Chickens are threatened by many predators that are the leading cause of chicken death in backyard coops. Common predators are birds of prey such as eagles, hawks, and owls.
There are also climbing predators such as raccoons, minks, possums, snakes, rats, and weasels. There is a skunk, a fox, a badger, and a coyote. The danger may also come from pets such as cats and dogs.
When these predators reach the coop, either way, they like it by digging, climbing, or flying, it destroys green and dry land, it pursues chickens, chicks, and eggs!
Therefore, it is necessary to secure the chickens and not leave any outlets or holes, even small ones. The small holes that some tolerate allow the entry of mice, meadows, minks, and snakes that may kill the entire flock.
Therefore we must use tight means of securing the chickens efficiently. and among these means is the use of wires to surround and protect the herd.
In the coming lines, we will talk about hardware cloth which is one of the types of wires that are used to protect chickens. We will discuss how to bury them so that they are properly secured. We’ve also added a quick comparison between hardware cloth and chicken wire to help you make a wise decision.
How To Bury Hardware Cloth For A Chicken Coop?
A 12-foot trench should be dug in the perimeter of the barn and then the hardware cloth should be buried. To secure the hardware cloth well, it must be buried in a shallow place, either in a trench with rubble, such as pieces of rock, brick, and concrete with a diameter of about 4 inches. Which makes it difficult to dig and move it, and it also increases the life of the metal.
Another way to secure the hardware cloth is to create a solid layer of paving blocks on the side of the haberdashery held in place with rubble.
Don’t Forget To Secure The Hardware Cloth To The Ground
The hardware cloth should be buried a few inches around the outer perimeter and extended at least 18 inches on either side. You can pin the fabric with landscaping staples, and if there is grass growing you can cut it or pin the fabric to it and let it grow. It is recommended to use a 1/2″ or 1/4″ fine mesh cloth where predators cannot reach it.
But is the hardware cloth, Is it the only way to enclose chickens? certainly not. There are many types of chicken protection methods. Let us make it clear to you more by making a quick comparison between chicken wire, which is one of the most popular means of enclosing barns, and hardware cloth.
The Difference Between Chicken Wire And Hardware Cloth
So, which one should you choose? A chicken wire or hardware cloth? Here is a quick comparison:
Chicken Wire
One of the means of protecting chickens consists of a wire mesh consisting of hexagonal holes, whether coated with PVC or galvanized. [1]
Wire Advantages
- Cheap and readily available.
- Very flexible and easy to form to design chicken protection structures.
Wire Disadvantages
It does not prevent predators, as it is not so strong. so it would be easy for them to deceive and enter from its wide or torn openings. or even cut it with their nails and fangs! And this is what happens in many chicken coops. A predatory animal that enters the coop does not stop until it leaves it empty of chickens and devours them all!
It is more of a way to prevent chickens from escaping than a way to protect them from predators.
Hardware Cloth
It is also a wire mesh like chicken wire, but it consists of galvanized and stainless steel wires and comes in the form of welded or woven wires in square or rectangular meshes.
There are several types of hardware cloth and the main difference between these types is how the wires are attached. They are manufactured using the same two methods used to make hardware cloths which are welding and weaving.
The welding method is based on putting the woven cross wires into a welding machine to quickly weld the intersections. Whereas the weaving method is in which the woven fabric is manufactured using the over and und technique.
Hardware Cloth Advantage
- It has exceptional durability and corrosion resistance.
- Predators cannot cross or sneak through it.
Hardware Cloth Disadvantages
Its cost is high, but this is not an explicit defect. Buying a solid wire means an investment, as it protects your barn and avoids many losses. It also lives for a long time, and therefore you do not need an additional cost to buy a replacement for it.
