[Rnunes]

Hi All,
I am building a fairly large cage (16x8m) and looking to go for chicken wire mesh.
Need your help in advising if I should use 25mm mesh or if 50mm is sufficient to keep our flying friends away.

Trying to keep away from my fruit and veg pigeons, black birds and I often see some smaller birds around but not sure if smaller birds can get in with 50mm mesh.

Look forward to hearing from you all.

Ricardo

[Rnunes]

Hello All,
Going to build a fairly large cage (16x8m) and looking to use chicken wire mesh.
Question that I have is if I use 25mm mesh or if 50mm (standard/common chicken wire)  is sufficient?

Look forward to hearing from you and for your suggestions.
Ricardo

[mumofstig]

What are you trying to keep out? That's what decides which covering you need to use.

[Rnunes]

What are you trying to keep out? That's what decides which covering you need to use.

Trying to keep away from my fruit and veg pigeons, black birds and I often see some smaller birds around but not sure if smaller birds can get in with 50mm mesh

[pigeonpie]

I would have thought that small birds such as wrens, tits, and robins will easily get through 50mm so if you're hoping to stop them you will need to go for the smaller mesh. Just remember not to go too small as you don't want to stop the pollinators getting through.

[sunshineband]

You need to be able to keep put birds that will eat your fruit. On our site that mainly means pigeons, black birds, thrushes and starlings.

Smaller birds such as hedge sparrows, tits and robins mainly eat insects and house sparrows and finches are seed eaters. These little birds eat a lot of pests like aphids and caterpillars.

On that logic, 50mm wire would do the job imho

[LILLILEAF]

We built one 6m x 4m using chicken wire it works well to keep all birds out,it was for the chickens first of all now it is our fruit cage,what we have found you need to use a heavy gauge wire because when you staple the wire to your wood it will break it if you use a compressor staple gun,yes its faster just be careful,hammering hundreds of staples by hand was a no no.
Then we placed a veg net over the top and down the sides,but the butterflies still got in .

[Rnunes]

I would have thought that small birds such as wrens, tits, and robins will easily get through 50mm so if you're hoping to stop them you will need to go for the smaller mesh. Just remember not to go too small as you don't want to stop the pollinators getting through.

Thanks a lot really appreciate your recommendation. Re pollinators that's why I'm opting for the chicken wire instead of the normal cage netting.

[Rnunes]

You need to be able to keep put birds that will eat your fruit. On our site that mainly means pigeons, black birds, thrushes and starlings.

Smaller birds such as hedge sparrows, tits and robins mainly eat insects and house sparrows and finches are seed eaters. These little birds eat a lot of pests like aphids and caterpillars.

On that logic, 50mm wire would do the job imho

Thanks for the great suggestion, really appreciate it.
Will smaller birds "attack" my grapes also on the same cage?

[snowdrops]

We adapted an old 6m x 9m gazebo, I bought anti bird netting from Gardening naturally,it’s in its 2nd year & still doing well. We put 1 piece of net around the sides & a separate piece over the top so in theory we could take the top off in the winter in case of heavy snow. It protects my cherry tree,blackberry,gooseberry & red,white,black currants & some strawberries. Most bought fruit cages are netting rather  than chicken wire, not sure how the cost compares.

[Rnunes]

We adapted an old 6m x 9m gazebo, I bought anti bird netting from Gardening naturally,it’s in its 2nd year & still doing well. We put 1 piece of net around the sides & a separate piece over the top so in theory we could take the top off in the winter in case of heavy snow. It protects my cherry tree,blackberry,gooseberry & red,white,black currants & some strawberries. Most bought fruit cages are netting rather  than chicken wire, not sure how the cost compares.

That's a good point thank you.
Im considering chicken wire 50mm so I don't to remove the net in the winter and to cover the whole are would cost about £59 for 5 packs of 25L x 1.2w so in total 125m lengthy of chicken wire.
My worry with a 50mm mesh is if smaller get in and eat my blackberries and grapes 

[robinahood]

Re the vine, the blackbirds really enjoy mine but I haven't noticed any other birds on it.