Escaping Through Electric Netting!

[bubba1358]

Have a flock of 26 chicks. All are almost 8 weeks old right now. Mixed breeds - Jersey Giants, Rhode Islands, etc. I have them penned in an electric netting, with 3" by 7" holes. All of their wings are clipped. I have a coop inside the net that they return to nightly, and whoch I lock until morning.

But....

They have started escaping through the net.

They'll just walk right up, squirt on through, and hit the road. They've been getting more and bold, inching toward my garden and the road.

At what age are they too big to fit through? Is there anything else I can do to discourage the wandering? Thanks....

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Mine did that last year by going underneath where the net wasn't flush to the ground. As you know the bottom thread of the electronet is not electrified. They stopped doing it when they were about between 12 and 16 weeks and almost full size.

My chickens get totally panicked when they touch the wire so my guess is that they are finding a spot to go under.

 

[4 the Birds]

I have had 8 week olds go through 2x4 inch fence with ease! Often their size is deceiving with all the feathers. It won't be but a week or two that they get bigger and can't get through. You may need to confine them to the coop for a short while or pickup a roll of 100 ft deer netting (about $20 bucks at the big box stores) to run along the elec net.

 

[bubba1358]

You may need to confine them to the coop for a short while or pickup a roll of 100 ft deer netting (about $20 bucks at the big box stores) to run along the elec net.

This is exactly what we decided to do. I found a non-conductive roll of plastic deer net with 3/4" holes, 7' by 100' for $30. I'll cut it in hald and end up with 200'. I'm going to run it along the 165' electric net, then use the excess to confine the guineas....who are a few weeks away from being released from the chick-u-bator themselves....

Thanks. I appreciate the replies!!

 

[bubba1358]

UPDATE: I just got the deer netting on the electric net last night. We decided to cut in thirds, so it's 28" tall, covering all but the top foot of the netting. So far so good - 4 hours later, and not a single escapee. Usually by now I'm chasing chickens out of the garden. Not anymore!

Thanks for the tips!