Chicken wire (rabbit wars)

[thecornflake]

I've been looking at the best way to protect my crops this year, I got my allotment last year but in Autumn so only really threw a few spuds in to get going and some green manure. The big problem on our site is rabbits, most people have used the standard green plastic netting you can get to protect their crops but my parents gave me some chicken wire they had lying around and I found it a lot easier to work with, as it holds its shape more and you can just cut a flap in it for access to crops if you want. I looked online and found I can get 9m x 50m for around £25, which is enough to cover the entire plot. I know it won't stop birds and I'll still need to use the other stuff for my fruit but for everything else I'm thinking I'll just use chicken wire. I was just wondering if there are any obvious drawbacks, as nobody else on the site seems to use it?

[Mrs Dobby]

Probably no-one else uses it due to cost, it is more expensive than debris netting. Mind you, 9m by 50m ig gonna make you a mighty tall fence around your plot!

[vicky]

Maybe 50cm not m?
You'll have to bury it a bit to stop them digging under, we have our veggie patch enclosed by 3ft chicken wire (about 20-30cm in the ground) and they haven't broken through it (yet)!

[thecornflake]

I have a small amount over my patch of chard and lettuce, not dug in at all but they haven't gone under it. I think because of 2 reasons -
1) Very solid clay soil
2) Less well protected patches next to me
So I only have to protect my crops better than my neighbour's

Definitely 50 metres -
Mesh Direct (Mesh Direct) :: Chicken Wire Netting :: Poultry Netting 50 mm Holes :: Chicken Netting 900mm wide x 50 metres 50mm hole 20 gauge

[Kittypickle]

My plot is surrounded by chicken wire buried about 30cm deep. Keeps them out apart from one that got in (probably the gate) but Morris chased it out for me.

[Kristen]

You need "Rabbit wire" rather than "Chicken wire" - same stuff to look at, but the "holes" are 31mm rather than 50mm. Rabbits will get through 50mm (indeed, I've seen babies squeezing through our Rabbit fence which is 31mm).

Usually the roll is 60cm wide, and you turn-up about 6" outwards at the bottom (like a "foot") and let the grass grow through it - the rabbits come up to the fence and start digging, so it doesn't actually have to be buried. But make sure that it "stays down" as the grass grows up through it for the next few months. (You can bury it if you prefer, but that's a bit more work )

My parents got some posh rigid green plastic netting to keep the rabbits out when I was young, cost a fortune I seem to remember - looked smart, but the rabbits just ate straight through it!

You'll need some posts to support it, and ideally a wire along the top that you can "strain" tight to attach the top of the netting to, otherwise it will flop about

[binley100]

We have all of our beds edged with chicken wire.......there is wood round the bottom and our paths are a thick layer of soaked newspaper topped with bark chippings....... They don't bother digging under cos the paths are hard but do use the wire with small holes as they can get through the big stuff. Yes it cost us but it has been worth it. Then other netting is draped over the top where needed and pegged to the wire.,

[nick4uuk]

I actually use a fine mesh bordering my chicken wire, doesnt look too bad actually if its done tidy enough.