Hi, I am building a chicken pen and intend to use weld mesh for the sides and chicken wire for the top as I don't think I need that to be so substantial. What's the best way to link the chicken wire lengths to each other? Strips of wood between each length with the chicken wire stapled to them is probably the best option but I wonder if there is some sort of simple wire linking device available - for instance small keyrings could be used to attach 2 lengths to each other so is there something like that I could get? Thanks
|> |> I am building a chicken pen and intend to use weld mesh for the sides |> and chicken wire for the top as I don't think I need that to be so |> substantial.
That's some chickens you have!
|> What's the best way to link the chicken wire lengths to |> each other? Strips of wood between each length with the chicken wire |> stapled to them is probably the best option but I wonder if there is |> some sort of simple wire linking device available - for instance small |> keyrings could be used to attach 2 lengths to each other so is there |> something like that I could get?
Or just buy some thin galvanised wire and sew the chicken wire together. That is the cheapest solution, and easier to do than it sounds.
> In article > <5808828b-5dee-4f7a-945b-d51516ffd...@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com>, > TC <con...@gmail.com> writes: > |> > |> I am building a chicken pen and intend to use weld mesh for the sides > |> and chicken wire for the top as I don't think I need that to be so > |> substantial.
> That's some chickens you have!
You certainly don't need weldmesh for any chickens. 1" chicken wire is substantial enough.
> |> What's the best way to link the chicken wire lengths to > |> each other? Strips of wood between each length with the chicken wire > |> stapled to them is probably the best option but I wonder if there is > |> some sort of simple wire linking device available - for instance small > |> keyrings could be used to attach 2 lengths to each other so is there > |> something like that I could get?
> Or just buy some thin galvanised wire and sew the chicken wire > together. That is the cheapest solution, and easier to do than it > sounds.
We cut the mesh and use the protruding ends to link to the rest. We've done that for years, simple and doesn't need any more wire and only a pair of pliers.
>> You certainly don't need weldmesh for any chickens. 1" chicken wire is >> substantial enough. >>> [11 quoted lines suppressed]
>> We cut the mesh and use the protruding ends to link to the rest. We've >> done >> that for years, simple and doesn't need any more wire and only a pair of >> pliers.
>> Mary >> who has chickens >>> [4 quoted lines suppressed]
> Hi Mary, I am getting new hens next month - is there a poultry newsgroup > you can recommend ?
sci.agriculture.poultry has a good mixture of new keepers and professional ones from all round the world. There's the usual amount of argument too :-)
>> sci.agriculture.poultry has a good mixture of new keepers and >> professional >> ones from all round the world. There's the usual amount of argument too >> :-)
> > In article > > <5808828b-5dee-4f7a-945b-d51516ffd...@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com>, > > TC <con...@gmail.com> writes: > > |> > > |> I am building a chicken pen and intend to use weld mesh for the sides > > |> and chicken wire for the top as I don't think I need that to be so > > |> substantial.
> > That's some chickens you have!
> You certainly don't need weldmesh for any chickens. 1" chicken wire is > substantial enough.
> > |> What's the best way to link the chicken wire lengths to > > |> each other? Strips of wood between each length with the chicken wire > > |> stapled to them is probably the best option but I wonder if there is > > |> some sort of simple wire linking device available - for instance small > > |> keyrings could be used to attach 2 lengths to each other so is there > > |> something like that I could get?
> > Or just buy some thin galvanised wire and sew the chicken wire > > together. That is the cheapest solution, and easier to do than it > > sounds.
> We cut the mesh and use the protruding ends to link to the rest. We've done > that for years, simple and doesn't need any more wire and only a pair of > pliers.
> Mary > who has chickens
> > Regards, > > Nick Maclaren.
Mary and Nick, we no longer have chickens because of local dogs and foxes so a substantial run is not such a silly idea if only to keep things out rather than things in.
-- Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall www.roselandhouse.co.uk Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and Lapageria rosea
In article <5808828b-5dee-4f7a-945b- d51516ffd...@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com>, con...@gmail.com says...
> Hi, > I am building a chicken pen and intend to use weld mesh for the sides > and chicken wire for the top as I don't think I need that to be so > substantial. What's the best way to link the chicken wire lengths to > each other? Strips of wood between each length with the chicken wire > stapled to them is probably the best option but I wonder if there is > some sort of simple wire linking device available - for instance small > keyrings could be used to attach 2 lengths to each other so is there > something like that I could get? > Thanks
Easiest way is to get thin galvanised wire and sew the two sheets together at the edge once in situ -- Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall www.roselandhouse.co.uk Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and Lapageria rosea
"Charlie Pridham" <char...@roselandhouse.co.uk> wrote: > In article <5808828b-5dee-4f7a-945b- > d51516ffd...@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com>, con...@gmail.com says... >> Hi, >> I am building a chicken pen and intend to use weld mesh for the sides >> and chicken wire for the top as I don't think I need that to be so >> substantial. What's the best way to link the chicken wire lengths to >> each other? Strips of wood between each length with the chicken wire >> stapled to them is probably the best option but I wonder if there is >> some sort of simple wire linking device available - for instance small >> keyrings could be used to attach 2 lengths to each other so is there >> something like that I could get? >> Thanks
> Easiest way is to get thin galvanised wire and sew the two sheets > together at the edge once in situ
How about pigtail stakes, or are they too expensive?
-- Sacha http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon 'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.'
In article <MPG.22582891c25902db989...@News.Individual.NET>,
Charlie Pridham <char...@roselandhouse.co.uk> writes:
|> In article <47ed72d6$0$762$4c56b...@master.news.zetnet.net>, |> mary.fis...@zetnet.co.uk says... |> > "Nick Maclaren" <n...@cus.cam.ac.uk> wrote in message |> > news:fsjkm7$se6$1@gemini.csx.cam.ac.uk... |> > > In article |> > > <5808828b-5dee-4f7a-945b-d51516ffd...@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com>, |> > > TC <con...@gmail.com> writes: |> > > |> |> > > |> I am building a chicken pen and intend to use weld mesh for the sides |> > > |> and chicken wire for the top as I don't think I need that to be so |> > > |> substantial. |> > > |> > > That's some chickens you have! |> > |> > You certainly don't need weldmesh for any chickens. 1" chicken wire is |> > substantial enough. |> > |> Mary and Nick, we no longer have chickens because of local dogs and foxes |> so a substantial run is not such a silly idea if only to keep things out |> rather than things in.
That argues in favour of using heavy gauge chicken wire, such as 2". You need weldmesh only to stop wolves, hyaenas and so on :-)
I will accept that, if you have a problem with badgers breaking in, and then being followed by foxes and dogs, weldmesh could be useful. But it isn't needed against the latter alone. It will last longer than chicken wire, of course.
>> > In article >> > <5808828b-5dee-4f7a-945b-d51516ffd...@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com>, >> > TC <con...@gmail.com> writes: >> > |> >> > |> I am building a chicken pen and intend to use weld mesh for the >> > sides >> > |> and chicken wire for the top as I don't think I need that to be so >> > |> substantial.
>> > That's some chickens you have!
>> You certainly don't need weldmesh for any chickens. 1" chicken wire is >> substantial enough.
>> > |> What's the best way to link the chicken wire lengths to >> > |> each other? Strips of wood between each length with the chicken >> > wire >> > |> stapled to them is probably the best option but I wonder if there is >> > |> some sort of simple wire linking device available - for instance >> > small >> > |> keyrings could be used to attach 2 lengths to each other so is there >> > |> something like that I could get?
>> > Or just buy some thin galvanised wire and sew the chicken wire >> > together. That is the cheapest solution, and easier to do than it >> > sounds.
>> We cut the mesh and use the protruding ends to link to the rest. We've >> done >> that for years, simple and doesn't need any more wire and only a pair of >> pliers.
>> Mary >> who has chickens
>> > Regards, >> > Nick Maclaren.
> Mary and Nick, we no longer have chickens because of local dogs and foxes > so a substantial run is not such a silly idea if only to keep things out > rather than things in.
I can understand your worry but we lost a lot of our bantams before we fenced the garden effectively. The chicken mesh was more than adequate for their run, they were all killed while they were in the garden.
> >> > In article > >> > <5808828b-5dee-4f7a-945b-d51516ffd...@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com>, > >> > TC <con...@gmail.com> writes: > >> > |> > >> > |> I am building a chicken pen and intend to use weld mesh for the > >> > sides > >> > |> and chicken wire for the top as I don't think I need that to be so > >> > |> substantial.
> >> > That's some chickens you have!
> >> You certainly don't need weldmesh for any chickens. 1" chicken wire is > >> substantial enough.
> >> > |> What's the best way to link the chicken wire lengths to > >> > |> each other? Strips of wood between each length with the chicken > >> > wire > >> > |> stapled to them is probably the best option but I wonder if there is > >> > |> some sort of simple wire linking device available - for instance > >> > small > >> > |> keyrings could be used to attach 2 lengths to each other so is there > >> > |> something like that I could get?
> >> > Or just buy some thin galvanised wire and sew the chicken wire > >> > together. That is the cheapest solution, and easier to do than it > >> > sounds.
> >> We cut the mesh and use the protruding ends to link to the rest. We've > >> done > >> that for years, simple and doesn't need any more wire and only a pair of > >> pliers.
> >> Mary > >> who has chickens
> >> > Regards, > >> > Nick Maclaren.
> > Mary and Nick, we no longer have chickens because of local dogs and foxes > > so a substantial run is not such a silly idea if only to keep things out > > rather than things in.
> I can understand your worry but we lost a lot of our bantams before we > fenced the garden effectively. The chicken mesh was more than adequate for > their run, they were all killed while they were in the garden.
> Mary- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -
I've been told that some animals can bite through chicken wire and also that if the mesh is too big then chickens can stick their heads through it to look at a fox who then bites it off! Don't know how likely this all is. Have found some good resources:
> > Mary and Nick, we no longer have chickens because of local dogs and > > foxes > > so a substantial run is not such a silly idea if only to keep things out > > rather than things in.
> I can understand your worry but we lost a lot of our bantams before we > fenced the garden effectively. The chicken mesh was more than adequate for > their run, they were all killed while they were in the garden.
> Mary- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -
I've been told that some animals can bite through chicken wire and also that if the mesh is too big then chickens can stick their heads through it to look at a fox who then bites it off! Don't know how likely this all is.
The idea of a chicken looking through mesh at a fox is, I'd say, so unlikely as to be laughable. If they see a fox or unfamiliar dog from a long way they'll try to get away.
I doubt that a fox could bite through chicken wire too, they never have here.
> > > Mary and Nick, we no longer have chickens because of local dogs and > > > foxes > > > so a substantial run is not such a silly idea if only to keep things out > > > rather than things in.
> > I can understand your worry but we lost a lot of our bantams before we > > fenced the garden effectively. The chicken mesh was more than adequate for > > their run, they were all killed while they were in the garden.
> > Mary- Hide quoted text -
> > - Show quoted text -
> I've been told that some animals can bite through chicken wire and > also that if the mesh is too big then chickens can stick their heads > through it to look at a fox who then bites it off! Don't know how > likely this all is.
> The idea of a chicken looking through mesh at a fox is, I'd say, so unlikely > as to be laughable. If they see a fox or unfamiliar dog from a long way > they'll try to get away.
> I doubt that a fox could bite through chicken wire too, they never have > here.
> Mary
Well I'm told it happens! Maybe it happens in a small %age of cases and you're not one of those. I get a fox every night sniffing about so it'll have plenty of opportunity to plan a form of attack.... TC
|> On 29 Mar, 12:18, "Mary Fisher" <mary.fis...@zetnet.co.uk> wrote: |> > "TC" <con...@gmail.com> wrote in message |> > |> > The idea of a chicken looking through mesh at a fox is, I'd say, |> > so unlikely as to be laughable. If they see a fox or unfamiliar dog |> > from a long way they'll try to get away. |> > |> > I doubt that a fox could bite through chicken wire too, they never have |> > here. |> |> Well I'm told it happens! Maybe it happens in a small %age of cases |> and you're not one of those. I get a fox every night sniffing about |> so it'll have plenty of opportunity to plan a form of attack....
And I am told that people have had rides in flying saucers, have talked to Elvis and so on :-)
> In article <ad843474-4083-4471-a10b-df78d646a...@e39g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>,TC <con...@gmail.com> writes:
> |> On 29 Mar, 12:18, "Mary Fisher" <mary.fis...@zetnet.co.uk> wrote: > |> > "TC" <con...@gmail.com> wrote in message > |> > > |> > The idea of a chicken looking through mesh at a fox is, I'd say, > |> > so unlikely as to be laughable. If they see a fox or unfamiliar dog > |> > from a long way they'll try to get away. > |> > > |> > I doubt that a fox could bite through chicken wire too, they never have > |> > here. > |> > |> Well I'm told it happens! Maybe it happens in a small %age of cases > |> and you're not one of those. I get a fox every night sniffing about > |> so it'll have plenty of opportunity to plan a form of attack....
> And I am told that people have had rides in flying saucers, have > talked to Elvis and so on :-)
> Regards, > Nick Maclaren.
Not sure if its more foolish to believe everything or to believe nothing...but I suppose intelligence is shown in the deciding.
> In article > <ad843474-4083-4471-a10b-df78d646a...@e39g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>,TC > <con...@gmail.com> writes:
> |> On 29 Mar, 12:18, "Mary Fisher" <mary.fis...@zetnet.co.uk> wrote: > |> > "TC" <con...@gmail.com> wrote in message > |> > > |> > The idea of a chicken looking through mesh at a fox is, I'd say, > |> > so unlikely as to be laughable. If they see a fox or unfamiliar dog > |> > from a long way they'll try to get away. > |> > > |> > I doubt that a fox could bite through chicken wire too, they never > have > |> > here. > |> > |> Well I'm told it happens! Maybe it happens in a small %age of cases > |> and you're not one of those. I get a fox every night sniffing about > |> so it'll have plenty of opportunity to plan a form of attack....
> And I am told that people have had rides in flying saucers, have > talked to Elvis and so on :-)
> Regards, > Nick Maclaren.
Not sure if its more foolish to believe everything or to believe nothing...but I suppose intelligence is shown in the deciding.
"I obviously don't want 2" holes at the sides, as chooks could put their heads out for Reynard to bite off! (Yes I have heard of this happening!)"
For centuries 'men say' has not been accepted as evidence, it's called hearsay and is meaningless. It's been responsible for very many injustices.
My deciding is based on personal experience and the knowledge that chickens are not stupid. Although, come to think of it, if a chicken DID stick out its head and it was bitten off it would be a Good Thing, it would remove an undesirable trait from progeny.
When my chickens and others I have known (a daughter is a free range chicken farmer) if a fox is seen the birds run for cover. If mine see a ginger cat they do the same (fox have more in common with cats in many ways than they do with dogs).
I've thought of another possible solution to the problem - get a dog and train it to leave the chickens alone. It is said that fox won't come near a dog. I have other experience ...
A physical barrier is the only sure one. Renardine works for a time but it time consuming, has to be repeated frequently and becomes expensive. Peeing on the boundary is cheaper but has to be repeated frequently. A shotgun would work for a while but a new generatio9n of fox would be lured to the garden by the noise of chickens.
> > |> On 29 Mar, 12:18, "Mary Fisher" <mary.fis...@zetnet.co.uk> wrote: > > |> > "TC" <con...@gmail.com> wrote in message > > |> > > > |> > The idea of a chicken looking through mesh at a fox is, I'd say, > > |> > so unlikely as to be laughable. If they see a fox or unfamiliar dog > > |> > from a long way they'll try to get away. > > |> > > > |> > I doubt that a fox could bite through chicken wire too, they never > > have > > |> > here. > > |> > > |> Well I'm told it happens! Maybe it happens in a small %age of cases > > |> and you're not one of those. I get a fox every night sniffing about > > |> so it'll have plenty of opportunity to plan a form of attack....
> > And I am told that people have had rides in flying saucers, have > > talked to Elvis and so on :-)
> > Regards, > > Nick Maclaren.
> Not sure if its more foolish to believe everything or to believe > nothing...but I suppose intelligence is shown in the deciding.
> "I obviously don't want 2" holes at the sides, as chooks could put their > heads out for Reynard to bite off! (Yes I have heard of this happening!)"
> For centuries 'men say' has not been accepted as evidence, it's called > hearsay and is meaningless. It's been responsible for very many injustices.
> My deciding is based on personal experience and the knowledge that chickens > are not stupid. Although, come to think of it, if a chicken DID stick out > its head and it was bitten off it would be a Good Thing, it would remove an > undesirable trait from progeny.
> When my chickens and others I have known (a daughter is a free range chicken > farmer) if a fox is seen the birds run for cover. If mine see a ginger cat > they do the same (fox have more in common with cats in many ways than they > do with dogs).
> I've thought of another possible solution to the problem - get a dog and > train it to leave the chickens alone. It is said that fox won't come near a > dog. I have other experience ...
> A physical barrier is the only sure one. Renardine works for a time but it > time consuming, has to be repeated frequently and becomes expensive. Peeing > on the boundary is cheaper but has to be repeated frequently. A shotgun > would work for a while but a new generatio9n of fox would be lured to the > garden by the noise of chickens.
> Mary- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -
So this person in that thread is a liar? Tell her not me!
I have had chickens heads bitten off through wire. It's not nice finding a headless body where it has finally collapsed..
"TC" <con...@gmail.com> wrote in message > I've been told that some animals can bite through chicken wire
Foxes round here will get through it. They must rake it repeatedly with their claws till it breaks. they certainly have managed to break into my outer pen on multiple occasions.
On 29 Mar, 12:18, "Mary Fisher" <mary.fis...@zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
>> I doubt that a fox could bite through chicken wire too, they never have >> here. >Well I'm told it happens! Maybe it happens in a small %age of cases >and you're not one of those. I get a fox every night sniffing about >so it'll have plenty of opportunity to plan a form of attack....
I doubt whether they bite through it, but I can certainly vouch for them getting through it repeatedly.
"TC" <con...@gmail.com> wrote in message > I have had chickens heads bitten off through wire. It's not nice > finding a headless body where it has finally collapsed..
I lived on a poultry farm for the first 18 years of my life and I have now kept chooks for about 30 years of my adult life so I know that chooks can have their heads bitten off through wire. I've seen it too.
If others haven't had the experieince of seeing that, then they are luckier than your and I. It doesn't mean that it doesn't happen, just that they don't know that it happens and can thus remain blissfully ignorant and sceptical until they do see it.
> LOL, I have him kill filed on other groups too ;-)
The sad thing is that I've met the original Old Codger, a very nice man with an equally nice wife, we still correspond. Still, I suppose it's some kind of flattery to have your name hi-jacked - the hi-jacker must think you're important enough. My name was once - but not for long :-)
|> |> > I've been told that some animals can bite through chicken wire |> |> Foxes round here will get through it. They must rake it repeatedly with |> their claws till it breaks. they certainly have managed to break into my |> outer pen on multiple occasions.
What gauge? Chicken wire comes from gauges that I can tear with only gloved hands up to stuff that I need wire-cutters for.
A mistake that people may be making is to use the very lightweight stuff designs to keep part-grown chicks in as a fox barrier. I can easily see that won't work.
And are you sure that it is foxes and not badgers making the initial entry? Badgers like eggs, after all :-)
> In article <47eed146$0$13247$5a62a...@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au>, > "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> writes: > |> "TC" <con...@gmail.com> wrote in message > |> > |> > I've been told that some animals can bite through chicken wire > |> > |> Foxes round here will get through it. They must rake it repeatedly > with > |> their claws till it breaks. they certainly have managed to break into > my > |> outer pen on multiple occasions.
> What gauge? Chicken wire comes from gauges that I can tear with only > gloved hands up to stuff that I need wire-cutters for.
I wondered that too.
It would be a very hungry fox which would bite through our chicken wire, so hungry it probably wouldn't have the strength. Not that I've ever known a fox eat a chicken, here they've only killed them :-(
> And are you sure that it is foxes and not badgers making the initial > entry? Badgers like eggs, after all :-)
|> |> > What gauge? Chicken wire comes from gauges that I can tear with only |> > gloved hands up to stuff that I need wire-cutters for. |> |> I wondered that too.
What I would do, were I making a chicken run, would be to use fairly heavy 2-3" chicken wire to keep foxes, dogs and cats out, and run 1-2' of 1/2" chicken wire along the bottom, inside, to keep chicks in. That's a LOT cheaper than using weldmesh.
If badgers were a problem, it would be necessary to use weldmesh (and I don't mean the 1/2" stuff, either!), but it would ALSO be necessary to continue it down at least 1' into the soil, probably 2'.
The design of a rat-proof run is left as an exercise for the reader :-)
|> > And are you sure that it is foxes and not badgers making the initial |> > entry? Badgers like eggs, after all :-) |> |> They will eat chickens too.
And, of all of the UK wild and domestic predators, they are the only one which can tear chicken wire open without difficulty. Dogs can do it, but my understanding is that they typically do only for the third leg or when starving.
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