What wire is best to keep out dogs,cats snakes etc...

DuckyLuv · **Posted:** Tue Feb 08, 2011 6:56 pm

I have chicken/duck pens that are made from retired swing sets. One of the three pens has mouse wire( the square version of bird wire) and I know nothing can get into that but the other two pens are made from bird wire (small circles). We are moving and I am taking the pens with me but where we are moving too has an overgrown reserve next door that is snake heaven. I know Snakes are very strong animals but could they push their way through the bird wire, and can/will cats and dogs chew their way through the bird wire to eat the ducks/chooks inside?

If a snake/dog/cat can get through the bird wire what should I do, place 2 layers of the bird wire over the pens, I have heaps of bird wire which is why I made the pens out of them and I can't afford to get different wire.

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

If you want to keep even baby snakes out of your pens try lining the base of your wire fences with corrugated iron, set into a concrete footing. The concrete will stop dogs and rodents digging.

EADDY · **Joined:** Sat Apr 16, 2011 11:17 pm **Posts:** 2

I have to look at this too as yesterday I had my first small snake in the coop and even though it was small it still scared the living be jesus out of me. I like the idea of the tin to help keep the rodents out too which is why I think the snake came in the first place

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

Hello , I remember when I was doing a snake handling couse, the fellow running it said he was bitten by a baby snake several hours old, he still ended up in hospital, so it's a good thing you were wary of it.
Another thought on wiring your pen , if you don't want to use concrete to stop critters digging under your iron or even two layers of wire, you could lay some old ringlock wire on the ground and peg it down to the ground and tie it to to standing wire.
If you didn't want to use iron you need to use a fine wire mesh twitched to the inside of the existing wire on your run.
Another good thing about iron , the sheets of iron makes it difficult for the fox to locate a chook.

EADDY · **Joined:** Sat Apr 16, 2011 11:17 pm **Posts:** 2

Thanks for the tips I like the idea of tin it will also give the girls more privacy

LotsaChicks · **Joined:** Mon Apr 18, 2011 3:07 pm **Posts:** 2

I built mine using heavy gauge link chain mesh so nothing can get through I had to as we get a few dingos come through here

beaktime · **Joined:** Tue Jun 14, 2011 9:51 am **Posts:** 48

I use the 1/2" hardware cloth about 2 feet in the ground. I am in the US and do not know if you have different predators but it has kept out raccoons and foxes.

GoodEggs · **Joined:** Sun Jun 26, 2011 3:05 pm **Posts:** 2

I use knitted shade cloth maybe the same this as your talking about beaktime just another name for it?

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

Or is it that light grey coloured cloth used to control erosion amongst other things? The stuff that blunts a stanley blade in about 5 seconds.

GoodEggs · **Joined:** Sun Jun 26, 2011 3:05 pm **Posts:** 2

Sounds strong do you know the name of it please purefeather

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What wire is best to keep out dogs,cats snakes etc...

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