What's the best fencing for a DIY Chicken Coop? 

Based on its name, chicken wire seems like the obvious choice for a chicken coop, right? Hold on, this guide will help you figure out the best kind of chicken wire fence for you by discussing the characteristics of two main types: chicken wire and hardware cloth.

Chicken wire, or poultry netting, is a mesh of wire commonly used to fence in fowl, such as chickens, in a run or coop.It is made of thin, flexible, galvanized steel wire with hexagonal gaps. Available in 1 inch (about 2.5 cm) diameter, 2 inch (about 5 cm) and 1/2 inch (about 1.3 cm), chicken wire is available in various gauges--usually 19 gauge (about 1 mm wire) to 22 gauge (about 0.7 mm wire). Chicken wire is occasionally used to build inexpensive pens for small animals (or to protect plants and property from animals) though the thinness and zinc content of galvanized wire may be inappropriate for animals prone to gnawing and will not keep out predators.

If your main goal is to keep your fowl contained, hex mesh should do the trick. If you bury chicken wire fencing deep enough, it can also safeguard your coop from possums and raccoons.

However, hex mesh is flexible and has large openings, many predators can reach or crawl through it or tear a large enough hole to gain access. And it can't stop small rodents like mice, rats and other small animals from trying to consume your chicken feed.

Why You Should Consider Hardware Cloth for Your Chicken Coop

If you'd rather be safe than sorry, you may want to use hardware cloth for your backyard farm.

Hardware Cloth is most often a galvanized, welded metal product that is extremely durable. The 1/4 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. I personally recommend either the 1/2 inch or 1inch mesh.

Galvanized hardware cloth is essentially steel wire that is been added rust-proof by hot-dipping it into zinc. Not only is it more durable in its rust-proof qualities, but it's also stiffer and not as easy to bend as a chicken wire.

Paying extra attention to overall coop safety and your chicken fences will pay off over and over, and keep your chickens healthy and happy.

Overall, Chicken wire is for keeping chickens enclosed, not for keeping predators away from them. If you want the fence to be actually predator-resistant, don't use chicken wire.

Where to Buy Wire Mesh for Chicken Coops

If you're ready to build a DIY chicken coop or fencing for your flock, Foxivo Inc. has all the materials you need.