Safe?

[aart]

The first 1/2” netting is to keep the other birds and smaller creatures out. The second plastic fencing layer Is to make it more difficult to rip open the first layer and add stability to the netting. My proposed third layer will be wire poultry netting.

That scenario is going to hold all the snow...and it will be hard to knock off as the holes are small.
Mine run roof is 2x4 welded wire, most snow goes right thru,
but if the snow starts to stick and pile up it definitely sags and has to be knocked off.

 

[M Brennen]

I don't have predators that small who prowl during the day. My biggest problems are hawk and foxes. Plus, I have electric netting around my set up.

Maybe I am being a bit over protective. My coop at night is very secure. In my last run I had a bantam rooster pulled through a very small opening during the day. I do worry if I am too late getting home some evenings.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Maybe I am being a bit over protective. My coop at night is very secure. In my last run I had a bantam rooster pulled through a very small opening during the day. I do worry if I am too late getting home some evenings.

Not at all. If you aren't usually around and have had problems with predators in the past, it's normal to want to make sure it doesn't happen again!

I have my run netted over because a hawk got one of my girls while I was gone for 30 min getting groceries.

 

[aart]

I think aart and I have similar approaches - simply put, we're usually home during the day so we can hear and react to predator threats and thus the runs aren't optimally predator proofed. Once dusk comes, the birds are locked in the coop to lessen risk of predation at night.

Exactly.

Maybe I am being a bit over protective.

Nope....but due to the snow load, you'll need to go another way.
Solid and well framed roof.
You've already got a good start there with those large posts sticking up to attach the roof framing to.

 

[Blue Eager]

Exactly.


Nope....but due to the snow load, you'll need to go another way.
Solid and well framed roof.
You've already got a good start there with those large posts sticking up to attach the roof framing to.

It will take much more than those vertical 2x4's to carry the load of just the roof. Add snow into the equation and it becomes a recipe for disaster.

 

[M Brennen]

Sorry, I keep forgetting to include the pictures.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have 1/2” hardware cloth from the bottom to the top of the run and a two foot apron around the base. I feel pretty secure around the sides. I already have the 1/2” netting and the plastic fencing attached. I plan to attach a third layer of the larger wire poultry netting on top of that.
You are correct about the snow. When we covered our other pen with netting, I was out tapping it off regularly. The weight of the snow would cause the netting to sag and rip. I am hoping with the studier plastic fencing on top, I won’t have as much a sagging problem. The added wire on top of that would have larger holes for better snow melt plus add even more stability. I hope to let them out into their run as much as possible this winter, so I hope this works. I will definitely have my broom handy.

Thanks for clarifying!

As far as the snow, you'll have your answer for sure once it actually snows. If the materials can't hold up to the snow weight, or the combination of hole sizes causes it to just clump up, well... guess that's something to improve upon next spring. Hopefully if you stay on top of it it'll hold up.

 

[M Brennen]

That scenario is going to hold all the snow...and it will be hard to knock off as the holes are small.
Mine run roof is 2x4 welded wire, most snow goes right thru,
but if the snow starts to stick and pile up it definitely sags and has to be knocked off.

With 2x4 holes how to you guard against predators? Is there another way?

 

[Aunt Angus]

With 2x4 holes how to you guard against predators? Is there another way?

I don't have predators that small who prowl during the day. My biggest problems are hawk and foxes. Plus, I have electric netting around my set up.

 

[M Brennen]

We did have a huge rat dead in front of our chicken coop a few months back. We think the resident owl must have dropped it.