Aviary Netting Question

[Aunt Angus]

Hi!

I have a yard for my birds that is covered with heavy duty aviary netting. The netting is about 4 ft off the ground at the moment, suspended by the existing fence posts.

My birds are only let into the yard when I'm out there because I'm paranoid, but I'd like them to be able to be out 24/7. My concern is that the netting won't prevent a really desperate hawk from at least trying to get at my chickens and ducks. I picture the hawk swooping down and attacking chicken through the netting since the netting is only 4ft up. It wouldn't be able to carry them off, but it could still kill/seriously injure them.

So... how high off the ground should the netting be? Or is my set up ok because the netting is visible? I could probably raise it, but I'd rather not if I don't have to.

TIA!

 

[McChooky]

My chicken are in a closed run from daylight until dark and locked in a predator proof coop at night .If I left them out 24/7 under netting I wouldn't have any chickens left.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Well, the yard is surrounded by electric fencing, which has 8k output. Are you saying that the aviary netting doesn't deter hawks at all? Has that been your experience?

 

[Aunt Angus]

They have a covered and secure run in addition to their coop, in which they are housed at night. I was specifically asking about the height of the aviary netting. How high above the yard should it be to deter hawks? I can't seem to find that info anywhere. Is 4 ft high enough?

My current set up would likely stop everything short of a very determined mountain lion. I am looking to get them more outside time now that the days are shorter. By the time I get home from work, it's already getting dark. My ducks, in particular, would benefit from more swimming time. Their pond is in the fenced yard, not in the run.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't see why 4' wouldn't be high enough, assuming the netting is taut enough so it doesn't sag too much, but not so taut that it could snap. Usually when I see threads about "hawk got through the netting" it's either the netting is old or flimsy, or if that's not the case then the point of entry turns out to be where the netting meets the fencing... too big of a gap between connecting points and a determined bird could squeeze through it. So for my netting, since I have a chain link run, I zip tie every 6-8" but also hook the actual netting into the top loop of the chain link itself in any spot where the loop is semi-open enough to push it in.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Ok, thanks, Rosemary. I just pictured a big bad hawk pushing the netting down to the grounds and eating one of my birds through the net. It's not very taut right now, but that can be easily fixed. I just have it zip ties in a few places right now because the net is huge and hangs over the yard so that it touches the ground on all sides.

Right now, there are leaves on the netting that have fallen on it. I have been leaving them there (no pun intended) so that the cover is more obvious to the hawks, which is kinda silly given how well hawks see, but it makes me feel a lil better.

 

[cmom]

I have netting covering all of my pens I made wood T-posts to hold the netting up in places in the different pens so I can walk under it. I have had no issues with predators getting my birds with this netting. I also have electric wires that go around my coops and pens. I never shut my pop doors to the coops so the birds can go in and out at will. The predators know the electric wires are there. I have several cameras and see predators on them but once they have been zapped by the hot wires they don't test them again. Good luck and have fun...
In about in the middle of the picture you can see a tall T-post holding up the netting.

 

[SeaChickens]

I have netting covering all of my pens I made wood T-posts to hold the netting up in places in the different pens so I can walk under it. I have had no issues with predators getting my birds with this netting. I also have electric wires that go around my coops and pens. I never shut my pop doors to the coops so the birds can go in and out at will. The predators know the electric wires are there. I have several cameras and see predators on them but once they have been zapped by the hot wires they don't test them again. Good luck and have fun...
In about in the middle of the picture you can see a tall T-post holding up the netting.
View attachment 2906133View attachment 2906134View attachment 2906135View attachment 2906136

What type of netting is this? Thanks!

 

[raingarden]

If I was a hawk I'd worry about getting tangled up in that stuff and being eaten by a chicken.

 

[cmom]

What type of netting is this? Thanks!

https://www.amazon.com/Aviary-Netti...GSUO,B079G39X37,B08VDF6B5P&srpt=NETTING_COVER