Hardware Cloth vs Chicken Wire: What Actually Protects Your Flock 🦊🔒
Many keepers learn the hard way: chicken wire is for chickens—not for predators. If you want to stop raccoons, foxes, and dogs, you need hardware cloth. Here’s the plain-English breakdown so you know where each belongs and how to install it the right way.
The difference in one sentence
- Chicken wire: Thin, hexagonal, flexible. Stops chickens, not predators.
- Hardware cloth: Welded, square grid. Stops predators.
What to buy (and why)
- ¼-inch, 19-gauge hardware cloth for vents, windows, and lower coop walls.
- ½-inch can work on runs, but ¼-inch is safest against raccoon hands.
- Galvanized to resist rust; stainless if you’re coastal.
Where to use which
- Use hardware cloth on: vents, windows, the lower 24–36″ of run walls, and a buried skirt.
- Use chicken wire only for interior partitions or as a bird barrier when hardware cloth is already providing the security.
The buried skirt (your silent MVP)
- Lay 18–24 inches of hardware cloth flat around the run perimeter, L-shaped, buried 2–3 inches.
- Predators hit the skirt and give up.
Fast install tips
- Sandwich mesh between framing + washer-head screws.
- Pull tight; avoid gaps at corners and doors.
- Wear gloves—edges are sharp!
CTA:
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