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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forumsanother *&%(&^$@ useless made in China product!
We have chickens, as of 2 years ago.
We built the first pen from an old roll of chicken wire I bought back in 2000.
American made. Heavy gauge.
We built the 2nd pen with chicken wire bought from the farmer supply store last year.
Made in China.
Mr. Dixie built both pens the same design, including the bottom of the wire embedded in a concrete filled trench along all sides.
Pen # 2 had the bachelor rooster flock in it.
and has been cleaned out by raccoons, who have managed to pull the wire from the posts and bend it back, to get into the pen.
Pen #1 has shown signs of the same thing unsuccessfully attempted.
that is when we realized the significant difference in wire composition.
going out to the pens in a bit to inspect the raccoon traps we set up last night.
Pen #2 will now become an enclosed garden area.
I don't think the squirrels can bend the wire.
NV Whino
(20,886 posts)The raccoons will be back.
dawg
(10,624 posts)They have to use shoddy materials and cut corners on design as well. Despite all our technological gains, most of the products we interact with on a daily basis are inferior to the ones our parents used thirty years ago.
JoeyT
(6,785 posts)I don't know if it's because they're using a different galvanization process or what, but it doesn't last long. If they're going to make it that cheaply, they could at least put instructions on the roll. "Use whatever you're going to use now, because in two months this roll is going to rust into a lump."
Edited to add: I don't actually have chickens, but I build the coops/pens for my parents, and I've started making them in layers. An inner layer of rectangular galvanized fencing to keep the possums/racoons out, and an outer layer of the really flimsy deer/bird netting with the small square holes to keep snakes out. The latter means they occasionally have to free a corn/hognose that got stuck in it, but it also regularly traps/kills moccasins and rattlesnakes. They try to force their way through it and can't, then they can't back out of it.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)I really like your idea, and will pass it on to Mr. Dixie.
He found a very big rat snake trying to grab an egg in a nest. thise damn things get 6 feet easily.
Netting and dog wire does make sense down here.
Thanks...