Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[emmalou]

We are just adding some secure fencing to an old chicken coop in the garden. I had no idea what a sod chicken wire is to work with? We have used the wooden posts but when we unroll the wire and start to mount it on to the posts it is so wavey?? How can we tension it and get it looking rigid? We are not using battoning top and bottom, just wooden posts. Would it be any better to use a strengthening wire along the top as we would be when using green wire fencing? It looks great from a distance just a bit ropey close up. Maybe chcicken wire doesn't tension very well?? Any advice would be great. Thanks in advance.

[Justadmin]

Are you using chicken wire or Weldmesh? We used Weldmesh and I found I could bend it back on itself a bit to make it look straighter before stapling it into position, although one edge of our enclosure does have a bit of a wobbly look to it. Adds character right?

[emmalou]

It is chicken wire! Character is one word yes They do say it needs to be a little wobbly to make it more difficult for the fox to climb The other type does look a bit more durable and easier to work with, although less available to buy here in France possibly.

[Mars]

Chicken wire will never stop a fox.

[emmalou]

Well I cannot speak from experience but from what I have read, many many people use chicken wire so whilst I could spend months pondering the why's and wherefors of what is right and wrong I have had to opt for something, and gone with the majority. Our run is huge compared to many so had to find a cost effective way of doing it as I did not want a small run for my birds. Will see how it goes and like some will probably learn by my mistakes. I fear I am not alone.

[Mars]

I have a friend his five hens were killed last year by a fox who got through the chicken wire.

[emmalou]

Maybe it depends how well it was constructed?

[mullethunter]

I'm afraid I'm with Mars on this one. A determined fox will get through chicken wire - it has happened to people on this forum. It's designed to keep chickens in rather than foxes out. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's better than nothing, but to be sure you really do need weld mesh.

[emmalou]

Yes but "Ooops, word censored!"ody seems to mention how they get it??? I have a lot of neighbours with chickens behind chicken wire. Is it poorly constructed, are they chewing the wire or are the joins not overlapping suffiently enough or have people not protected the bottom of the run? If it is built sturdily then this can be avoided.

[Lydia]

Foxes are perfectly able to chew through chicken wire and they only need a very, very small hole to gain access. They are hugely intelligent and very determined. Chicken wire is not an effective deterrent no matter how well it is constructed. It is, in my opinion, a false economy and weld mesh is a much better option in the long run.

 

It's your choice, of course, and you must construct your run as you see fit. However, there is plenty of evidence online about the dangers of chicken wire and plenty of people have learned the hard way.

 

You might find this information from Flytes of Fancy a useful read.

[mullethunter]

You can buy weld mesh on Amazon. In the UK you can get it from garden centres and builders merchants too.

[mollyripkim]

Really sorry but I am with everyone else as chicken wire keeps chickens in but not foxes out. I have a large walk in run too but all weld mesh including the floor and roof. I guess it comes down to personal choice, finance and the risks you are prepare to take in the end.

[clucker1]

In all this, I've been trying to find Avaries 4 u website who we used to construct our run, do some pics etc for you. I'm not sure if the guy who buiilt ours might have given up. Anyway, we costed ours out doing it ourselves and with the cost of the wire ( which isn't chicken wire, but some super strength weld mesh or something like that) it was the same price to get Avaries 4 u to build one for us. We erected it, it was easy peasy. 5 years on, it is still brilliant and fingers crossed!!! No foxes have got the girls. We also have paving slabs And railway sleepers round the run.