I use deer netting from Lowes & HD to make temporary day runs for my chickens that aren't old enough to free range. A roll is 7' tall x 100 ' long and costs about $15. You can get a 50' roll for around $7.
I drive a piece of metal electrical conduit in the ground about 20' apart for "fence posts." Rebar works just as well, I just happen to have a lot of conduit on hand.
I lay the netting out on the ground and thread a piece of construction twine in & out of the top of the net about every 3' to support the netting, kinda like a shower or curtain rod effect and twist the string around the top of each conduit post as I hang the netting.
To keep the bottom from blowing up in the breeze I lay a piece of conduit, board, brick or whatever on the bottom of the netting to hold it down. The netting doesn't need to be stretched banjo string tight, it's better if it's loose & floppy to have some give, otherwise it will tear and rip easily. Being floppy also keeps cats from climbing it. Cats are the main reason I can't free range my young chickens.
When I need to move it, it takes about 10 minutes to uninstall & reinstall. If I need to mow I don't uninstall it, I just raise the bottom up, mow and let it back down but if you let grass grow up through it, it helps hold it in place.
If you want to put a top on it to keep hawks out, run a piece of string from from 1 side to the other across the top to support the netting and Bob's your uncle.
I drive a piece of metal electrical conduit in the ground about 20' apart for "fence posts." Rebar works just as well, I just happen to have a lot of conduit on hand.
I lay the netting out on the ground and thread a piece of construction twine in & out of the top of the net about every 3' to support the netting, kinda like a shower or curtain rod effect and twist the string around the top of each conduit post as I hang the netting.
To keep the bottom from blowing up in the breeze I lay a piece of conduit, board, brick or whatever on the bottom of the netting to hold it down. The netting doesn't need to be stretched banjo string tight, it's better if it's loose & floppy to have some give, otherwise it will tear and rip easily. Being floppy also keeps cats from climbing it. Cats are the main reason I can't free range my young chickens.
When I need to move it, it takes about 10 minutes to uninstall & reinstall. If I need to mow I don't uninstall it, I just raise the bottom up, mow and let it back down but if you let grass grow up through it, it helps hold it in place.
If you want to put a top on it to keep hawks out, run a piece of string from from 1 side to the other across the top to support the netting and Bob's your uncle.
