig a battery. When I have brain space for that, I’ll research it.

 

[Lulu-vt]

@StinkyAcres i had no idea weasels could climb! I just goggled it. I feel silly now. I’ll definitely be going with HC and not the welded wire. We have weasels around here quite a lot.

 

[FrostRanger]

Yes. Ok. I will be sandwiching the wire with wood. I’m not sure about a hot wire. Maybe. We don’t have power so I’d have to rig a battery. When I have brain space for that, I’ll research it.

You can buy a solar powered model

 

[Lulu-vt]

You can buy a solar powered model

That would be good. I’m not sure we have enough sun in winter though. I’ll definitely keep that in mind.