Will chickens fly over 42" poultry netting?

[JeffandLori]

Lately my birds have indicated that they really would like some time out on the grass. When I come to the coop they crowd around the door and try to peck at the grass just outside. I'm thinking to get one of those kits that has 164' of 42" electrified poultry netting-possibly with or without a charger:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...ultry-netting-kit-pn42164-kit400?cm_vc=-10005

to completely surround the coop. Currently the coop is under a large oak tree so they would be in relative shade the entire time. I cannot let them free range as they will get eaten by hawks. We watched it happen to my neighbor's guinea hens a couple years ago. I figure if they are under the canopy, they will have some measure of cover, plus they would be close to the coop to run inside. At only 40' per side, this wouldn't be a HUGE area so they could get to safety if they weren't completely unaware.

My questions are:

1. If I let 6-8 hens free roam in a 40x40 area, will this get rototilled in short order? I'd prefer not to destroy this patch of grass and moving the coop isn't an easy proposition.
2. At 42" tall, what keeps them from just flying out of these nets? Or is that something they just don't seem to do?

thanks

 

[21hens-incharge]

Can they fly out of it! It depends on the breeds and motivation to do so. Heavy birds are less likely to try it.

Hawks here are more active early in the day. Maybe let yours out an hour or two before dusk to roam. They won't go as far and hawks are less active then. They will also have less time to destroy the grass. Inevitably they will demolish it if given enough time on it.

 

[3KillerBs]

I have the 100', 48" kit from Premier 1 and I do have occasional escapes.

It depends on the chicken and the circumstances. Chipotle, my California White, who flies like a helicopter, goes out and back in at will. Dumpling, the Light Brahma, hasn't been seen more than about 18" off the ground since she reached adult size.

As a general rule, chickens prefer to fly up onto a solid perch and then down to the ground on the other side so they don't try to land on the top wire of the netting.

Sometimes a chicken that is either startled or in a dominance dispute will simple go vertical to escape and may come down on either side of the fence. But mostly they stay inside.

Moving the net around a core area will extend the life of the grass, but unless you have a lot of area and a long growing season you'll probably end up losing the grass eventually.

 

[Tre3hugger]

As per your questions:
1. Sooner ot later, most likely sooner, that area of yard WILL become bare and cratered if the chickens are are allowed there daily with out rotating the field. One way you can combat this is to use the netting to secure an area on one side of the coop. When it starts getting decimated, rotate the netting around the coop, giving chickens access to a new area.
2. Certain birds will definitely jump out. Typically for me, if the same bird escapes three times in a week I will clip its wings. An easy, painless process that keeps them grounded.

How big/old are your birds? They have never been outside?

Also, I wouldn't recommend the net without the charger. With out the electrical deterrent, the chance of your bird or a predator getting tangled up in the wire is relatively high. Of course it is up to you. Good luck.

 

[Skyle]

It all depends on the breeds you have, heavier breeds won't be able to jump over that net but light and flighty breeds will easly. Same thing with the area, for that number of hens it seems right if they just eat the grass. But there are breeds that scratch a lot and breeds that scratch hardly ever. It's not the grass eating that destroys a lawn, it's the scratching, hole digging for dustbathing, etc.
I have that type of net (just to keep them away from the neighbours garden) my chickens never flew over it because they have a very big space to roam. My Brahmas will never be able to jump that high, the Red Sexlinks can but they never did it since they don't mind it so much. Same thing for the destroyment: I noticed that the Brahmas only dustbath under the bushes, where there's only dirt and leaves, hardly ever scratch the lawn and they prefer sleeping quietly. My red Sexlinks, on the other hand, are very active and will dig a hole in the middle of the yard, flower pots or flower beds if they want to

 

[JeffandLori]

Thanks. There are seven birds in question. All ISLA Red (or is it brown?) Three have been laying for about a year and a half and are a little smaller. The other four have only been laying for about two months and are HUGE in comparison.

I'll probably get it and try it. Worst that can happen is I have to rake that part smooth and throw down some seed.

Well....worst is a hawk.

In the meantime I may get a head of lettuce to hang.

 

[3KillerBs]

Thanks. There are seven birds in question. All ISLA Red (or is it brown?) Three have been laying for about a year and a half and are a little smaller. The other four have only been laying for about two months and are HUGE in comparison.

I'll probably get it and try it. Worst that can happen is I have to rake that part smooth and throw down some seed.
Well....worst is a hawk.

In the meantime I may get a head of lettuce to hang.

Try letting your grass clippings dry on the lawn a day or two then raking them up and throwing the pile into the run. They LOVE scratching through a pile of lawn waste.

I rake up pine straw and live oak leaves for mine and give them all the weeds I pull out of the garden (it's never been better weeded. )