Chicken wire, or
poultry netting, is a
mesh of
wire commonly used to
fence poultry livestock, such as chickens, in a run or coop. It is made of thin, flexible
galvanized steel wire, with
hexagonal gaps. Available in 1 inch (about 2.5 cm) diameter, 2 inch (about 5 cm) and 1/2 inch (about 1.3 cm), chicken wire is available in various wire
gauges usually 19 gauge (about 1 mm wire) to 22 gauge (about 0.7 mm wire). Chicken wire is occasionally used to build inexpensive cages for small animals (or to protect plants and property
from animals) though the thinness and
zinc content of
galvanized wire may be inappropriate for animals prone to gnawing and will not keep out predators.