Keeping chickens inside poultry netting

[Redhead Rae]

How do you keep chickens inside poultry netting? We've used 4ft snow fencing for our chickens, but it doesn't keep them contained. It works well at keeping them off our porch when we did free range them (except for the hen who thought the porch was her nest box). But with colder weather setting in we've been seeing signs and had actual sightings of coyotes in the clearing around our house, and the birds have been pecking at the styrofoam insulation that has been put on our house as the siding job progresses. So we are now keeping them confined or in a topped run. I've build a 10' x 10' x 2' run for them to use during the day, but would LOVE to be able to have them in a mobile coop configuration, fenced in with electric, but about half our chickens were never content to stay in the non-electric fencing. Does the electric work better than standard fencing at keeping them from doing flight assisted hops over the fence? Most of our leghorn crosses were able to do this, even with one wing clipped as much as was safe. Could it just be the breed is more restless and determined? We have 30 Buff Orpington chicks coming at the end of the month, would they be easier to contain this way?

 

[Eggcessive]

I have had good luck with electric poultry netting, although I do not use electric with it. My hens all pretty much would fly upon and over my 4 foot chain link fencing. Since I started using poultry netting 4 years ago, they do not cross it. They may get through an area of space where it connects to my main fence, but most don't cross it. I have used both the 42 inch and the 48 inch high netting, and would opt for the more economical and longer 42 inch height. Chickens do seem to be more determined to jump when they are young, especially banties. My d'uccle s and a couple of smaller large breed hens could fly straight up 7 feet to my barn roof. You will need to use the electrified fence to help with coyotes for sure, but I found that it wasn't necessary in my case. However, your cats and small dogs will tend to want to go through it, which can be a pain if the electric is not on. We have had a few near misses with that.Premier One seems to have a good product with good pricing. The fencing can be moved, but is much easier to move while it is in place. I have used it in my garden to keep pets out, and it can be cumbersome to take it down, roll it up, unroll it, and place it. You will want to trim grass on each side or use weed killer, before the grass gets grown up into the fencing. I usually mow next to it, move the fencing a foot away, and then mow the other side, so I don't have to use weed killer.

 

[thomasboyle]

I wondered the same thing when I setup my electric net fence. Most of the birds got shocked by it the first time they ventured up to it and touched it, and they ran from it and have never wanted to go near it. They could easily fly over it, but never seem to have the desire. I've only had 1 fly over the net in the past 3 years. It was one of my 2 roosters, and he went to attack something on the other side of the fence and paid for it with his life. All I found were feathers. Had he stayed inside the fence, like his brother and all the hens, he would be around today.

Feed your chickens more - fat chickens don't fly much!

 

[Redhead Rae]

@Eggcessive - We are trying to be as organic as possible, so weedkiller is a BIG no-no for us. We'll probably mow or run a weed whacker where we want to run the fencing. Our leghorns are about 6 months now, so young is a good description of them. At least half of our leghorn hens are headed for the stew pot because they are escape artists and not easily handled, but their rooster brothers need to go first (2 down, 6 to go).

@thomasboyle - LOL yeah our Doms/dom crosses aren't as good at flying as the leghorns who are smaller and lighter.