Aviary netting?

[Roux]

I'm considering aviary netting to go over the top of my run in order to deter hawks...would a 1" weave be better than a 2", or does is really matter as long as it keeps hungry hawks at bay?

Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks!

 

[eggchel]

I dont think it matters unless you are also trying to keep out smaller birds.

 

[kstaven]

2" will work but will not take the stress of snow if that is part of your climate. If you go into a hardware store and ask about deer netting it is a little stronger yet and surprisingly it is cheaper.

 

[ZuniBee]

This is the netting I use on all my runs. Never had a problem with anything getting in. My coop doors are open 24/7 so the birds never have to wait on me to get up and let them out.

Bird Barrier Netting
Product Number: C18684N
Price: $46.70

I use zip ties to "sew" them together. You have to get the heavy duty ones.....I get them at Lowes. Just zip tie them to the top of your fencing all the way around and zip tie the nets together to make bigger nets. Once you zip tie it just snip the tail off the zip tie and you hardly notice they are there.

 

[kstaven]

Thats the same stuff that gave way on my pens last winter after a wet snowfall.

 

[Roux]

Thank you both for the suggestions - I greatly appreciate it!

 

[Pelican49]

I'd like to add a question along these same lines of the experts here.

The area where I'd like to put my run has a few large trees in it. Actually, no matter which direction I go there are going to be trees unless I cut them down, which I don't want to do. Wrapping the netting to allow the trees isn't a problem. I'm just wondering what kind of predators might try to come through the netting by way of those trees. Possibly raccoons? Maybe in this case netting won't work?

 

[Jillylam]

I originally used deer netting over my run (16' x 30'). Around the same time that hawks started appearing, the deer netting was developing tears and holes. I switched over to the green plastic chicken wire (not really wire just plastic). It sags when loaded up with ice/snow so I put a few poles up with boards on top - like T's to help rain run off of it. So far it's been great. It was expensive but - no more rips or worries. As far as the trees in the run - I have a Blue Spruce that I enclosed in mine. What I did was I ran the netting right up to the trunk on either side as tight as possible. I did have a small gap that little birds were getting in through so I patched it up with an extra piece of the netting. I used the electrical ties also to "sew" the lengths of netting together.

 

[kstaven]

We have all sorts of predators around here. I have the same issue with trees in a large run area. I have never had one go through the top. Many have tried the perimeter where wire is buried. Maybe just luck?

 

[ZuniBee]

Quote:
If you are talking about the Bird Barrier Netting I posted I have not had that problem. Of course it only snowed once here and it really sagged with the ice and snow.... but didn't break. I have trees all around my pens and so far nothing has gotten through the netting....