# Wire type for Rollers..



## ThePoultryFarm (Oct 1, 2010)

Is chicken wire suitable for the roller loft i am making? Any pros/cons with it?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

all cons, the wholes in it are too big as mice and snakes can get in the loft, plus it stretches over time and looks bad, even a large dog could crush it in or break it.. what you want is one half inch or one fourth inch hardware cloth...


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## ThePoultryFarm (Oct 1, 2010)

I guess I should explain the situation a little better..

I have an insulated 10X14X8 chicken coop. I am sectioning a portion of it off (about 6X10X8 to be used as a pigeon loft. This building is so secure, I have not even seen flies in it..  The chicken wire would be used solely as the indoor divider. The reason I would rather use CW as opposed to hardware cloth is 1.) cost and 2.) I can never stretch the HC to where it looks nice..


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

arherp said:


> I guess I should explain the situation a little better..
> 
> I have an insulated 10X14X8 chicken coop. I am sectioning a portion of it off (about 6X10X8 to be used as a pigeon loft. This building is so secure, I have not even seen flies in it..  The chicken wire would be used solely as the indoor divider. The reason I would rather use CW as opposed to hardware cloth is 1.) cost and 2.) I can never stretch the HC to where it looks nice..


ahh I see, I think if you did it right it could work as a divider if it was stapled to a frame of some kind to make your "wall"... but pigeons need sunlight and ventilation, so your going to need an aviary of some sort where they can come and go from the outside to the inside when they want, and the CW would not be good for that..


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## ThePoultryFarm (Oct 1, 2010)

Ok. I intend on cutting an 18"X18" hole for the fly pen, and making that - for a pigeon loft this size, would a 4x4x4 fly pen work? How many could it hold?


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Chicken wire as a divider will work. Usually chicken wire is not recommended because they were designed to prevent chicken from getting out, but doesn't necessarily mean that other predators can't get in.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

arherp said:


> Ok. I intend on cutting an 18"X18" hole for the fly pen, and making that - for a pigeon loft this size, would a 4x4x4 fly pen work? How many could it hold?


that size sounds more like just an aviary, not a fly pen, 4 ft high would not be a fly pen IMO as they can not fly up, I would make it as big as possible with what you can afford, it is a huge important part of the loft, esp in winter months to get some sun when you can not let them out due to the hawks.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

How big will the loft be, and how many birds are you planning on keeping?


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## ThePoultryFarm (Oct 1, 2010)

The size of the loft is mentioned on post #3.

I intend on keeping 70% the maximum. 

Would 6ft tall by 4 by 4 work as a fly pen? dirt or wire bottom?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Is that as big as you can go? Possibly a bit longer? Wire bottom is better. With dirt, things can dig under, and they can also pick things up from the dirt. Bacteria and worms eggs and such.


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## ThePoultryFarm (Oct 1, 2010)

Not really, a roll of wire if four foot wide.. 
I cannot afford to pay 120.00 for extra bird fly space..


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Well, you do what you can. That's all you can do.


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