Flight Netting

[HappyHatch'en]

What is the best and most inexpensive way to net a large run? I have a 25' x 25' area with a six foot chain-link fence. I want to put a cover over it so my turkeys won't fly out. Also I want to build an area for my chickens...I have many hawks in my area, who circle the sky overhead.

 

[crazyhen]

I used reg chicken wire for the top of mine. You can buy nylon netting but it can be pricey too. Gloria Jean

 

[Blue_Myst]

If you are just worried about hawks getting in the top, deer netting is a nice option. It's cheap, and you can buy it pretty much at any hardware store. I've also used poultry netting (the thick plastic kind), which is a bit more expensive but doesn't need to be replaced as often.

I don't know how anxious turkeys are at escaping their pens, considering I don't own any, but deer netting has worked really well with my chickens thus far.

Whatever you choose, always consider snow load if you live in a cooler climate.

 

[Maryallison]

We used the chicken wire too. For a large area I can see where it would kinda bend and not be perfectly straight though. I was interesting in the flight netting too. Good luck

 

[Ridgerunner]

The deer netting is the cheapest that I am aware of. It is the intermediate supports that I would think might be the expensive part. In a 25' span, I'd think you would need at least 1 line of supports to get the sag out. Maybe 2. I'm not sure what would be the least expensive. Maybe two intermediate posts with wire or nylon rope stretched tight as the netting support. I expect you would need to tighten the rope or wire a few times to get the sag out as it will probably stretch.

You can tie the netting together with nylon twine to keep it together along the seams. And maybe set the intermediate posts a little high so you can walk underneath even with a little sag.

Good luck!

 

[HappyHatch'en]

I won't be worried about snow load, but I was thinking in those same lines....use aircraft cable with a turn buckle two lines going in the same direction with the 3'rd at a 90 degree. I just wouldn't want a sag where it would be difficult to walk. I saw some plastic fencing at Home Depot 44" x 25' for $9.00/roll which still puts it up there in cost (needing 8 rolls)
I'm a scavenger and like free stuff....so I'm on the hunt.

 

[Maryallison]

Oh I love your coop there in the picture HappyHatch'en! Yeah, I try and go the cheap/free route too when I can. DH tends to wanta be fancier with his builds!

But his stuff looks a million times better than mine too.

 

[NHN]

I just covered my whole run with deer netting to keep hawks out. It took 2 rolls of 100 feet. But what happens when the leaves start falling? And won't snow just fall through? sigh............

 

[HappyHatch'en]

I guess if I get a build up of leaf's I could use my leaf blower...my scavenger hunt continues however.
I ordered 15 turkeys from Porter and they won't show up until late Sept. So I have some time until I realy need to top it...My young hen can fly/jump more than six feet so she can get out.

 

[shelleyd2008]

So, are you worried about the hawks getting the turkeys? Will the chickens and turkeys be together (ranging together in the same pen) or seperate?

If you are wanting to keep the turkeys from getting out, all you need to do is take some heavy garden twine and run it back and forth through the top of the pen.

Otherwise, the bird netting should work, and you can get it big enough to cover the whole run.

I've also heard that hanging shiny things around (like metal pie plates, old CD's and such) will deter hawks from your area.