metal or plastic?

[pet pal]

Is there anyone out there that have used plastic poultry netting for the chickens in there daytime run. If so can you give me some feedback. also is it a must to bury some sort of wire under ground for daytime run.If so how deep? I have 4 red pullets and 4 black australorps and they are 18 days old today!

 

[hennyannie]

I use plastic netting to keep the chickens in and have no problems. Do bear in mind it will not stop daytime predators. I work at home and am outside all day so it works for me.

 

[pet pal]

thank you for the repley

 

[zookeeper15133]

It does work well at keeping the chickens in, but won't keep any predators out. I use min along with 2 x 4 welded wire. PS. Metal chicken wire doesn't keep much out either!

 

[patandchickens]

What they said. Plastic will ONLY keep birds in/out, it will do nothing whatsoever against dogs or racoons, not even the fairly heavy-looking plastic stuff.

As far as preventing digging, you *can* bury wire mesh but it needs to go down 18" if you wanna be really fairly *sure* that nothing will dig under, and that's a huge huge amount of work. Alternatively, and virtually-always better IMO because it is EVER so much easier and jsut about as effective, is to run a horizontal apron 2-3' wide of welded wire mesh. You lay it flat on the ground outside the run, SECURELY attach it to the base of the run fence, turn the outer edge down a little so it isn't conspicuous, and then either a) use a lot of landscape pins or tentpegs to secure it, or b) weight it down at strategic locations iwth big heavy rocks or concrete blocks, or c) dump mulch/gravel/stones/dirt/whatever over top of it, or d) peel back the sod before putting down apron, then replace sod over it [that's the hardest way].

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[pet pal]

I think I will try laying the mesh flat on the ground,great idea! I also better use a heavy wire I have alot of foxes around the yard!!Thanks for the advice! I will use the plastic for the top of the run

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
...where, you realize, it will still let raccoons right thru anytime they want 'in'.

Just making sure you realize this (raccoons are *excellent* climbers, as are possums),

Pat