Wire grid for aerial protection?

[Musher81]

I had chickens years ago in the Midwest, but am just getting back into it again. I live in Alaska now and so predators is a bigger concern. I have a great and secure coop and decided to semi-free range them by building a big 50x50 foot fenced enclosure. It has lots of trees and other than the front by the coop, is mostly wooded. I put an electrical strand on the outside of the fencing to keep anything from digging into the pen, but I need some ideas for protecting them from birds of prey. We have lots of owls and ravens and hawks. I thought about netting, but most say that doesn't work with lots of snow. I was thinking about using the same wire I used for the electric strand and making a grid over the entire pen with each line about a foot apart. Will this work to keep predators out?

 

[lazy gardener]

That might work. I am also in snow country. I put up bird netting in the summer months, but must take it down in the winter. Part of my run is covered with tarp and 2 x 4 grid fencing. Even that fencing will not allow snow to pass, so I am knocking it down several times during each storm. You might do ok with the wire spaced at 12" intervals. 6 or 8" might work also. While it won't keep a determined raptor out, it may be enough to convince them to go shopping elsewhere. I would certainly try that for the winter months, and you could add some bird netting over that if needed during the summer. Please come back to let me know what you ended up doing, and how well it worked with your snow load.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It won't work for aerial predators because anything touching the charged wire must also be in contact with the ground to be zapped. That's why birds can sit on high power lines and electric fences because they aren't in contact with the ground.

 

[lazy gardener]

I don't think OP was talking about electrifying the overhead wire, just using it to make a grid over the top.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

OK.
With a large enough mesh, the snow may go through.

http://www.smart-net-systems.com/agricultural-nets/overhead-crop-netting

http://www.cascadenets.com/barrier_...3DnArFSwdHEFGyzkiCK5DSsbjEEo4w3RoC9iUQAvD_BwE

 

[littledog]

I've never tried this, but a local (western Washington) friend of mine has, and swears it works to deter aerial predators. Get a bunch of old, dead, cheap or out-of-date CDs or DVDs. Then when you make your wire grid, hang these from your wires by attaching them a foot or so apart so they dangle in different directions. Apparently, as they twirl around in the breeze, they reflect light that creates flashes that confuse/deter hawks and eagles.
I can't swear by this since I haven't tried it myself, and of course it wouldn't work for owls at night, unless you can shine some kind of light in that direction, LOL. But since your hens go into their secure coop at night, it might be worthwhile to try this idea.