Chicken Coop Build: Using Hardware Cloth For Chicken Coop

Using Hardware Cloth For Chicken Coop

Hardware cloth is usually what experienced backyard chicken owners use when building their coops. I made the mistake of using 12 hardware cloth for the floor of my first coop thinking that poop would fall through.

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I have fashioned a large scoop out of a 5 prong pitch fork using 14 in hardware cloth on the fork it.

Using hardware cloth for chicken coop. Hardware cloth comes in various size mesh. It also doesnt stretch out of shape like chicken wire so predators cant maneuver through it as easily. I use the half inch hardware cloth for lining my gardens to keep gophers out but hadnt thought of using it for my chicken coop.

So basically chicken wire is to keep chickens in not keep predators out. I have never had a problem with any of my chicks or chickens. All of the windows are covered with hardware cloth with 1 inch square openings.

Here is my story. Almost any tool gets hung in the mesh. E arly in my chicken keeping adventures i learned the hard way that there is a big difference between chicken wire and hardware cloth.

My wife and i closed up our new coop shortly after dark had. Learn how to predator proof your chicken coop and run protect your flock from predators and rodents and provide security for chicken coops with a few simple tips tricks and tools. There is a huge difference between chicken hardware cloth and chicken wirei learned the hard way and am writing this so you dont have to make the same mistake.

Chicken hardware cloth vs chicken wire. We use the sand that comes in the long sand bags that you use in the winter because it is clean sand. Use hardware cloth not chicken wire.

The 14 inch size has a very tiny mesh and the 2 x 2 and 2 x 4 mesh would be too large of a mesh allowing small predators to slip through. It was about one week into our chicken farming journey. I now understand that chicken wire is intended to keep chickens confined to an area not to prevent predators from reaching chickens.

In our chicken coop we have six windows. I have been using sand in my coop since we started having chickens we got as chicks. I do use pdz as well as diatomaceous earth.

I personally recommend either the 12. The rule of thumb is 4 square feet per chicken in the coop and 10 square feet in the run. The 12 hardware cloth is a much sturdier way to go and not only prevent predators but reduce the amount of time spent on maintenance as chicken wire easily.

Hardware cloth inch. Chicken wire is fine to keep chickens out of things it will do nothing to protect your chickens from predators as they will chew right threw it. It doesnt and the mesh makes cleaning the floor difficult.

35 x 4 would be 14 square feet. Its very sturdy and when installed correctly is harder for predators and neighborhood dogs to rip through. Predators like raccoons foxes owls even neighborhood dogs are known to attack backyard chickens at night or in plain daylight.

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