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I bought a $200 'predator-proof' coop from a local farm store and it lasted less than a year.
The wire they used was so thin a raccoon just bent it open one night. I lost two of my best laying hens, a Barred Rock and a Speckled Sussex. Has anyone found a brand or a specific gauge of hardware cloth that actually holds up?
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richard_wells591mo ago
Hold up a second. Honestly, I've had that exact same cheap predator proof coop from the farm store for going on three years now and its still standing. Ngl, the wire is thin, I'll give you that, but the real trick is reinforcing the spots where it attaches to the frame. Tbh, I just wrapped some extra 1/2 inch galvanized wire around the corners and the door frame where raccoons usually pry at. A determined critter is gonna get in no matter what gauge you use if the wood rots or the latch breaks, so a little cheap DIY fixes the weak spots. You don't need the heavy duty stuff unless your setup is sitting right in a woods. Sometimes the budget option works fine if you just secure it right.
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christopher_west13mo ago
Yeah, I saw a post on a chicken group about this... they said the stuff labeled "hardware cloth" at the big box stores is often still too flimsy. You gotta look for 19 gauge or thicker, and make sure it's welded, not just woven. That thinner stuff is basically just window screen to a determined raccoon.
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lilyo303mo ago
Good point about the welded vs woven. I tried the woven stuff once and a possum just pushed right through it like it was nothing. Where do you even find the 19 gauge welded kind? My local store only seems to carry the flimsy woven stuff or that plastic coated wire that feels weak. Do you order it online or is there a specific type of store that carries the good stuff?
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