Bird Netting + snow = bad idea

[Oz chic]

When we made our chicken run, we put bird netting over the top of the run/coop to keep the wild birds from eating the chicken food.

We had garden arches to hold the netting high, so walking under it wasn’t bothersom.

We had done this many years ago when I had chickens with out a drama. So figured it would fine, Not so this time.

We got snow last night, we went from a day time temp of 24 and sunshine to snow, starting at midnight, it snowed all night. Snow was NOT forecast for our area and we don’t get snow, it just doesn’t happen here. This is the 3rd time this yr, once is rare, three times is freaky rare.

When we put the netting on, we said “it will be right, what are the chances it will ever snow here again” as had snowed twice previously this winter.

well about 6 cm of snow later and ALL 5 garden arches collapsed under the weight of the snow, plus the side fence in one part of the run collapsed.

I have done a quick fix up, Mended the fence as best I could, to keep the chickens in and the dog out. till the weekend where I can do a proper repair job.

We have more snow forecast again today/tonight.

If we had had it forecast, I could have done something to prevent the top from caving in.

Now, 14 hours after it all started falling, there is still heaps laying around.

Oh well, good excuse now to make it bigger and better,


Pic 1 - my girls don’t seem fazed by it all
Pic 2 - the side Of the chicken run that fell down under the weigh
Pic 3 - is the top of the chicken run, 3 garden arches collapsed here, the top should be as high as the top of the windows in the house next door.
Pic 4 - what else does one do on their lunch break but make a snowman, the dog is waiting for the carrot
Pic 5 - the main run - you can see how much weight is there by the sagging,
Pic 6 - the main run

 

[rosemarythyme]

You need far stronger supports to prevent collapse, though you'll still see sagging regardless as the snow builds up. We got a "worst in 50 years" snow storm last year and it built up 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) on the netting at a time, so we'd go out and hit it with a broom every 4 hrs or so to keep it as minimal as possible. The netting sagged but didn't break, and the supports all held up without issue.

 

[Oz chic]

You need far stronger supports to prevent collapse, though you'll still see sagging regardless as the snow builds up. We got a "worst in 50 years" snow storm last year and it built up 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) on the netting at a time, so we'd go out and hit it with a broom every 4 hrs or so to keep it as minimal as possible. The netting sagged but didn't break, and the supports all held up without issue.

Thanks, will have to look into it, snow for us is very very rare, yes we get really cold, but not snow, then last night snow was not even forecast for us, was forecast for down to 1000m, we are 627m, so way off.

In the past garden stakes have been suitable. I guess not any longer.

 

[Shezadandy]

We've had a decent amount of snow and ice build up on ours, though here too it's relatively rare that we see this problem - at least the stuff we've got bounces back pretty well. I do give it a good shake to relieve the net any time it's chicken check or chore time … because I don't want a bunch of snow down my back if I bump it!

 

[Oz chic]

We've had a decent amount of snow and ice build up on ours, though here too it's relatively rare that we see this problem - at least the stuff we've got bounces back pretty well. I do give it a good shake to relieve the net any time it's chicken check or chore time … because I don't want a bunch of snow down my back if I bump it!

It was to late to bump it off by the time I noticed it, according to local FB posts, the snow started at midnight, I was up at 1 am but by then it had already started to sag badly and was to heavy to push off.

 

[Ted Brown]

This cannot be real, the US President assures us climate change is a hoax?

 

[Oz chic]

This cannot be real, the US President assures us climate change is a hoax?

Oh I can assure you it was real.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

This cannot be real, the US President assures us climate change is a hoax?

I think he's like anybody else and agrees that climate always changes, always has and always will. What he says is a hoax is CO2 causing warming that causes cooling. You can't have it both ways when your hypothesis fails. But that's exactly what climate activists are doing.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Oh I can assure you it was real.

Sorry for your hassle. Dry snow probably would have been no problem. Wet snow always causes a problem.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

In the past garden stakes have been suitable. I guess not any longer.

Maybe not. Numerous scientists are forecasting that we are entering a colder period due to lower solar activity. Build for colder weather just in case they are right.