Stretching Hardware Cloth Tight - Best Practices? (2024)

I'm finally getting ready to get my brooder set up with a wire floor. What I need to do is build a frame (or two, depending on how wide the opening is vs. where the floor will sit) and stretch hardware cloth over it. That part I'm fine with, gonna get some 1.5" square furring strips and screw together, easy peasy. The part I'm chewing on is how I'm going to attach the hardware cloth.

Obviously, the tighter I can stretch it, the better. I'm going to use regular staples just to hold it down on the outside edges that will butt against the brooder interior. But for attaching it on top, am I better off using screws with washers, or poultry staples? I'm kind of leaning towards the poultry staples since I already have a box and the screws and washers seem like they'd be a little harder to get placed well for maximum tightness. I'll either be using C-clamps to hold the second side in place or calling a friend to hold it tight.

Figured it can't hurt to ask if there's a best way or something I haven't considered. @aart ?

FYI - I understand not everyone approves of raising chicks on wire. That's fine, but I've made the choice and am doing it regardless. Keeping them away from their waste and keeping shavings out of the food and water is important to me.

I used staples to hold it in place and 1x2's to cover those and the sharp edges. It is very secure that way.

This is my brooder. Not sure if you can see it clear enough....

The wire on the lid has modified truss head screws.

You'll establish your tightness at the first stapling stage.

Pounding in poultry/fencing staples is a nightmare IMO.
Good way to split 2x2's too.
...and once they are in, they ain't coming out easy if something goes awry.

I have further tightened HC by inserting the screw at an angle right next to a wire,
always second hole in from edge,
barely starting the screw then straightening the screw to vertical thus slightly pulling on HC. Screw acts like a lever. I hope that make sense.

But, how big is brooder?
Smaller spans are pretty easy to get flat.

aart said:

You'll establish your tightness at the first stapling stage.

Pounding in poultry/fencing staples is a nightmare IMO.
Good way to split 2x2's too.
...and once they are in, they ain't coming out easy if something goes awry.

I have further tightened HC by inserting the screw at an angle right next to a wire,
always second hole in from edge,
barely starting the screw then straightening the screw to vertical thus slightly pulling on HC. Screw acts like a lever. I hope that make sense.

But, how big is brooder?
Smaller spans are pretty easy to get flat.

Click to expand...

See, that's the exact feedback I was needing, thanks! It's approximately 3' x 6' and I'll either do one frame with a couple supports or two roughly 3' square ones.

Peepsi said:

Watching this, because I'm in the process of building a run, and I too, want to know how to get the hardware cloth stretched as tight as possible (I haven't gotten to that part yet). I do plan on using screws with washers those, because all my research seems to show that most people staple, then use screws with washers to hold. But I haven't found much in the way of HOW they stretch the hardware cloth to make it tight. I hope we get some good answers!

Click to expand...

If I were doing it on something sideways, like a run, I'd sandwich the end of it between a couple boards and have someone hold it tight, kind of like a come-along when doing wire livestock fence. But since I'm making frames and not pulling against a solid structure, it's a bit different.

Since it is a brooder I assume you are not worried about predators. That helps. I'm not exactly sure where you are talking about attaching the wire. I think you are talking about attaching the wire to the floor framing.

The issue I have with poultry staples or anything that has to be driven like a nail is that whatever you are driving it into has to be pretty solid or it will vibrate and be very hard to drive anything into. Trying to drive a poultry staple into flimsy wood is very difficult and often leads to smashed fingers, staples that go flying, and/or split wood. If it is a firmly solidly fixed 2x4 you should be OK but anything less, well I'd think long and hard if I didn't just go straight to the screw driver.

In that application fender washers and screws will work. But I use furring strips instead if I can at all as 21hen's mentioned. I drill pilot holes in the furring strip to help start the screws and keep them from splitting the furring strip. Whether you go with the fender washers or furring strip drill a pilot hole. It makes starting the screw so much easier. I make my furring strips by ripping a 2x4 maybe 3/4" thick.

Go with the 3' squares, that's what I did. The gauge of your hardware cloth makes a difference. I don't remember gauge but my brooder floor and grow-out coop floor is 1/2" hardware cloth. It is fairly stiff with spans 4' or less in both directions. From a workmanship perspective you want it fairly tight but from a practical use perspective I never got mine close to guitar-string tightness and never had issues. I did not obsess about tightness for the brooder. In the 3' x 6' brooder I did use a 2x6 on its side in the middle of the length to give a flat solid surface to set a chick waterer on, the type of waterer that has to be very level. But after a couple of seasons I switched to a black rubber bowl filled with rocks to water baby chicks. To me it was easier. If you are going with nipples or something other than those gravity waterers I don't see a reason for a really flat floor. You won't get a flat floor with wire anyway no matter how tight you stretch it, not something strong enough for one of those waterers.

Don't let the pursuit of perfection get in the way of good enough.

@Ridgerunner agreed on basically everything you said. I have hangers for the waterer(s) so that's no biggie, I have a couple with different lengths of cord for as the chicks get taller. I use a 3' trough feeder with a spinner bar after a couple weeks, so not really worried about that sagging it either. I just want it as tight as possible so they have a flat surface.

I have a roll of 3' half inch hardware cloth, it's a decent gauge. The interior of the brooder is a little shy of 3' because of how it was built, with the 2x4s on the inside, so if I'm lucky it will be just right and I won't have to even trim it. I'll go with the two frames most likely, although if one will fit I'd like that better as I hate cutting hardware cloth, lol.

No predator concerns whatsoever, it's inside the barn and fully enclosed in and of itself.

And yes, I learned the hard way about drilling pilot holes, it's a must

I made an all wire brooder. I used 16 gauge hardware cloth for my floor, as it doesn't need any extra frame support, and no need for stretching.

Putting hardware cloth on a run is something that needs some hands on to get the feel. You want the curl of the panel to face the outside of the pen, so your cloth doesn't bubble. Get your corners in place, then start screwing down in the middle and work your way to the corners. I liked having screws and washers because I could back out screws and readjust my panel. Each panel wants to bubble or curl differently and takes some working with it to get a feel.

Mosey2003 said:

It's approximately 3' x 6' and I'll either do one frame with a couple supports or two roughly 3' square ones.

Click to expand...

That'll go on great, I'd just use more fasteners on the floor to keep it form sagging over time. Oh, by the way, I like to use dry wall screws, 1" to 1 1/4" long for HC.
Can get them in bulk at a good hardware store.
No need for pilot holes and much less chance of splitting the wood.

Just wanted to come back and say I finally did it Turned out alright, though I wish it was tighter. It should work though.