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Just realized my "chicken-proof" run design was a total joke

Spent $300 on hardware cloth and buried it 2 feet deep after a raccoon dug under my old setup last spring, but yesterday I watched a rat squeeze through a gap the size of my thumb where the mesh didn't quite meet at the corner. How do you guys seal those awkward joints between panels without making it impossible to ever take apart?
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2 Comments
finley777
finley7771mo ago
Hardware cloth is great but that stuff is a nightmare at the seams. I had the exact same issue with my coop corners. What worked for me was cutting strips of the same hardware cloth about 4 inches wide and wrapping them around the outside of the joint like a bandage, then using a ton of those little zip ties to pull it tight. I also ran a bead of exterior grade silicone caulk along the inside of the seam before I put the wrap on, just to be sure nothing could squeeze through. If you ever need to take it apart, just snip the zip ties and peel the caulk off with a putty knife, it comes off way easier than you'd think. Just make sure the caulk is completely dry before you let any birds near it.
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iris_mason88
Nah, @finley777, silicone just gives rats something to chew on.
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