Poisonous Vines Ate Old Pens

[SwampFoot]

I don't have enough service to post pictures of what I'm working with, but hopefully you guys can get an idea.
My pens were built way before my time. There's a flat tin roof about 6ft high, estimating about 20 by 30 ft space, with oak trees forming a canopy above.
Years' worth of leaves have fallen and composted into dirt on the roof, which made a perfect place for Virginia Creeper to thrive and take over everything with structure. There's rows of broodpens underneath this messy roof that are still very repairable, but I'm stuck on my overgrown roof problem right now.
I tried getting up on the roof to tear it off, but I'm not sure that all parts of the roof will support my weight; the fact that it supported me at all is surprising.
I tore down some pens that couldn't be saved, and along came the vines, and that's when I realized how poisonous the growth was. It's been a week since I done that, and my arms, legs, and hands are raw from it. I wore garden gloves ,I guess I need more protection the next time I go after it again.
I can't find the main root for this vine, and it even squeezes through the framework of the pens.
How can I safely remove these vines from the center of the roof where I can't reach?
My first idea is to take a pole, and attach strong fishing line with large hooks to grab them and keep pulling them off until they're gone, I think it might not work though if the hooks just tear it up before pulling it. I have even considered trying to find a way to set the roof on fire safely, lol.
I was gunna take cuttings from an existing and overgrown grapevine to grow on the pens and compete with other vines, the chickens have always loved the grapes. My other competitor idea is wisteria, which is beautiful and fragrant, but that stuff is really heavy when it grows.

 

[critta]

If you are brave / dexterous and depending on the condition of the roof joists. You could carefully walk along the top of the boards to the center to try to pull the vines. You could also try to uses piece of board to make a walkway across the roof to gain access to the vines.

If it is just Virginia creeper then if you are covered in clothes and gloves that should protect you from the irritation that it causes. Just make sure its not poison Ivy or Oak that's a whole different story.

 

[SwampFoot]

Well, I just imagine how bad it'd hurt to fall through, and I can't get the courage. Maybe a pruning pole would help. If it weren't for the peices of tin lining the bottom perimeters of the pens underneath, I would try it. I'm scared to fall into the wire or tin.
I've already managed to get hit by a piece of tin that sliced my leg pretty bad on the way down, earlier this year, so I'm not so brave now. (Was trying to avoid an unknown type of snake instead of looking at what extra stuff is falling.)
It's a mess... Hopefully sometime soon I can post pics.

 

[critta]

Sounds like the pruning pole or using sheets of plywood to lay down on top of the roof might be your best bet but only if the underlying structure can hold you + plywood. ;-) good luck!

 

[SwampFoot]

If all else fails for the time being, will this vine harm chickens? Mine have eaten it on the range, and appear to be doing fine. Maybe a little runny poo, but that's normal for them from time to time.
I can tear down whatever I can reach, to keep it from touching me and add extra supports for the time being until I feel like I've sturdied the roof up.
The other problem is that the pens built onto the outer perimeter were all wire and railroad ties. Layers of every type of wire I've ever seen except mesh, nailed into the cedar support poles of the original pens. There's some kind of really tough plastic chicken mesh wrapped over certain areas. I've managed to get four of the pens almost down, but only because the nail heads were exposed enough to carefully unwrap it all. The other pen will be tough, because whatever fastened the wire is embedded in the poles, also in layers, but more "patchwork," from papa putting new wire over holes on the old rusty stuff.
Some of the plywood dividers are rotten, so I gotta replace them.
We are also slowly but surely demolishing a partially burnt double wide, that I'm getting extra materials from. If someone knows a tip for removing fiberglass from the wooden frame boards, then help me out.
And i wonder why my skin always has problems.

 

[critta]

Quick google says Virginia creeper is toxic to chickens so i would clear as much as you can to ensure they can't get into it. good luck on your bushwhacking.

 

[DopyDgz]

Round-Up weed killer, sprayed on the leaves. It may take a while, and you may need to repeat the application a couple of times.

 

[Mims]

ALSO, 2-4-D would probably kill this for you. It's a lot less permanent than Round Up.

 

[SwampFoot]

Will the herbicides hurt the free rangers?

 

[DopyDgz]

Google 2-4-d toxicity before using this stuff.