need run / mesh suggestions help.

[spiritdance]

I don't know if color is an issue for you (as in safety orange), but if not you can score a 4' X 100' role of job site "safety net" at Lowe's for about $35. It's heavy grade pvc with 2" X 3" openings, it's molded instead of woven so there are no weak spots, and it's lighter weight than chain link (although heavier than deer netting). We use it for overheads and to line inside the larger mesh field fencing when necessary. It's much more uv resistant than most "plastic" products out there so it lasts a long time. But some people are put off by the color.

ETA: It's definitely tough enough to withstand a curious coon or house cat.

 

[Sinfonian]

The way I see it, you have coons etc. running along the fence wall and sees a structure you're using for the roof. That's an invitation to climb on it. For that supported chain link is your best bet, or welded cattle wire would work too. Whichever is cheaper. Bird netting is a waste of money for your purposes. Good luck.

 

[CupOJoe42]

What about shade cloth or the stuff they use on top of dog kennels? You can suspend pvc pipe or conduit across for extra support?

 

[affacat]

sorry for this long post, but it's actually really eating up my head and i want to get this right.

hmm. our biggest issue seems to be real estate -- at 12x40, we need to cover about 480 sq feet!

that makes most 'proper' chain link out of our budget, though home depot seems to sell stuff we could afford. a recent suggestion of shade cloth seems an interesting alternative to aviary netting, but i can't tell if it's actually any stronger. the orange safety netting suggestion led me to perhaps the best choice: dayglo saftey netting with UV protection!?? so many choices. my heads about to explode. i've listed them out here for other's reference but also so i have a single place to think about them... if any of you'd like to weigh in, feel free. poultry netting is also an option, i guess.

any suggestions on how to mount the dayglo stuff? i'm not sure i could EVER sell my wife on the color... the only good thing is we could mount it level with the fence and so it woudn't be visible from the street. (the original plan was to mount it from 6 foot fence to the inside roof rafters of our single story home, but then it would be higher then the fence...).

and of course, there is the hidden cost of support. pvc pipe or conduit running across the 12 foot width at interval is exactly what we were thinking, but i've yet to find lengths in over 10 feet long... so I don't know what to do there, either. the dayglo stuff comes in 4 foot rolls, so we could mount that from fence to wall... and perhaps not use support? i don't know. it would eventually sag, but i don't know how much. we could use wire ties to connect each piece together (we can get those dirt cheap).

so. i'm thinking - wrap each end around a 2x4, staple it in a bit, then screw stud to fence/wall. connect each 4 foot length to next strip via tons of cable ties. hope it doesn't sag ridiculously over the course of time (though we could always remove a stud, twirl it, and refasten to tighten).

anyway, here is the fruit of lots of googling. right now, i'm tentatively leaning towards the dayglo stuff... but really? i'm so burnt out, and worried the wrong choice will hurt us financially (as in, not work, and we'd have to redo it).

SHADE CLOTH
shade cloth might be okay?
30% Shade Cloth - unfinished 12x45
TOTAL PRICE $117.54
http://www.shadeclothstore.com/products/sku-CL3000.html

AVIARY
i can't tell if that's weaker or stronger than the aviary mesh i'd already been looking at, though.
25'x50' Knotted Netting 2" Heavy Mesh
TOTAL PRICE: $55.00
http://bfproducts.com/2-knotted-heavy-mesh/25x50-knotted-netting-2-heavy-mesh/

ORANGE SAFETY
orange safety fencing (snow fencing?)
would need 1qty 100x4, and another 50x4 = $47+$25
TOTAL PRICE: $72
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

DAYGLO FENCING!
this mentions having a "UV stabilized design for lasting use"... not mentioned in the orange fencing. so may do better in sun over the years????
100x4 means i'd probably need 2 rolls (and have a ton left over). 2 x $39.67
TOTAL PRICE: $80
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...-_-100384033-_-100384031-_-N&locStoreNum=4018

POULTRY NETTING
3x25 = probably 7 rolls at $20 each =
TOTAL PRICE $140
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

chain link:
http://www.homedepot.com/Lumber-Com...Id=10051&catalogId=10053&superSkuId=202938913
5x50 = 2 rolls, with chance of needing 3. $62 each.
TOTAL PRICE $124. maybe $186.

secondary chain link option -- this site offers vinyl coated, so no issue with 'galvanized' poultry poisoning.
http://www.fence-it.com/chainlink2/Galvanized CL.htm
the coated stuff:
i think i'm looking at needing 100 feet, at least 5 feet wide, preferably 6 to be safe.
that's.. whew.
TOTAL PRICE: $454 -- WAYYY out of budget.

 

[pawsplus]

Check out the fencing area of Home Depot--there is woven (not welded) wire fencing, 1" holes, in 4x50 foot rolls. I used that to do my 10x10 pen cover and it worked great. I "sewed" sections together using wire, and attached the whole thing to the kennel, with a 6" overlap turned down over the sides, using stainless steel cable ties (like the plastic ones but raccoon-proof stainless steel).

This pic shows the overhang pretty well. Note that the tarped roof is NOT predator proof--the real roof is underneath that. Tarped roof is for keeping the rain out only!

Another option is woven wire horse fencing, which is 2"x4" holes. VERY strong. Comes in 4' and 5' widths. Try TSC or other farm store for that.

I would NOT use shade cloth for anything other than shade. A raccoon will rip through that in no time.

 

[pawsplus]

Here's horse fencing: http://www.homedepot.com/Lumber-Composites-Fencing-Wire/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbrlf/R-202025614/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&superSkuId=202938929

There is very little stronger than that!

I couldn't find the smaller gauge, 1x1 woven wire fence on the HD site, but mine carries it.

 

[affacat]

the horse fencing looks great, but the problem is that at 4x100 it's $123 per roll. And we'd need 2 rolls (with a ton left over). so that's $246, a bit out of budget. plus, due to weight of 12 foot strips of metal, i'm thinking we'd need quite a bit of support, which also adds cost.

thanks for the advice against shade material. will cross that off list of possibilities.

i think right now i'm split between the aviary netting (cheap but high likelyhood of not working), the dayglo fencing (should work, but... dayglo), and the 5x50 yardgard brand chainlink (definitely will work, but most expensive) at $55, $80, and $186.

Given those pricepoints, it's easy to write off aviary netting since it's the least likely to work. Dayglo netting seems like it might just be the best all around choice... except for the fact that it's, you know, dayglo.

 

[pawsplus]

Well, one way to approach it would be to get 1 roll of horse fence or chainlink and do as much as you can afford now. Then put up something less safe but temporary over the rest of the run and later, when you can afford to, replace it.

If your chickens are locked up securely in a coop at night, with no access to the run, you can take the chance.

 

[affacat]

wife ixnay'd the dayglo stuff, and the orange stuff. the horse stuff is just too expensive, and we'd really like to get it all done in one shot.

so i think it's between the poultry netting and the cheap home depot chain link. hopefully one or the other is strong enough to get the job done.

 

[homesteadmomma]

Do you have a local livestock auction anywhere nearby? We have scored all kinds of fencing, weld wire, cattle/ hog panels, etc for 1/4 to 1/2 of what they would cost new. We built our entire run out of a metal corn crib that was torn down a few years ago. Your local craigslist might also be a great place to find a great deal. A can of spray paint can also make old things look nice and pretty if the aesthetics are important.