Tweety Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 I am planning to build a run for my chooks and would be very grateful for advice from the many brilliant people on this forum who have done the same. I went to our local estate supplies place today and they laughed at me when I said that I wanted weldmesh because foxes can bite through chicken wire. They said that the galvanised chicken wire they sell is used by the Forestry Commission to protect pheasants from predators and that it would be fine for my run. It is much cheaper than any of the weldmesh I have found so far and, as I need quite a lot, price is one of the factors to be considered although the safety of my girls is paramount. Can anyone recommend a good source of reasonably priced weldmesh, or would it be ok to use the chicken wire doubled for extra security? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 The problem with chicken wire is once is starts to rust it falls apart very easily and this is how foxes bite through it. I did a bit of research on it. Galvalised chicken wire would last longer before rusting so this may be why you were told it was okay, but even then you would find that over the course of time it would weaken still. Im opting for chicken wire that is both galvanised and PVC coated from B&Q as cost is a factor for me too, its the cheapest I could find as it comes in 10m rolls and I didnt need loads like all the mail order ones that are 30 or 50m and its only £20 a roll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 I am also in the midst of building a new run, so I have been doing quite a bit of research in wire and weldmesh. I am building the run so that my chooks can have a big space, don't need to freerange so much if I am not in the mood to stand in a freezing garden I am going to use weldmesh then I don't have to worry at all about them, I am currently checking suppliers on E.bay to find a really good deal, the best deal going at the moment is £50 inc. delivery for 30m am hoping something a bit cheaper comes up soon Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I ordered a roll of 30 metres of 1"X1" 36" wide green pvc coated 19 guage square mesh for £34.99 off ebay. I was assured it would be adequate strength for building my new run. I am planning to build panels using 2"X2" timber (also bought off ebay). What do you think? Worried now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Have a look in my gallery (link below) at my old chicken wire pen & my new weld one. We bought our mesh from Ebay too - it was a great price One of the main factors in our building a new pen was so it could be weld mesh this time, as chicken wire,while it did the job,was not ideal. We have had a rat problem, & they have been able to get through the wire holes - we once had a stuck one as proof of this So in conclusion I would say 100% go with weld mesh, if you want their new home to be as secure & permenant as possible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted January 11, 2008 Author Share Posted January 11, 2008 Thanks everyone. Your replies have convinced me that I should go for weldmesh, which I suspected would be the case! Love your new pen Cinnamon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Hi Tweety I went for 16guage weldmesh, which is stronger than 19guage. I contacted FlyteSoFancy to find out what they used on their poultry protextion pens, and they said 16g, which is why I opted for that in the end. Ebay was definitely the best place, and we found numerous guages, hole sizes, and lengths. In the end we bought it from an Ebay store called Animal Kingdom. His seller ID for listings is ak_onlinekingdom http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Animal-Kingdom_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm If he doesn't have the guage/mesh size/length you want listed - either in the listings or in his store - then just email him and tell him what you're after. We bought 30metres of 36" wide, 16 guage, 1"x1" mesh for £52.99+£9.99 postage . It arrived the day after we ordered. (For info, the same size in 19g would have been £29.99+£9.99postage). Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I only use chciken wire to keep the girls off the borders IMO it isn't strong enough for a run that intends to keep predators out. I'd use weldmesh for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Thanks everyone. Your replies have convinced me that I should go for weldmesh, which I suspected would be the case! Love your new pen Cinnamon. Thanks it now has a roof of sorts.The top bit (the pointy bit) it wood & roofing felt,while the bottom 2 thirds will be conservatory grade plastic. We are just waiting for the plastic sheeting to come....... I can't wait - no more trudging up the garden with 4 full Grubs every night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted January 11, 2008 Author Share Posted January 11, 2008 WitchHazel, Thank you very much for all the info - having decided on weldmesh, I was about to ask for advice re gauges but you beat me to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 witchhazel I just went and looked at your blog for info on your construction and saw the model your husband made for you. What a lovely man he is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 witchhazel I just went and looked at your blog for info on your construction and saw the model your husband made for you. What a lovely man he is Thanks for that Bron. Yes, he is - especially as he's not too keen on this whole chicken malarkey. He made the roof sections (of the proper run) today, and I'm hoping we'll put the whole thing up next week if the weather is OK. Then we've just got the polycarbonate roof to go on, he's built the roof trusses so that I can slide the polycarbonate up and down "sun roof" style! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 If anyone is interested I found this site selling weldmesh and they do it from 6m length rolls upwards. So if like me you dont need loads and dont want to have to pay out for a 30m roll it will work out quite a saving. Im opting for the PVC coted weldmesh 1" x 1" hole 18 meters for £45. http://www.moncaster.co.uk/index.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 by the looks of it its still cheaper to buy 30 m on ebay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 See I looked on ebay and couldnt find any at a good price. Especially as i want the PVC coated stuff. it was all about £60 plus shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 Hi CatsCube This is where I got mine from http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GREEN-PVC-COATED-GALV-WIRE-MESH-30m-36-1-x-1-19g_W0QQitemZ330202672922QQihZ014QQcategoryZ1269QQcmdZViewItem I plan to use it for most of the run and the top under the polycarbonate roofing, but may still get some thicker weldmesh (16guage) to reinforce the bottom 3 feet having read the comments on this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Oh thank you very much. Thats a bargin!!!! I have just ordered a roll! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainboarddude Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 you could try scats www.scatscountrystores.co.uk/. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Oh thank you very much. Thats a bargin!!!!I have just ordered a roll! It is cheap, but it doesn't say it is weldmesh, is it going to be strong and foxproof enough? Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Oh thank you very much. Thats a bargin!!!!I have just ordered a roll! It is cheap, but it doesn't say it is weldmesh, is it going to be strong and foxproof enough? Tessa No it doesnt say its weldmesh but I was going to just get normal chicken wire anyway, so its not going to be any weaker than that. Foxes arnt an issue for me where I live anyway. But its old chicken wire that is chewable anyway when it starts to rust and becomes weak, if this is PVC coated it wont rust and weaken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 But its old chicken wire that is chewable anyway when it starts to rust and becomes weak, if this is PVC coated it wont rust and weaken. That's what I thought. At the moment I've got pvc coated chicken wire for the enclosure to keep the girls off my flowerbeds. Despite regular visits from Mr. Fox, it hasn't been able to get through this, so I reckon the stuff on ebay should be OK for most of the new run if I just reinforce the bottom with a length of thicker weldmesh. I'll let you know what it's like when it arrives. Lin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Oh thank you very much. Thats a bargin!!!! I have just ordered a roll! I bought all my weldmesh from there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Well my roll of mesh arrived today so very fast service. The label on it does actaully say weldmesh, so its just the ebay listing that didnt say it. I think it looks great so very happy with it as absolute bargin price! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 With normal welsmesh would I be alright to go for the 9g or is it just too weak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...