Fencing of some kind is essential around your coop and/or chicken yard to keep your chickens in and to keep pests and predators out. Pests (mice, rats, snakes, etc.) want your chickens’ dinner. Predators (dogs, raccoons, foxes, hawks, etc.) want your chickens for dinner. There are a several kinds of wire and fencing, and I’ll talk about a handful of them here:
Galvanized hardware cloth. This is the best material for enclosing a chicken coop or enclosed run. In particular, you want 1/2″ galvanized hardware cloth (usually 19 gauge). Smaller openings could be too brittle, and larger openings will not deter against rats or snakes. Hardware cloth comes in 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-foot rolls—with 3′ and 4′ being the most common — and in roll lengths anywhere from 5, 25, 50 to 100 feet.
The mesh is made by weaving or welding steel wires together, then hot-dipping it in zinc (galvanizing it) to protect it from rust. It’s a stiff product, but you can bend it by hand, cut it fairly easily with a pair of wire snips, and attach it to your frame or posts with 3/4″ galvanized poultry fencing staples. Once bent into shape, hardware cloth holds its shape well. Avoid using staples from a hand-powered staple gun. They rust easily, and if/when they slip out, they will get pecked at. Galvanized staples shot from a pneumatic staple gun, on the other hand, work great.
See our online Buyer’s Guide for more specific recommendations on hardware cloth, wire snips, and air-powered staplers for your chicken coop project.
Chicken wire. Maybe because of its name, this is what most people think to use first on their coops. It’s made of thin wire woven together to create hexagonal openings. It’s relatively cheap but rusts quickly. And while it will keep your chickens in, it won’t keep the raccoons out. . . . Chicken wire could work fine as a fence for a daytime yard, where you can keep a watchful eye on your chickens. Some people use this on the upper parts of their coops/enclosed runs to save money. Just keep in mind that if a rodent climbs up there, it too can get through the openings.
Chain link. This type of fencing is strong and easy to come by. It will keep chickens in and a dog out, but the hands and arms of a raccoon can reach through and cause a terrible scene. So make sure your chickens have a place to retreat too should they be threatened.
Rabbit wire fencing. This is a heavy-gauge welded wire fencing with 3- or 4-inch square or rectangular openings. It works well to provide added security when attached to the floor of a chicken ark or tractor, like The Garden Ark. Because of the larger openings, it keeps predators from entering from below, but lets the chickens graze and scratch at the ground more naturally. Like chain link, rabbit fencing could also work to border a daytime yard—there are variations just for this purpose that have narrower openings at the bottom of the fence and wider openings at the top.
Electric net fencing. Some farmers let their chickens free range by creating a wide perimeter of electric net fencing around their henhouse. You hook the fencing up to a portable power source, and it provides a shock to any creature that touches it, effectively keeping them on their side. If you have the space, this is an economical option for defining a large run and protecting from ground predators.
Basically, I’d suggest attaching 1/2″ hardware cloth to all open-air sides of your coop and enclosed run. Secure it so that there are no gaps larger than 1/2″, and bury it at least a foot — or flare it out in a 2-foot skirt around the base of your coop, staked above the ground and buried under a layer of sod or mulch. The other materials could come into play for the chickens’ daytime run.
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My 6 chickens have a fully enclosed predator proof run covered in hardware cloth but its only 48 sq ft. Their coop was built off the ground to prevent diggers but its only 30 sq ft. They seriously need more room esp given that they’re locked up all night long in the coop. So now I’ve made them a “day run” out of pallets. This one won’t be fully enclosed like the 1st one. It will have 1/2″ hardware cloth on the pallets but where I’m adding a 2 ft wall it will only have 1″ chicken wire attached. To keep out hawks and owls I’m using netting an tarps across the top of the run. Instead of an apron or skirt I’m using concrete blocks around the perimeter of the run (inside and out) They will be filled with dirt and rocks then secured to the ground with wood stakes. I’m hoping by running 2 strands of electric fence 4 inches off the ground and 4 inches up another one that it will deter diggers. I’m also running 2 more strands at the top to deter climbers. Anyone else done anything similar?
I live in Alaska on the coast. We get tons of heavy wet snow and ice. I covered my run with a heavy duty mesh (some kind of material with 2 in openings). Today it is on the snow covered dirt floor. Couldn’t hold the load. So l am thinking of needing 2″ or 3″ openings and heavier wire. It’s a large run and we are a bit short on $$ Thanks for any ideas you may have. We have tons of eagles, hawks and owls.
If you live in the woods and have potential problems with bears and other large creatures trying to eat your chickens why not try an electric cattle fence charger and an electric fence around the pen and the night enclosure. If you space the wires about a foot apart that should keep any large creature out and would be a lot less costly than your proposed steel fencing. With that spacing I am pretty sure raccoons would not be trying anything much less a bear. A fence for the chickens need not be anything more than the hardware cloth as noted in other comments. Use standoffs for the electric fencing wire. If you have problems with the power going out buy a unit with battery backup. Make sure to put up warning signs for the people.
We are building our coop run now. We close our chickens into the coop at night. They would have access to the run during the day whether we’re home to monitor or not. Predators that are a concern are mice raccoons rats, feral cats, hawks…
My question is what is safe to use for the wire around the run for the top half and top? I have 4’ of 1/2†19-gauge vinyl coated galvanized wire buried 18†skirted out all the way around and also 30†up the fence. The last 5’ of the fence I’d like to use 1â€x1†19-gauge vinyl coated galvanized but would be concerned about rats. And possibly a raccoon climbing up the 1/2†and being able to swipe at a chicken through the 1â€. We’d prefer the 1†wire because of cost…. we’d love to get your take.
Basically instead of 1/2†wire all the way around we would use 1/2†for 1/2 way up the fence, then the top half and top would be 1â€.
And just a side question, will chickens peck at and eat the vinyl coating on the wire?
Kevin, all of our chicken coop plans call for 1/2″ hardware cloth on all sides of the coop and no openings larger than 1/2″ anywhere. I think you’re right about the 1″ wire. It would protect them from the larger predators, but not the pests (or possibly a raccoon arm). The vinyl coated hardware cloth is nice — improves visibility into the coop/run. I haven’t heard of chickens pecking at the coating.
I have had rats get through 1/2 inch openings. Here is an article from New Mexico State University that also reports this:
http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_l/L209/
Ruby, I don’t question your experience, but it hasn’t been my own. Thank you for the article. Where it says that 1/4″ openings are the size of a dime or shirt button, a dime is larger than 1/2″ in diameter, so I’m not sure what to make of the recommendation that follows. Most other sources I’ve seen (for example) support the 1/2″ x 1/2″ recommendation.
I am trying to decide between 1/2″ galvanized hardware cloth and pvc coated 1/2 inch galvanized hardware cloth for my coop and run. Will the PVC coating make the hardware cloth last longer? Will it look nicer? Will it reduce our visibility into the coop and run? Thank you for all of the great information.
Cynthia, it is my understanding that PVC-coated hardware cloth is galvanized before being coated, so the coating should serve as additional protection vs. galvanized only. It will definitely improve visibility into the coop and run, which I think makes things look nicer overall. Here are a few of our customers’ examples:
https://www.thegardencoop.com/blog/copper-top-chicken-coop/
https://www.thegardencoop.com/blog/texas-chicken-coop-plans/
https://www.thegardencoop.com/blog/tony-j-garden-ark-coop-hybrid/
Hope this helps.
Hi
I have 1/2 inch hardware cloth coming, 60 inches high, we are trying to decide between using t posts or wood panels, we also want to enclose the top, but need to make it removable in case we need to move, any suggestions? if we use t posts would it be hard to enclose the top?
Sheri, please see my response to Phil’s comment below. I would add, I find hardware cloth easiest to attach to a wood frame. See our secure chicken run plans as an example.
I have an organic vegtable garden in elevated cedar boxes with legs. I can’t keep the squirrels out. They are eating all of my strawberries and tomatoes. I purchased galvanized chicken wire from Home Depot. But when I brought it home, I noticed a warning label reqiured by the State of California that it could cause cancer, birth defects, etc. Where can I find chicken wire that is lead free, BPA free, phtalate free that is safe for an organic garden?
Julie, galvanized (zinc-coated) steel is used extensively in organic gardening. The amount of zinc, a naturally occurring mineral, that could leach into the soil over time is much less than what you would consume as part of a normal diet. Any risks have to do with cutting, burning, and welding it as well as cooking in galvanized containers. See this post for more. Hope this helps. You can also check out our Garden Run plans which can be used to build sturdy garden enclosures.
It’s the lead that is of concern, and it takes almost no lead to cause problems in people.
Lead is a concern is ingested over long periods of time and you ingest enough of it. The State of California warning is simply a legal notice required to be put on just about anything. The manufactures do that to stop the jailhouse lawyers from suing them 24/7. Unless you plan on eating a whole lot of galvanized wire you are never going to get lead into your system from the wire.
The source of lead in galvanized steel is the zinc coating. It is common practice to use Prime Western Grade zinc in galvanizing baths (AWWA, 1996), which contains a minimum of 0.5% lead by weight and a maximum of 1.4% lead by weight (AWWA, 1996; ASTM, 2013a, 2013b)
Although industry and environmental factors determine body exposure to zinc, the zinc found in home products such as paint, ointments, galvanized metals, coins, and dietary supplements, are low and do not disproportionately affect children or other vulnerable populations, according to a 2003 report by the Agency for Toxic Substances (12).
Thank you for this great resource! I live in a rural area in Oklahoma with foxes, coyotes, hawks, big dogs, raccoons and the rest. I have plenty of space and want to do my run right. I plan for my chickens to be locked up at night (hopefully eventually with the use of an automatic door closer for their pop hole).
Attaching
I plan on using 8-foot T-posts for my 6-foot fence. I’ll use the 1/2-inch 19-gauge hardware cloth you recommend. What should I use to attach it?
Above Ground
How high should the hardware cloth come up? Is 3 feet sufficient or should I go with 4 feet (or all 6 feet)? Can I use welded wire or field fencing and just have hardware cloth on the bottom 3 feet?
Underground
I have a good amount of old welded wire fencing I’d like to use for the underground portion of the fence. But are the holes (2″ spacing) too big?
Apron
I’d like to also use the welded wire fencing on a 2′ apron to prevent predators from digging. The openings are 2×4″ or so. Is that too big? Do I need to use hardware cloth for the apron as well?
Sorry for the numerous questions, but this site seems to be the one-stop shop to answer them all! Thanks!
Phil, it sounds like you’re fencing off a daytime run (not enclosed at the top). For this, I think chain link or rabbit fencing would do. You can trench this down at the bottom or do an apron to deter digging predators. The hole sizes you mention should be fine.
I would save the 1/2″ hardware cloth for any FULLY enclosed areas where you’re trying to keep nearly everything out, areas like the chicken coop itself or any attached permanent run that’s always open to the coop (see The Garden Run as an example: http://www.thegardencoop.com/chicken-run-plans.html).
That said, if the day run is not very large (where your chickens couldn’t escape the arms of a raccoon reaching in from the outside), then you might overlap a layer of 2′ or 3′ hardware cloth (1/2″) at the base of the fence. You might do this anyway as an added layer of protection, since a team of raccoons can cause a flock to freak out and not know where to retreat to. If you attach the hardware cloth at the base of the fence like this, you could use it for the apron or trench too if that’s easier.
You can attach hardware cloth to T-posts with T-post clips. You can attach it to the backing fence with galvanized wire or UV-stabilized zip ties.
Hope this helps.
I am currently building an area for my chickens that is 16′ by 28′. the walls are 6′ high with 1/4 inch steel cloth that;s also buried only 6 inches into the ground but that’s due to the large root and rock base (we live in the woods) I couldn’t dig further. I do plan to bury a flat skirt around the perimeter. My question is, Will poultry netting for the roof be safe enough to keep out predators? I feel the steel cloth is too heavy and not to mention expensive.
Jillian, poultry netting will keep your chickens from flying out and should deter flying predators like hawks. I wouldn’t count on it to keep a determined raccoon, fox, or bear out, especially if they have an easy way of getting up to the 6′ height. So if this is a run the chickens will only be in during the day when you’re around to monitor the situation, then that covering may suffice. But if your flock has 24 hr. access to this area and you won’t always be around (also assuming that keeping them 100% safe is worth the added cost to you), then consider another design with tougher wire. Also keep in mind that the structure that supports your wire and fencing is also important, as is the strength of the attachment points. Hope this helps.
I will be placing fencing around my chicken run tomorrow. Is welded wire fencing with 2″ x 4″ openings safe for the chickens? They will be in a coop at night.
John, if you’re around to monitor their day yard while they’re in it, a fence with those size openings should contain your chickens, deter predators from having immediate access to your chickens, and afford your flock some time to make noise and retreat to their coop. My caution would be that raccoons (alone or as a pack) can reach through, cause a panic, and grab a bird. Make sure your chickens have a place away from the fence to move. You can also add a layer of 1/2″ hardware cloth to the bottom 3 feet of the fence.
In a moment of mental derangement, I bought 8 baby chicks that were on sale for a dollar each. To make the long story short: We have, so far invested $ 1,000+ (mainly for hired help, most materials we had) for only the “winter residence”of our chicks (fairly close to the house, with an old camping trailer for a chicken coop). The “summer residence” (further away from the house with a bigger roaming area) is yet to be built. We have existing chain link panels (from a dog kennel) and an old, dilapidated (off-ground) coop, which we wish to restore.
How can we protect our chicks from raccoons and other wild predators without going broke on hardware cloth? The “winter residence” has already been enclosed with 8′ horse fence and added 8′ chicken wire (the latter extended into the ground 1 to 1 1/2 ft deep). We plan a bird net over the 14×28′ enclosure. The windows of the camper will be covered with hardware cloth.
My husband thinks that 2 electric wire strings (1 near the bottom, and 1 on top of the fence) will do. I am not so sure. This is for the “winter residence”.
The “summer residence” (an already 8′-high field-fenced area of about 1,500 sqft = part of our huge vegetable garden), quite far from the house and bordering BLM, has already chicken wire all around (and buried 1 ft) and will receive chicken wire (or bird netting) on top over the whole area. It is planned to build a predator-proof area within this larger area, using the chain-link panels and horse fence we already have plus chicken wire (so that the chicken coop can be left open at night and we can get up in the morning later than sunrise). We could put some hardware cloth on the bottom of this to-be predator-proof area, but even this smaller area (approx. 400-500 sqft) would be too big to afford hardware cloth all the way up. Again, my husband hopes that electric wires will keep predators out. (We have wild animals, probably raccoons, in the area that keep raiding our cat cemetery, which is near the planned chicken “summer residence”.)
We would appreciate any advice to affordably predator-proof our chickens’ residences for winter and summer and would especially appreciate shared experiences with electric fences, which my husband has so much confidence in.
Lilo, on larger pens like you’re describing I’ve seen electric poultry net fencing put to good use. It’s economical and lets you keep chickens in and predators out. Others may have more suggestions for you as well.
I am building a Chicken Coop/run. I have a coyotes, bobcats, hawks … have yet to see raccoons but I think thats due to the coyote population. Will 1/2″ hardware cloth keep dogs and coyotes out? or do i need to put something on their that is a heavier gauge metal then use hardware cloth for smaller pests? I was thinking of using 2×4 welded wire but if 1/2 inch hardware cloth will do the trick then I’d rather use just one type of fencing.
Kelsey, the 1/2″ hardware cloth will keep dogs and coyotes out. Just make sure to attach it well, like with poultry fencing staples or air gun staples every 3-4 inches.
Any thoughts on a run with hardware cloth on the lower 3′ (and 1′ underground) then 3″x 2″ heavy gauge (16) galvanized fencing and chicken wire higher than 3′ and at the roof? The chickens will have access to the run all night long.
Kris, the hardware cloth at the bottom is a good idea. And doubling up the heavy gauge with the chicken wire is better than either of those alone for a run that’s open to your chickens at night. It won’t be rat-proof, but if everything’s attached well, it should hold against predators.
So I’ve been doing alot of reading lately and want good protection for my chickens. My run is 8×16, the coop is off the ground about 2ft, the coop is 8×5. I plan on keeping the chickens in the coop overnight. I’m thinking 1/4 in x 1/4, 3 ft tall, buried 1 ft into the ground around the perimeter. I was then thinking a 6 ft tall 14 gauge 2 in by 4 in fence on top, around the perimeter overlapping the hardware cloth. Looking for thoughts and/or suggestions. Thanks.
Bob, if the 1/4″ hw cloth is around the bottom is to deter tunneling predators and to keep raccoons from reaching in, I would go with 1/2″ instead. The tighter openings of the 1/4″ aren’t necessary, since whatever can’t fit through that could just climb to the top of it and get in through the wider fence openings, and the 1/2″ will be a thicker gauge wire. Hope this helps.
Will 2 x 4 heavy gauge welded horse fencing keep predators out?
Paul, that should keep your chickens in, and predators won’t be able to tear through it. It won’t keep pests out, of course. And raccoons could reach in through that size opening, so make sure your chickens have a place to retreat to. Also, take precautions for predator access over and under the fencing.
I found that chain link kept our biggest problem out, the neighbor’s dogs, except the time that the dog just pounded the door in until the lock twirled around and opened. Racoons always scare chickens out of their places of retreat, so we’ve had to border the entire bottom with boards or another layer of wire/hardware cloth. This worked well for years, only letting in animals who were after the eggs and food. Now, the coons have discovered yanking out the chicken wire roof. Too bad, because we didn’t have to lock them up every evening, but, now we have to be there twice a day, dawn and dusk. Our chickens confine themselves to a fairly small area, most of the time, esp. if they have a roo. I had a hammock in the yard that they never got on, and only get on our deck if there is birdfood there.
We’re thinking of using a combination of 1/4″ hardware cloth and 1/2″ hardware cloth on our coop–the 1/4″ going the first couple of feet up the sides, to keep mice and snakes out. The 1/2″ is 19 gauge, but the 1/4″ is only 23 gauge–would you think this could be a problem?
Jil, that should be fine. I’ve avoided using 23 gauge wire as it’s quite a bit lighter than the 19 gauge. So while it may be overkill, you might consider using the 1/2″ hardware cloth all around, then overlapping with the 1/4″ mesh at the bottom. As for effectiveness, I don’t know about snakes, but I would think a determined mouse would climb those couple extra feet to find an opening it could eventually fit through.
How’d ya get the holes in all those pennies? Any concern with galvanic corrosion from dissimilar metals?
Aart, it’s been a while, but I think I either punched a starter hole with a nail, then drilled, or just used a drill. The metal is fairly soft. (For anyone wondering, aart is referring to a photo on this page.) Today’s US pennies are mainly zinc with a thin copper plating. So I guess you might get some galvanic corrosion between the copper plating on the penny and the galvanized coating on the hardware cloth. I haven’t done a real test of it to say for sure. Some paint on the back of the penny would inhibit that. Or just use galvanized washers. . . 😉
I need to know where to get thin gauge chicken wire.
Hi what sort of wire and predator proofing should i do for a chicken tunnel? Does it need an apron too?
SE, some tunnels I’ve seen have wire at the bottom — so they are basically a full tube. Others are just wire fencing bent to form an arch and staked down on the sides. As for what sort of wire to use, it depends on how much protection you need. If you mainly want to confine the chickens and deter predators — say, as you let the chickens through the tunnel to a day run — you could use wire fencing with 2″ x 3″ openings or maybe even chicken wire. If you’re trying to seriously predator proof it — say, you’ll leave them in there unattended or it’s permanently attached to (and open to) their primary coop/run — I would go with 1/2″ hardware cloth on the bottom, sides, and top. With a wire bottom, it would not also need a wire apron. Hope this helps.
Does anyone know what width a fence would need to be to keep chickens in. I have a wrought iron fence that is 4 inches wide.
Joan, I believe chickens can squeeze through a 4-inch gap. In fact, one of my hens had been escaping from their day run, and I recently found the spot — a hole about 4″ x 4″ near the bottom of the wire fence. So you might want to run some mesh or fencing with narrower openings at the bottom of your wrought-iron fence, not only to keep your chickens in, but to keep predators out. Hope this helps.
I was thinking on making a large chicken run about 6 ft. tall. What I was thinking on putting like hardware cloth 3 ft. and burry 1 ft. in the ground and then use a 1×2 fence for the rest of the coop and roof. Will a raccon climb above the 2 ft. high thats on the fence and climb thru the 1×2 fence area?
Larry, I’ve seen others do something similar with their runs, and it seems to work well for them. The tighter mesh at the bottom will keep a raccoon or other animal from reaching in and swiping at your chickens, while the larger mesh at the top will prevent them from entering. If you’re serious about keeping predators out completely, you should plan for some kind of mesh or covering for the top as well. By the way, the 1×2 mesh won’t keep rats out, but if you’re talking about a day run and take care not to keep food laying around in there, you should be fine.
If there are any readers with a similar setup to what Larry’s describing, how well has it worked for you?
I have a question. We live in Texas south of Houston and have a good-sized (3/4 acre) backyard. I want to get a few chickens for eggs and eventually meat when the time comes. Our yard is wood privacy fenced all the way around, and my husband recently cross fenced about a 1/4 of it with chain link for our dog. I’m trying to decide the best way to go about this…completly free range, but I don’t want to deal with poop on my boys swingset and such, or in a portable “chicken wagon” type cooper with a run, but that doesnt seem free range enough. Is there a happy medium? So I dont have to worry about my kids playing in poop, and I also get good eggs from happy healthy chickens? I plan on supplementing with a homemade organic feed and want the chickens to eat all the bugs from my yard! HELP!
Jaci, I would fence off an area of your yard just for the chickens, kind of like you’ve done for the dog. That would be their free-range day run, and you can either keep them in a small movable coop in there or in a permanent coop that you let them out of regularly. To maintain some vegetation in there for them, you could use grazing frames or plant vegetation that can hold up to the abuse of chickens. Jessi Bloom’s recent book is great for ideas on that. Then, when you feel like letting them out into your garden for pest control, or just for a change of pace, you can do so — and be able to keep track of them (and their poop).
Great info. I have a couple questions… Can coons squeeze through 2×2 in. holes, and can they rip apart 14-guage welded wire?
Tyler, they can reach in and claw or grab chickens through 2×2. I recommend 1/2″ x 1/2″ for the best predator protection. 14-guage is pretty thick, but if the openings are large enough, a bloodthirsty, determined coon will work at it with its teeth. I’d love to hear thoughts/experiences from other readers on this too.
Hello,
We are building your garden coop this summer. We have seen several coops with 1/2 x 1 inch fencing. The guage is thicker than the 1/2 hardware cloth. Will this work to keep out rats?
Joan, to keep out rats, you want holes/openings no bigger than 1/2″ (13 mm). I think the added space of the 1″ dimension would allow rates easier access and make it easier for a dexterous predator (e.g, raccoon) to reach its paws in.
Hi there, chicken expert!
I have a 25 x 30 foot garden with a small chicken coop inside. I plan on locking my chickens inside it at night, and letting them raom the fenced area during the day. The garden has a 3 foot wooden picket fence around the outside perimeter with the slats very closely spaced (1/4 inch). I left the fence posts tall – 5 to 6 feet and attached hot wire tape to the posts (the tape looks like 1/4″ width plastic tape with wire woven through it that you hook to a solar fence charger) I put the tape in 2 strands, 1 foot apart at the top of the wood fence, (3 feet high) so one strand is at 3 feet, and 1 strand is at 4 feet. I have plastic bird netting on the inside of the fence from 3 to 5 feet to keep my chickens from flying out.
I have a rooster that keeps getting out somehow- I think he is flying out the top? I have not seen him do it but he gets out and wanders and then cant get back in. I have no hens at the moment- they will be coming this week so Im trying to fix the problem before they get here. how high should the fence be – is 6 feet high enough?- apparently 5 feet is not! Or is it the fact that the rooster has no flock? One more question– I have hot wire – electric fence wire around the outside — is there a “best” way to do it that you know of? I have described how I have it set up but I really have no idea if it will keep predators from getting in anyway – can they tolerate a shock and go through the birdnetting? are two strands enough or should I have it spaced closer together? Im going to go to the hardware store today and get the wire mesh that you mention and put it around the bottom of the garden fence (bury it) to make sure nothing can get under it. And Ive decided to get chicken wire and replace the bird netting in case they can jump through the hot wire to avoid the shock? but Im still not sure how tall it needs to be to keep them from flying out during the day. thanks for any suggestion you may have 🙂
Amy
Amy, a 6-foot fence would be good, and if you have a bird (or more) that is still flighty, you might consider clipping the feathers on one wing. The electric fencing I’ve seen work well with chickens is a poultry net fencing that’s around 4 feet high. Keeps predators out, though not necessarily your chickens in. You’d have to clip the wings for that.
What kind of fence posts do you recommend, how far apart do you space them, and how deep do you pound them?
Katie, I don’t really have a specific recommendation. Pretty much whatever works for your needs. My backyard is surrounded by a 6-ft. wooden privacy fence, and our chickens are in their day run only when we’re around to supervise. So the fence for that day run is lighter weight than if we relied on it to do more than keep them contained. It’s held up by 6-ft. steel U-channel posts, driven down just enough to bury the anchor part, about a foot, I think. They’re spaced about 6 ft. apart. You should be able to get something like this pretty cheap at a DIY or hardware store.
You can see some images of my setup in this post about grazing frames. Note that at the time of those pics, the fence was only 4 ft. high, but we’ve since raised it to 6 ft. (flighty bird!). Hope this helps.
My little shitzu ripped through our chicken wire covered chicken tractor. Thankfully, he just wanted to lick the chickens!
So, I’m off to Lowes today to get some 2×4″ wire fencing to replace the chicken wire fencing. We already have a wood fenced in yard and have no threats from any animals other than dogs (ours) and cats (neighbors). I’ve never seen a raccoon or snake in the area- so, I’ll be content with the “rabbit wire fencing”.
Thank you so very much for presenting all of this helpful information in a way that is concise and easy-to-understand. You mentioned using wire that was “19 gauge or heavier.” What “gauges” are available? acceptable? optimal? …and… would “heavier” be 20, 21, 22? or 18, 17, 16? There are so many websites and opinions out there, but I trust yours and will feel more confident following your advice. My Hens, Roos and I thank you. —Lynette
Lynette, the smaller the gauge number, the thicker and heavier the wire. So 19 gauge wire is about 1 mm thick (diameter of the wire), whereas 14 gauge is about 2 mm thick. 1/2″ hardware cloth is typically 19 gauge or heavier and is great for protecting your chickens in their coop. Common chicken wire (made from galvanized wire, with hexagonal openings) can be pretty thin (22 gauge, about 0.7 mm). It will keep chickens in, but won’t keep determined predators out.
Our city code requires we construct a 6-7 foot high privacy fence around the chicken area so our neighbors do not have to see them. Vinyl fencing is very expensive and the local lumbar yard said we should not use green treated lumber around livestock like chickens because of the chemicals. In our urban chicken class they told us not to use Cedar chips for their bedding because it will make them sick. Can we use Cedar boards for fencing their area in? if not, what kind of wood can we use? Pine will rot unless we treat it with stain or outdoor paint and that seems like we are back to the green treated issue. Please help if you can.
Thanks,
Lisa
Lisa, yes, you can safely use cedar fence boards around your chicken yard. The studies I’ve seen cautioning against cedar pertain only to the shavings/chips/bedding. (To summarize: ground-up cedar can release a concentration of the wood’s natural aromatic oils, which can be harmful to chickens’ respiratory tracts over time.) There are also non-toxic stain options should you choose another type of wood for your fence.
Lisa, I have used all these things you have been told not to use and never had a problem. If you had a problem, what would happen? A few dead chickens and believe me a predators will do that anyhow. I use pine chips for nest bedding. Cedar will keep the bugs away.
Thank you, that’s a lot of great information for me to build my own chicken coop. Thanx a lot 🙂
Keep up the good work!
In attaching hardware cloth to a pvc frame could nylon tie wraps be used or will predators chew through?
Richard, I don’t have experience attaching hardware cloth that way, but I do think a raccoon or rat could easily chew through zip ties. You could try galvanized wire instead. Or vinyl-coated garden wire.
sweet! totally rocks!
I used hardware cloth wire. A little pricey, but worth the money. Easy to install, very durable.
Hello, thanks for the information. Sadly we already covered our entire coop in chicken wire, including ran it all underneath the coop and covered it with dirt. We have decided to add the hardware cloth so we can keep out rodents. What we are wondering is if we need to bury the hardware cloth down a foot as recommended above considering we have the chicken wire all the down and around. We are hoping you will tell us it will be okay to just put the hardware mesh above ground and fearing you will tell us to bury it!
Thanks so much.
Rats can tunnel into your chicken coop, and the chicken wire you have now is little deterrent. You can either trench and bury the hardware cloth or bring it down from the walls and out in skirt around the chicken coop, about 2 feet wide on all sides, and stake it down above ground. Let grass grow up through it or add mulch on top. Tunneling predators or pests have to start so far back to be able to dig down, they just give up. Hope this helps.
I used 1″ chicken wire 5 feet high and an electric fence. 6 strands, first wire 4″ from the ground and next 3 wires 4″ apart. Then one at 8″ and last one 10″ more. First time in 6 years I did not lose 1 chicken. I check the voltage each night on the electric fence but it was not really necessary. I also check weekly any debris leaning on the electric wire. Coons, skunks & possums usually get me every year.
Do you have any advice about the PVC hardware cloth? It is much cheaper and lighter, and I was wondering if it is any good at keeping the chickens safe.
Melody, there are a couple things you might be referring to. The first possibility is simply a plastic mesh or netting. This may be good for keeping small birds away from your chickens’ feed or keeping your hens from flying out of an area, but it is worthless at keeping predators out. A raccoon can chew right through it.
The second possibility is PVC- or vinyl-coated hardware cloth. This is galvanized welded-wire mesh that is then coated in vinyl. It is quite strong and, because of the added vinyl coating, should hold up even longer than uncoated galvanized hardware cloth. Though pricey, it is fine option for keeping your chickens safe inside a chicken coop or run. I recommend 1/2″ x 1/2″ openings (13 x 13 mm), 19 gauge or heavier.
I have run across this older article and have a question. My coop was made with 19 gauge PVC coated chicken wire in a 1″ hex. Will this be sufficient to keep out predators? I have been assured it is predator proof, but I didn’t know if the larger hex size would allow a raccoon more opportunity to reach in or to bend the wires.
Amanda, almost without exception when I hear of predator catastrophes, the hex-shaped chicken wire is involved. The problem has to do not only with the the size of the openings (which allow a raccoon to grab and pull), but also with the way in which the wires are joined to create the mesh. The wires are simply twisted together, and so they are more easily pulled apart. With hardware cloth, the wires are welded together at each point where they cross, which creates a much stronger shield against predators. Hope this helps.
You are right about the chicken wire. Last year we had a coon actually rip a hole in the chicken wire and destroy several of our best layers.
Thanks for posting this. I am in the process of building a backyard coop and run, and I’m trying to weigh the pros/cons of all the types of wire, cost vs. durability, mostly.
Thank you for the info. My dad was seriously losing sleep over this!!! I found it oh yeah he’s gonna be soooo jealous!!! Thanks a bunch!!!