[Alicenz]

Hi all you incredibly helpful people .  Im wondering if any of you can help me regarding welded mesh for a hen ark.  I am getting an ark made, mainly for when i am away or going to be home late at night so I can leave my free  rangers inside for the day.  Normally i shut them in at night so they dont get killed by ferrets or stoats, but the hutch i have is no good other than for over night.  This is for my four wee rescue roosters  who have to be seperate from the main flock.  Yes I know you will think i am mad, but they are dear wee boys and deserve to be safe! 

I live next to forestry where there are stoats and ferrets.  The man who is making it uses 19x19mm welded mesh (18mm square hole), in the past I have always used 11x11mm (10x10 square hole).   This is his business, and he always uses the larger size, but he said he is not sure if stoats can get through it or not.  And most people dont seem to be too worried.  Does anybody know?  I dont want to provide a stoat with a captive dinner- obviously the whole reason im getting a good ark made.    Ive looked in the poultry info and cant find anything, and also tried the internet but the sites with the info woudnt open.  Thanks.

[Steph Hen]

I see this is a month old, but if youre still making... i Used to keep ferrets. Smallish gils fit through 35mm square welded mesh. Stoats would be a good bit less than this, but I think your 18mm square would be ok. Weasels, prob still fit in, don't know if they'd kill a chicken though?

[Alicenz]

Hi Steph Hen,

I havent been on TAS for ages, and just found your reply, thank you so much, that is actually really helpful, i got it made, and realised another hutch i had been using had the same size mesh and id had no bother, so had to assume it would be ok.  Its the stoats i worry about mainly.  Jolly ark though a few things that werent what i was expecting - new design door and it warps, so every night it is jammed shut to ensure nothing can get in.  Very disappointing.  Will build my own next time, with small mesh and a door that shuts!  Thanks again for taking the time to reply.