I think I want to cover my entire yard with poultry netting!

[linguini]

do you ever get freezing rain? the kind that bring tree branches down?

this photo below was taken after a relatively big snow storm. The deer net covered part accumulated snow, but not the birdnet covered area in the front. We used ropes to hold up the net then instead of posts.

 

[Tarajane31]

How MANY Chickens?
Netting will not work if you get Snow or Freezing rain. It will not hold up.
You could however get netting up for the rest of the year. Take it down for Winter.
During Winter time you can make a run that is covered and built CORRECTLY to handle your snow load.
I'm in Massachusetts, my run is a Shelterlogic carport (but not the cover, just the frame). I used scrap sheets of plywood and Dumpster diving 2x4's to make a solid roof. Then put a HUGE tarp over the the whole thing so the snow/rain can't get into the run area--plus it's easier to scrape off the snow. Temps will stay a little- LITTLE- warmer in the run and the ends have air flow.
The rest of my seasons it just has wire around it all (top too) and I'll take 1/2 the wood roof off (all of the tarp) so there is shade for summer.

I only have 6 hens and will be moving this spring/summer so it's all just temporary for now.

here is a pic, sorry it's bad but I don't wanna go out in the 15º temp lol. It snowed like 8" yesterday - the Shed attached is their coop (7x7), run is about 10x10
View attachment 2953201

here is inside pic taken from my security camera.. again, not going outside. Also it is closed up tight for the winter with almost no way of me going in without cutting the wire on the coop side.
View attachment 2953202

I have 10 hens. They have a safe enclosed coop. I recently opened up my front yard to the back so they have more space. Technically not free-range, but as close as possible and still be safe.
Thank you for the helpful ideas!

 

[Tarajane31]

I'm also in Colorado. We are at about 8.5k feet elevation and do have trees. I have bird netting on run addition. The recent snow storm dumped about 12" of sno, in 12 hours...bird netting could not withstand the weight of the snow. I had to go dig the netting out of the snow and reattach.

I wish I had more trees! I am at about 7k feet in Big Horn Sheep Canyon, so snow does not really stick around too much. We get insane winds though! I think I will give the bird netting a shot even if I have to reattach...as long as my girls are safe. Thanks for the input!
Btw what breeds do you have? I've had success with Ameraucanas, Black & Red Stars, but thinking about Cuckoo Marans and Whitings.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I have a 1200 sf run covered with heavy duty bird netting, it holds up fine to the snow. If it's a heavy, wet snow I do go out & knock it off. We got over a foot yesterday & nothing stuck. I have 3 very tall poles holding it up in the middle & it's attached to the fence with hog rings (you have to look really hard to see it).
View attachment 2953204

The hawks hang out here but can't get in - you can see him on the middle post. & my not so street smart chickens enamored with him.
View attachment 2953205

Thanks for your posts!

I think it is useful to clarify the difference between types of "bird netting". There is tough woven aviary netting out there (I have 2") that will withstand a lot of force, it is like fishing netting, very serious stuff. I think stuff I got is 180-200 lb tested? This versus the flimsy "deer netting" and "bird netting" a lot of garden supply places sell.

Question to @Sueby is how you attached the hog rings to the fence? I'm also assuming your fence is super-sturdy and can take the pull.

Second & third question @Sueby is whether those middle poles are placed deep in the ground or just placed on the ground. How tall are they?

I have been using 2" strong aviary netting attached to tall walk-in 10'x13' greenhouse frames with carabiner clips. I used two of these as moveable runs along with a coop tractor for 4 hens, and I have electric poultry fencing surrounding a bigger area. The hens' coop is secured at night. I took the aviary netting down for the winter but only because these particular greenhouse frames are fairly weak - I'm not worried about the snow on the netting, but the potential weight and yaw on the frames.

 

[Ponypoor]

fishing line (braided 40lb or thicker) crisscrossed in all directions works for us. Cheap, not affected by wind or snow, and virtually invisible. But birds of prey see it as a trap set for them and not even getting close.

I was thinking of something similar but using a 'hoop coop' type cover frame and some sort of fine cable or thicker twine to prevent 1) my crazy hens from flying out, and 2) raptors from flying in.

Netting likely would be problematic I think due to the amt of freezing rain and heavy wet snow or both at the same time!! that we get here.

 

[CanadaEh]

Netting likely would be problematic I think due to the amt of freezing rain and heavy wet snow or both at the same time!! that we get here.

check out the picture posted by @linguini above - one of 2 kinds of nettings he used performed really good

 

[Huntmaster]

I think I will give the bird netting a shot

I use 2" heavy knotted netting on all my turkey pens it's been there now for just over 6 years now. Heavy wet snow or heavy ice storms can be a problem there are ways to protect from it but if you don't have much of that you should be fine. I have found it is very durable. I have mine attached to pen fencing with hog rings and use 2X4s with PVC end caps on top as poles holding up netting. For large areas I have coated cable attached to 4X4s from pen fence posts running under netting and over PVC end caps on 2x4 poles and to other side of pen to another 4X4 fencing post to help support netting and even out pressure. I have my center netting height at about 15' in large pens, so they are similar to pheasant fly pens. I also put netting right over small trees and shrubs plus a small building just about anything I wanted to. I have netting over 50'x100', 50'x50', 30'x20' pens and all my 20'x20' breeding pens and love it. Some pics of my pens to give you an idea how it works, if you click on photos to zoom in you should be able to see what I was explaining.

 

[springvalley123]

If you have a coop that you can secure the chooks from four-legged predators at night, a bird net is a very good way to go! We cover our entire extended yard/garden (about 35'x50') zone.

In addition to drape the bird net on top of the entire fenced-in area, we made some easy t-post/2x2x8 combo, with a 4"x12" plywood board on top to hold up the net, so we can walk under the net easily. It's a hack, and not too pretty, but works without much effort!
We used to use rope to hold up the net, but it does not work as well as the 8' tall post!

Our main predator is a resident red shoulder hawk who lurks around. There are also other hawks and perhaps some owls at night. We do lock the chickens in a secured, four-legged predator proof run/coop nightly.

This is similar to what we did at our old place, it worked.

 

[StinkyAcres]

This versus the flimsy "deer netting" and "bird netting" a lot of garden supply places sell.

Yes, not only does that cheap stuff not hold up, wildlife can easily get tangled and die in it. I'm never using it again.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I use 2" heavy knotted netting on all my turkey pens it's been there now for just over 6 years now. Heavy wet snow or heavy ice storms can be a problem there are ways to protect from it but if you don't have much of that you should be fine. I have found it is very durable. I have mine attached to pen fencing with hog rings and use 2X4s with PVC end caps on top as poles holding up netting. For large areas I have coated cable attached to 4X4s from pen fence posts running under netting and over PVC end caps on 2x4 poles and to other side of pen to another 4X4 fencing post to help support netting and even out pressure. I have my center netting height at about 15' in large pens, so they are similar to pheasant fly pens. I also put netting right over small trees and shrubs plus a small building just about anything I wanted to. I have netting over 50'x100', 50'x50', 30'x20' pens and all my 20'x20' breeding pens and love it. Some pics of my pens to give you an idea how it works, if you click on photos to zoom in you should be able to see what I was explaining. View attachment 2953827View attachment 2953828View attachment 2953829View attachment 2953830View attachment 2953835

Did you use square knotted or diagonal knotted? My purchase was the diagonal (cheaper) and it was hard to pull a straight line, but worked fine cut in two & over the two separate greenhouse frames, will get square knotted next time. But diagonal would have worked with coated cable woven through the edge probably?