Hardware Cloth vs Chicken Wire for a Coop
One of these keeps chickens in and the other keeps predators out. Gauge, mesh size, cost per foot and where each belongs.
The short version
Use half inch hardware cloth on anything a predator can reach: windows, vents, the run perimeter, and an apron buried or laid flat around the base. Chicken wire is a light hexagonal netting designed to contain birds, not to exclude anything. A raccoon can tear it, a dog can push through it, and a weasel or a rat goes through the holes without touching the sides. It has a legitimate role as a garden barrier or a temporary partition inside a secure run. It has no business being the only thing between your flock and the night.
At a glance
| Half Inch Galvanised Hardware Cloth, 24 in by 100 ft | Hexagonal Chicken Wire Netting | |
|---|---|---|
| Excludes raccoons | Yes, when fastened properly | No |
| Excludes weasels and rats | Half inch mesh, yes | No |
| Typical gauge | 19 to 23, welded | 20 or lighter, twisted |
| Cost per foot | Higher | Much lower |
| Appropriate for coop windows | Yes | No |
| Appropriate as a garden barrier | Overkill | Yes |
Choose the Half Inch Galvanised Hardware Cloth, 24 in by 100 ft if…
Use hardware cloth wherever a predator could get a paw, a nose or a tooth on the coop. Fasten it with screws and washers or poultry staples every few inches rather than staple gun staples, because raccoons pull light fixings out. Extend it as an apron at least a foot or two out from the base, laid flat on the ground and pegged, which defeats digging far more reliably than burying it. Overlap seams and wire them together, since gaps at joins are where losses happen.
Check Half Inch Galvanised Hardware Cloth, 24 in by 100 ft on Amazon
Choose the Hexagonal Chicken Wire Netting if…
Chicken wire is fine for keeping birds out of a vegetable bed, for a temporary divider inside an already secure run, or for a top net that only needs to stop hens flying out. Do not use it on windows, vents, doors or the run perimeter. If you have inherited a coop wired with it, the cheapest meaningful upgrade you can make is replacing the wire at ground level and around every opening.
Check Hexagonal Chicken Wire Netting on Amazon
Related
Comparison based on published manufacturer specifications and the general consensus of owner reports. We have not tested these products side by side. Confirm current specifications and prices before buying. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Reviewed in detail
If you have narrowed the decision to one product, we go through it in detail here: Land Guard hardware cloth review, PawHut large wooden coop review and Pawpuler 135.7 inch coop review.
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An Automatic Coop Door, the Upgrade Keepers Regret Waiting On
Nearly every predator loss happens because a door was open at dusk or dawn. An automatic opener closes on a light sensor or timer whether or not you are home, which is the single biggest reduction in risk available to a small flock.
Frequently Asked Questions
What actually kills backyard chickens?
It varies by region, but the usual list is raccoons, foxes, coyotes, dogs, hawks and owls, weasels and mink, snakes and rats. Raccoons are unusually capable: they open simple latches, reach through wire and pull birds against it, and work at a weakness for a long time. Rats are often overlooked and will take eggs and chicks and injure adult birds. Build for the raccoon and the weasel and everything else follows.
Do I need to bury the wire?
An apron works as well or better and is far less work. Lay hardware cloth flat on the ground extending outwards from the base of the run, peg it down and let the grass grow through it. Digging predators start at the wall, hit wire, and give up rather than backing off and starting further out. Buried wire also rusts out faster.
How do I know something is getting in?
Look for feathers scattered inside the run, birds missing without a trace, eggs disappearing, digging at the base, and any change in behaviour such as hens refusing to go in at dusk. Check the coop in daylight for holes you can see light through, and press on every panel. A trail camera is cheap and answers the question in a night or two.
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