Chicken wire and hardware cloth look similar in the aisle and could not be more different in practice. Using chicken wire to predator-proof a coop is one of the most common, and most costly, beginner mistakes.
The quick answer
Use hardware cloth wherever a predator could push, chew, or reach in. Use chicken wire only as a lightweight fence to keep chickens out of your garden, or as temporary fencing for daytime free-ranging.
What each material is actually for
Chicken wire is a thin, hexagonal mesh designed to keep chickens contained in low-pressure situations. Raccoons can tear it open. Dogs can crush it. Weasels can squeeze through it. It was never designed as predator fencing.
Hardware cloth is a stiffer, welded-wire mesh sold in 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch grids. Predators can’t bite or pry through it easily. It’s noticeably more expensive, and worth every dollar on the parts of your coop and run that matter.
Where to use hardware cloth
- Run walls, top to bottom.
- Vents and windows in the coop.
- The bottom 12 to 18 inches of any door.
- An apron or buried skirt around the run perimeter.
- Anywhere a raccoon could reach a hand through.
Where chicken wire is fine
- Garden fences to keep hens out of your tomatoes.
- Daytime, supervised free-range areas.
- Lightweight portable runs you bring in at night.
What to actually buy
Look for galvanized hardware cloth in 1/2-inch mesh, 19 gauge or heavier. The 1/4-inch mesh is great for vents and small openings. Use stainless or coated staples or screws with washers - plain staples can pop out under pressure.
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