What to cover run with?

[belibutn]

My wife and I are in the middle of designing and building our coops (1 for meat, 1 for eggs). They will be placed side by side so that they will share a coop wall and run side. It will be 18' wide for the both of them, and we are wanting to cover it up with a netting/wire of some sort to keep out air born predators as there are a lot of hawks, and even a bald eagle nest on the top of a large power line tower not too far from us. At first we considered using more of the wire we will be making the run sides out of on top, but we have a lot of trees behind us and we get lots of leaves in the fall so we would need some way to keep them off of there. We then thought about some type of netting with weighted sides so we could just go out and pull the roof off and shake it off periodically.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[CUDA]

I don't know if the weights would work, the netting needs to be pretty secure to get taunt. Get the knotted netting with the 2 inch holes, and you will be fine. The only trouble I have to worry about is freezing rain, and believe it or not, wet snow piles up on it. The snow you have to shake off, but the ice will pull your netting down fast if you don't have and sound fence, and it well attached. Leaves have never been a problem though. You can see one of my larger fly pens HERE . Good luck!

 

[patandchickens]

I agree with CUDA, the netting's own weight might make it pretty difficult to keep taut that way without extensive wooden 'rafters' which would kind of negate the point of using netting.

I suppose if you are really worried, you could do it the hard way and string wire or UV/rot-resistant twine back and forth and back and forth and back and forth in a grid. That way your holes could be larger, like maybe 12", which should still keep out flying predators (it won't keep out raccoons but neither will the netting you are already talking about) but will allow leaves thru easily and will make it easy for you to remove twigs/branches that fall on to it.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[LynneP]

We're using clear corrugated plastic panels rated for northern winters. We used them over a deck at the house and we're pleased with them. We're installing off the north side of a barn with 2x4's as slanted joists. Not sure about your situation regarding fastenings. You also have to buy litte 'furring strips' made of wood to seal down the wavy bits against weasels.

or

Would your design allow you to make wooden frames and staple 1/2" mason wire to them? If you pre-drilled the frames it should be fairly easy to find a way to fasten them to your run.

 

[sundance]

We covered over the top of our run with the same chicken wire we used to make the sides, we covered half over the wire with a tarp and I plan on planting vines to cover the other end. The hawks may see them but they can't get into them.