Chicken Wire

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DoozyWombat

DoozyWombat

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If the floors of a wire cage are 1/2"x1" 14 gauge GAW wire, is there a problem with the sides and top being made out of 1" poultry netting (chicken wire)?

I've seen a couple of disparaging remarks about losing kits through chicken wire, but I'm guessing that is the 2" kind.

The alternative to chicken wire I'm looking at is 1" x 2" 16 gauge GAW, with either babysavers or urine guards. Galvanized chicken wire is about a quarter the price, though.

Does anyone here use chicken wire for sides and top? If you do, how does it work for you?

TIA
 
Most rabbit cages are 1x1 on the sides and babies still squeeze through so "baby saver" wire that is at least 1/2 X 1 is needed for meat rabbits and even smaller for the pet and dwarf breeds

Rabbits can also easily chew through and scratch out chicken wire. Mine even go through hardware cloth (which is twice as thick as CW) that I use as baby saver around the bottom of the dog cages I use
 
I would not use chicken wire under any circumstances. It is just not strong enough.

Even 1" x 2" welded wire is not ideal. Rats, weasels and snakes can all get through it easily, so unless your cages are in the house, you may be putting your rabbits at risk, especially kits.

I know welded wire is more expensive, but better a few rabbits properly housed than a bunch of them at risk.
 
That's exactly what I needed to know. No chicken wire for me.

I'll be using 18" GAW Babysaver (1" x 2" with 1/2" x 1" on the bottom 4 inches) 14 gauge for the sides, and 1 x 2 x 24 for the tops.
From here http://www.bunnyrabbit.com/price/wirea.htm

Thanks! <br /><br /> -- Sat Nov 11, 2017 5:07 am -- <br /><br /> Now looking at MaggieJ's comments about snakes and weasels, I've done some recalculating, and it looks as though I can build the entire cages out of 1/2" x 1" GAW for about the same price. If I get a 100' roll of 24" 14 gauge, I can use that for both bottom and top, and 18" 16 gauge for the side. That lets me build more secure cages for $25 per cage. (Those are 36" x 24" x 18" cages, all GAW wire. It would be $16/cage if they were 24" x 24")

Thanks again for the comments!
 

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