Chicken wire - what size?

[Curlykale]

We are building a chicken run, ready for getting our new babies, and would be grateful if someone could tell us what size we should get - ie what size should the holes be?

[petal]

go for the smaller holes- not the larger holed stuff which is a waste of space. We got ours off e bay.

[RichmondHens]

If they are full size hens then 2 inch holes will be fine.

[RichmondHens]

go for the smaller holes- not the larger holed stuff which is a waste of space. We got ours off e bay.

Ooh look, we disagree!!!

[petal]

are you sure-? that stuff sags horribly!!! I prefer the 1" hole stuff as it looks neater?

[RichmondHens]

I guess it depends on the area you are wanting to fence. Large hole is much cheaper than small hole, but yes agree you can get sag.

[OverWyreGrower]

We use plastic release pen netting from Solway Feeders....(though we do buy 100m at a time!)

Since rats have managed to rip/tear/eat through any sort of netting we get (including chicken wire), I figure that the plastic stuff is just as good....

[jps]

just bear in mind chicken wire isnt fox proof, they can bite through it.

weld mesh is what you need to be fox proof, or at least try to be.
our is all weld mesh and had no problems in 6 months

[Curlykale]

Luckily we don't have foxes but it is the rats I'm worried about. The run will be on paved ground so they won't be able to burrow their way underneath, but I didn't realise they could bite through wire :-o
I guess the smaller the hole the more wire they would have to bite through so hopefully they wouldn't think it was worth all the effort!

Thanks for all your replies

[Falkirk Bairn]

We used weldmesh so nothing could bite through

[Farmer_Gyles]

i need to build a run sometime soon .... from what i've read, we should go for a galvanised wire mesh .... and it should be small enough that a fox can't get it's teeth round .... so should be looking for something like 1/2in x 1/2in 19gauge mesh .... i've seen rolls of mesh like that on the net ....

anyone know any different??

[Falkirk Bairn]

I was told 16 gauge for foxes and 12 gauge to be extra safe

[Snadger]

If you can afford it, aviary mesh is strong enough to deter a fox and dense enough to keep rats out.................