Chicken netting seems like a straightforward purchase, but wide varieties exist. Knowing what each type of chicken netting is for can help you to determine the suitable chicken netting for your project.

So, what are the different kinds of chicken netting - and which is best for your current project?

Keep reading for a complete guide to the types of chicken netting, their purposes, and what kind of protection they offer!

What Is Chicken Netting?

The term chicken netting comes from its original purpose - protecting chicken coops from predators. However, chicken netting isn't exclusively for chicken coops. You can also use it to preserve a rabbit hutch from predators or your veggie garden from pests that might ruin your crop.

Chicken netting is a wire fencing option. The strong and flexible wiring interlace provides a fortified barrier for your crop or animals. Since this is a versatile material, many people use chicken netting for various DIY projects.

Which Predators Does Chicken Netting Work Against?

Here we will discuss which predators chicken wire works well against and which predators even chicken netting can't keep at bay.

Predators Chicken Netting Works Against

• Foxes and coyotes - chicken netting generally helps to keep your flock safe from predators. However, since foxes and coyotes are avid diggers, you'll need to ensure your chicken wire extends below the ground. You'll also need to add a roof or make your chicken netting over 5 feet tall to prevent these predators from hopping over your chicken wire to reach your flock.
• Owls, hawks, and aerial predators - a chicken netting pen with a roof can help protect your animals from overhead attacks from aerial predators.
• Rabbits, chipmunks, and vermin - if you want to keep pests from getting into your garden crop, you can use chicken wire, which is highly effective in preventing these herbivores from munching away at your lovely veggie garden!
• Flighty hens - a tall wire mesh fence line can help you to stop your hand from escaping. It doesn't just prevent predators from accessing an open menu; it's also highly effective in containing your precious chickens.

Before you decide whether chicken netting is suitable for protecting your crops or pets from predators and pests, it's crucial to know the wildlife that populates your area. So, research which predators populate your country, state, or county to see what you're up against.

Predators Chicken Netting Doesn't Work Against

• Bears are mighty; unfortunately, your chicken wire won't stand a chance. Luckily, bears are not known for getting into chicken coops.
• Raccoons may seem cute and fuzzy, but raccoons are extremely intelligent pests. They have the intelligence of a 5-year-old child and can figure out locks. So, if you're using chicken wire for protection, you need to think smart.
• Insects - the wire mesh in chicken netting is usually too sparse to help you protect your crop against insects. So, if you're looking to keep the creepy crawlies out, you might consider draping a layer of insect netting over your chicken wire barrier.

What Are The Different Kinds Of Chicken Netting?

Now, to help start your project, let's explore the types of chicken wire you can use for your pet cages, poultry yards, and outdoor fencing.

Chicken Wire

Chicken wire is a thin form of chicken netting. Its primary purpose is not to keep predators out but to space, the chickens and lay out a chicken run so they can move around in an organised fashion.

If you have pets like a dog to ward off predators and keep your chicken runs secure from predators, chicken wire works well to organise and structure your chicken run.

Chicken wire is usually available in sizes ranging from 2-4 feet, which gives you options for the height of your fence line.

Hardware Mesh

You might consider using hardware mesh if you're looking to secure your chicken coops from foxes and other predators.

Galvanised wire mesh serves as a barrier of protection surrounding your chicken runs. You can easily dig trenches when building your hardware mesh fencing to prevent predators from digging to enter your coop or pests from entering your flower beds and veggie patches.

Hardware mesh comes in various sizes, so you must choose the most suitable option for your project.

1/2 Inch Hardware Mesh

The holes in this hardware mesh are about a half-inch wide, which ensures protection against a wide range of predators and pests - large or small.

Although this is the most protective option for chicken netting, you should consider using 1/2 inch hardware mesh for smaller jobs like protecting the entrances to your chicken coops, as cutting and working with this material can be pretty challenging.

1 Inch Hardware Mesh

The 1-inch hardware mesh has holes that are around an inch wide. This kind of hardware mesh is easier to work with than the 1/2-inch mesh, as you'll have fewer wires to cut when trimming your mesh to size with netting clips.

This kind of mesh will keep out most predators, but smaller predators like mice and rodents may find their way in. You should consider 1-inch hardware mesh for a day run for your chickens, rabbits, or pets.

1/2 x 1 Inch Hardware Mesh

If you want to create fencing that keeps all kinds of predators out but needs a galvanised wire mesh that's easy to cut, you should consider 1/2 x 1-inch mesh.

This wiring has rectangular holes, as opposed to square ones, since the hole height is twice the size of the width. This kind of galvanised wire mesh can still be a little tricky to cut due to how rigid the materials are.

Plastic Chicken Netting

While this kind of chicken netting won't provide any fortification against ground predators, it makes an excellent roofing solution for your pet cages to keep aerial predators out. This is a mild solution and offers aerial plant protection. However, since the materials aren't thick and can easily tear, you won't find plastic chicken netting useful for ground-level protection.

One of the best benefits of plastic chicken netting is that it comes in various colours. So, you can ensure your mesh matches the rest of your lawn and garden fixtures.

Plastic chicken netting isn't just for protection. It can also make for a helpful way to stop leaves from falling into your garden, pond, and hot tub. Placing a layer of plastic chicken netting over the area you want to keep leaf-free can keep clean water and picture-perfect decking areas.

Chain Link Fencing

Didn't you know that chain link fencing is an excellent barrier to protecting your vulnerable animals?

Chain link fencing is your best option for defending against larger and stronger predators like bears that could easily rip through the netting. Also, this kind of poultry netting will last a long time since it is such a robust material.

To ensure the chain link fence keeps smaller critters out of your crop and coops, you can place a smaller layer of chicken wire over the bottom three or four feet of the fencing.

Electric Chicken Fencing

If you're looking to ward off larger predators, you can opt for electric chicken fencing. Electrifying the chicken fencing with a device can ensure that all predators will steer clear of your precious chickens. However, if you don't live in an area with larger predators, this step will be unnecessary, and regular chicken netting will do just fine.

Where To Find Chicken Netting?

If you're looking to secure your chicken coop, veggie patch, or garden, you can visit your local hardware store. Most hardware and garden centre stores will stock many kinds of chicken netting. However, you can also buy chicken netting online.

Please note that before shopping for your chicken netting mesh, you should know how much you'll need. So, note down the perimeter length of your chicken coop or garden. You should also know how high your perimeter will need to be to purchase the correct height of chicken wire.

Which Is The Best Material For Chicken Netting?

Here are the best materials for your project, depending on how you plan to use the mesh.

Protection

The best material for protecting your chickens and stopping foxes from accessing an open menu will be a more robust material like welded new galvanised wire mesh. This is the strongest material for securing your perimeter, and you can fortify this material against larger predators if you purchase an electric fencing insulator.

Aerial Protection

Plastic protection may be suitable if you want to keep birds of prey and aerial pests away from your garden. However, this is only a mild solution.

Structuring A Pen

Strong and flexible netting, like traditional chicken wire, will be the easiest and most highly effective if you're looking to create a chicken pen and don't need to keep predators at bay.

Managing Zinc Toxicity

Chickens can be vulnerable to zinc toxicity. You must ensure your chickens stay healthy if you opt for zinc wire. You should remove excess zinc spikes from the materials to prevent the chickens from ingesting zinc spikes and becoming sick. You can remove excess zinc spikes on your fencing using a utility knife, cloth, and clean water.

Summary

Finding the suitable poultry wire for your project depends on what the fencing will be for. If you're using poultry mesh for smaller jobs like creating a daytime pen, you will find flexible netting like chicken wire easier to install. To protect your flock, you'll need a robust and flexible net, like new galvanised wire mesh.

At TradeWarehouse, we provide all the high-quality and affordable tools you'll need to complete your DIY projects, including poultry wire. Start browsing for your chicken wire mesh today!