The complete guide
Chicken Wire Mesh: how much chicken wire you actually need, and how to stretch it drum-tight without it sagging by spring
Buying chicken wire for the first time raises the same handful of questions every time: how much do I need, how do I stop it sagging, and will it actually do the job. Here is what matters for chicken wire fence specifically.
Measuring your run
Measure the full perimeter of the area you want to enclose, then add a little extra for overlap at joins and for wrapping around corner posts rather than cutting and rejoining. 1.02m high x 10m long, 10cm x 5cm mesh, 2mm wire gauge is what this particular roll or kit gives you — check it against your measured perimeter before you order, since buying one roll short usually costs more in a second delivery than buying slightly generous the first time.
How much chicken wire you actually need, and how to stretch it drum-tight without it sagging by spring
Keeps chickens in and foxes out without hiding the garden behind a solid screen. That is the main reason to pick this material over the alternatives in our range — weigh it against welded mesh, which costs more but holds its shape better under pressure.
Fitting it
Set posts first at even spacing, then unroll the mesh and fix it to each post working along the line, keeping steady tension so the mesh does not sag between posts.
The short version
Measure first, buy slightly generous, and match the material to the actual risk in your garden rather than the cheapest option on the page. Get in touch if you are not sure chicken wire fence is the right fit for your run.