Advice wanted! Electric netting and protection from threats from above!

[Julia1848]

Hi all! I have 8 ducklings who are QUICKLY outgrowing their indoor living space. I will be building them a secure house that they will be locked inside at night for safety.

I am thinking, however, that instead of building a run, I would like to use electric netting so I can move them around the property easily while still protecting them from the local raccoons, coyotes, foxes, neighbor’s dogs, etc. (I even saw a cougar once!) Have you had luck with this option?
I am also concerned about hawks and owls. Have any of you rigged netting above you electric fencing? I have also heard you can hang shiny objects around to spook hawks, but an physical barrier is probably better. Thanks!

 

[Weeg]

Are you taking electric fencing? I think it is a fien idea to make a mobil run, as long as you don't plan on keeping them in there at night. If you do, a coyote, cougar, really any predator will get under it/flip it over and kill the chickens. I use fishing net over my run. Mine is not mobil, it is set, but it works well to protect form arial attacks. Hope this helps, Avery

 

[morganthendricks]

I use light weight metal garden fence. The ones that are temporary...but permanent in my coop.

 

[3KillerBs]

I have electric poultry netting from Premier 1. It's been great so far as a land barrier -- though I'd had chickens occasionally get over it by accident.

I have put several forms of anti-hawk shelter inside the pen but they haven't really been tested that I know of.

 

[MVchickens]

As others have mentioned, the electric netting will protect against the land bound predators, but it will be useless against ariel predators. It will be very tricky to rig any netting over the electro net as its not very sturdy. As the above commenter mentioned, best bet would be to provide ample shelter for them to get under.