Hawk netting support?

[KaelaM]

Hi everyone,

I just put up premier1 no shock hen pen, and I want to cover it with hawk netting. This is where my girls will “free range” during the day, they still have a fully secure run and coop.

I’m going to start the netting on the roof of my coop and extend it out to the fencing. Does anyone have any suggestions of what to use to support it in the middle? I’d like to be able to walk under it, but I’m also thinking of how to make it more sturdy.

 

[alwaystj9]

I made pvc arches around the space and then have pvc poles with crosspieces in the middle to prop it up

 

[KaelaM]

I made pvc arches around the space and then have pvc poles with crosspieces in the middle to prop it up

That makes sense, but I think I'm looking for something simpler. This is going in my backyard, and I'm not very handy. Thank you!

 

[ChaosMom]

That makes sense, but I think I'm looking for something simpler. This is going in my backyard, and I'm not very handy. Thank you!

I’m not handy either, but we made PVC arches once for ornamental gourds.

We used two lengths of rebar, partially hammered into the ground, and then bent an 8-ft length of PVC between them. We just slid the first end onto one rebar. Bending and sliding the other end on was a bit of an adventure, but it worked great!

 

[KaelaM]

I’m not handy either, but we made PVC arches once for ornamental gourds.

We used two lengths of rebar, partially hammered into the ground, and then bent an 8-ft length of PVC between them. We just slid the first end onto one rebar. Bending and sliding the other end on was a bit of an adventure, but it worked great!

And the PVC just stays in the ground? We get a lot of rain, so the ground is pretty soft most of the year. I was worried they would move or come out.

 

[ChaosMom]

And the PVC just stays in the ground? We get a lot of rain, so the ground is pretty soft most of the year. I was worried they would move or come out.

No, the PVC doesn’t even reach the ground. I *think* we used 4’ (6’?) rebar with less than half in the ground and the remainder exposed. The PVC only covered maybe the top 12-18” of the rebar. Since you have soft earth, just keep hammering until the rebar doesn’t wobble.

We’ve taken down the arch, and I’m trying to remember if we somehow anchored the PVC to the rebar, but I don’t think we did. I believe that the PVC “wanting” to straighten back up keeps enough tension that it doesn’t try to slide down to the ground once both ends are in.

Your hawk net will be so lightweight that I can’t imagine it further forcing down the PVC.

 

[KaelaM]

No, the PVC doesn’t even reach the ground. I *think* we used 4’ (6’?) rebar with less than half in the ground and the remainder exposed. The PVC only covered maybe the top 12-18” of the rebar. Since you have soft earth, just keep hammering until the rebar doesn’t wobble.

We’ve taken down the arch, and I’m trying to remember if we somehow anchored the PVC to the rebar, but I don’t think we did. I believe that the PVC “wanting” to straighten back up keeps enough tension that it doesn’t try to slide down to the ground once both ends are in.

Your hawk net will be so lightweight that I can’t imagine it further forcing down the PVC.

Oh I see now! Thanks!