Chicken fencing and poultry netting

Hardware cloth, chicken wire and electric netting

Utah State University Extension says "chicken wire should only be used to keep chickens in, not to keep predators out," and recommends hardware cloth with 1/4 to 1/2 inch mesh. University of Maryland Extension suggests burying hardware cloth in a trench 12 inches to 1.5 feet deep around the coop to stop digging predators.

For electric netting, Maryland Extension says it "may work well for containing the flock and offer some protection against ground predators, provided an adequate charge is maintained throughout the entire fence line." Netting needs a charger (energizer) sold separately. Each charger below lists how much fence its maker rates it for.

Sources: Utah State University Extension, University of Maryland Extension FS-1132, University of Maryland Extension, predator control. See also our guide to protecting chickens from predators.