Yo! My name is Bobby and I live on a large property in Sydney, Australia. When I moved out here, I realised I was going to need to have some new fences installed. The previous owners had let the existing fences fall into disrepair and I was worried that people would gain access to my land. I called in a fence contractor who assessed the land and explained the different fence options available to me. In the end, I decided to opt for a steel fence. I am really pleased with how the fence has performed. I hope this blog helps you to find the right fence for your property.
With concerns about food waste and the shortcomings of intensive farming practices becoming more prevalent every year, many homeowners and landowners are choosing to cut out the middleman and keep their own flocks of chickens to supply them with eggs and meat. These productive little creatures can be surprisingly easy and inexpensive to keep, but preventing them from escaping your land or being attacked by roving predators is vital -- hence the importance of proper fencing for your coop.
Somewhere ironically, the flexible, woven wire fencing colloquially referred to as 'chicken wire' is not especially suitable for fencing in a chicken coop, as it is too fragile to stand up to stronger predators such as dingoes. Instead, you should seriously consider enclosing your chicken coop with welded mesh fencing, which is constructed of woven wire strands which are subsequently welded together to form robust panels. This unique variety of wire mesh fencing can have a number of benefits when used as chicken coop fencing:
Predator resistant
Welded mesh fencing has significantly more strength and durability than conventional chicken wire, and even outdoes more robust wire mesh fencing types such as diamond wire. By welding the individual strands of wire together where they meet, welded mesh manufacturers create fencing that is particularly resistant to being clawed open by stronger predators, and a well-installed welded mesh panel can even survive occasional attack from wild pigs and other large, herbivorous beasts who may be attracted to the water sources within your coop.
Choice of mesh densities
Even the most secure and safe wire mesh fence isn't much use to anyone if the gaps between the wires are large enough for a chicken to wriggle through them, and welded mesh fencing manufacturers offer a wide variety of mesh densities for differing needs. Welded mesh with caps of less than half an inch are generally suitable for most chicken-keeping applications, also higher densities can be used if you plan on breeding chicks, or if you are particularly worried about snakes infiltrating your coop.
Inexpensive
Although welded wire is generally more expensive to buy than lesser mesh fencing varieties, it is still considerably cheaper than solid fencing options (such as timber or vinyl panels). If your welded mesh becomes damaged by a particularly large predator or errant vehicle, it can usually be welded back together at minimal cost, saving you money on fence maintenance.
Good visibility
Even if you choose a densely-woven welded mesh fence, it will still provide much better visibility than solid fencing options. This is particularly important for monitoring the laying habits of your hens, or keeping a close eye on the health of newly hatched chicks.