Jon Crevez

I am seeing the word "screen" in the forum here a lot especially in this topic. When we talk about screen - I am imagining something like this: Wire Mesh in a woven stainless steel? Am I way off on my thinking on this? I apologize for my lack of knowledge, just a beginner who stumbled across this forum...

"As to gophers, a heavy wire mesh might also work, but I don't know how long it would last in the ground. I saw an online source for a 4' x 100' roll of 1/2" galvanized welded wire mesh for $199. I am guessing it could be found cheaper. I wonder if it would be better to have a complete break between a green roof and the surrounding ground, in order to keep burrowing critters off."


Welded wire mesh will last a lot longer than the woven wire cloth - something along these lines: http://www.bwire.com/index.html ---

The welded is a heavier duty because the wires are actually welded to one another as opposed to just being interwoven. This thicker welded mesh will last a long long time if placed underground and will be exactly what you are looking for when it comes to keeping out gophers.

Check www.mcmaster.com for pricing....

Kevin MacBearach wrote:Yes, I'm so done with the "free-range" chicken set-up, or more correctly, no set-up. It's really taken a toll on my pasture.

So was there any consensus of whether having a wire mesh bottom was bad for their feet? I was think about laying some light Douglas Fir branches over the mesh so as to catch some poop, protect their feet, and keep down any harmful orders. Is anyone using fir needles for mulching the bottom of their coops?



I think wire mesh being bad for their feet is a total myth. I have been buiding cages and coops for years, using wire mesh and wire cloth ( http://www.bwire.com/index.html )as the bottom the entire time. Have never had any issures with their feet. I agree wire mesh will not hold feces inside the cage - but isnt that a good thing?