Can I drape bird netting over the top of my electronet to keep out hawks and owls?

[azpigs]

Has anyone ever tried laying bird netting over the top of their electronet fencing to keep out hawks and owls? I thought I could drape it over the top, and secure it to the electronet with plastic ties or something. Then I could tie bright ribbons or whatever on the bird netting to let the aerial predators know it is there. Since the bird netting is plastic, I don't think it would interfere with the charge of the electronet fence. Has anyone done this? Does it work?

 

[Always Learning]

We topped our run with bird netting and it was fine...until it snowed. The snow dragged the netting down so low that it bent the supports and bent the fence inward a ways. I had to go out and cut it all off, so now there is no ceiling over the run and the chickens are in peril. It has now provided us another spring project! I do not have an electric fence, so that was not a consideration. I'm just warning about heavy wet snow.
North Idaho

 

[azpigs]

Aha, that's a great point! I guess I would have to make sure that I could disconnect it easily enough to take it down if snow is called for. Thank you for your input; I never would have thought of that myself. Besides the snow problem, did it seem to be effective against aerial predators?

 

[BonRae67]

We use hawk net in Florida. It is a quite a bit stronger than bird netting. Works great. It has a 200 pound strength rating. So anything trying to swoop down can't break through.

 

[azpigs]

We use hawk net in Florida. It is a quite a bit stronger than bird netting. Works great. It has a 200 pound strength rating. So anything trying to swoop down can't break through.

Interesting, I've never heard of hawk net and will look it up. Do you put it over electronet, or just a fence?

 

[BonRae67]

Interesting, I've never heard of hawk net and will look it up.  Do you put it over electronet, or just a fence?

I just have it over fence. I found it on Amazon.

 

[blucoondawg]

I wouldn't bother with the plastic I got the 2 inch mesh netting from amazon it is pretty cheap and holds up well. So far I've had very heavy snowfalls one that even pulled the run down and I had a large limb fall on it which only broke a couple strands which I tied back together. The main thing is supporting it in the middle so it doesn't pull your run down in the snow, then just go out and give it a shake and the snow will fall right through

 

[scflock]

We topped our run with bird netting and it was fine...until it snowed. The snow dragged the netting down so low that it bent the supports and bent the fence inward a ways. I had to go out and cut it all off, so now there is no ceiling over the run and the chickens are in peril. It has now provided us another spring project! I do not have an electric fence, so that was not a consideration. I'm just warning about heavy wet snow.
North Idaho

I did the exact same thing. Never had a hawk attack after installing the netting, but the first snow was a disaster. I wound up putting in more supports and roofing with hog wire. Not cheap, but much more sturdy and looks better than the drooping nets

 

[RonP]

Yea, about that snow...

I have 2x3 fencing for my run roof, and have had 12+ inches of snow accumulate on top.

I would never have guessed it could happen, a complete canopy of snow...