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rgdlljames
UPA MEMBER
Joined: 20 Jun 2011
Posts: 79
Location: Traverse City, Michigan |
 Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 8:42 am |
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I live in northern Michigan and need netting that can stand up to heavy snow loads. I used netting (not sure what kind) that was 1 inch squares last winter for my ducks and chickens and it lasted until the last heavy wet snow fall. The snow weighed it down and it then ripped down the middle. Any suggestions?
Thanks 
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15 chickens, 13 peafowl, 4 red golden pheasant, 2 horses, 1 pony, 7 goats. 2 cats and 1 dog. Happy family. |
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lhROW
UPA MEMBER
Joined: 22 Jun 2011
Posts: 221
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:13 am |
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I have a similar question -- would love to hear thoughts about what netting works and what doesn't.
Where I live, in the Southwest, the sunlight is so intense that is degrades/destroys plastic -- something about the UV and/or heat just eats it up. Vinyl miniblinds do not last a long time here. They become brittle, especially on the south and west sides of the house.
I'm trying to plan out flight pens, and don't know what to cover the tops with.
I bought chicken wire for the top of the pen I am building for the chickens -- still trying to figure out best way to lace it together -- but I am not sure if that will work for what I have in mind for the peafowl.
I'd really like to build a pen with some height to it, and can't work out the construction details of trying to lace together chicken wire while I'm way up in the air, short of perhaps major scaffolding -- and that gets complicated... But I'm afraid plastic netting might be trashed in only a year or two.
I've been thinking I could use top rail, which comes in 22' sections, to somehow create an arch over a pen, which would more or less support itself, but how to cover it??? 
All suggestions gratefully appreciated!!
-- the accidental peahen  |
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Peachick Grammie
UPA MEMBER
Joined: 13 Jul 2009
Posts: 368
Location: Abita Springs, LA |
| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 4:27 pm |
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My aviary netting lasted a good two+ years but now I have gone to green rectangle wire. Its wide enough that squirrels and birds can get through but tough enough to stand up to raccoons. Considering I got the netting on eBay for $25 I think I got my money's worth out of it. I like it to be as open as possible so birds can look up and see the sky. I have a crepe myrtle behind the aviary for shade and it has white blooms all summer.
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Peachick Grammie
~Susan Fischer~ |
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DMFarms
Site Admin
Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Posts: 183
Location: Winona Texas |
| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 6:03 pm |
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featherhead
UPA Forum Moderator
Joined: 08 Nov 2007
Posts: 866
Location: Louisville KY |
| Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 6:48 am |
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We use the 2x4 welded wire for the top. Predators can easily chew through netting.
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Be the change you want to see in the world. |
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jimmoss
Joined: 09 Nov 2011
Posts: 24
Location: idaho |
| Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 3:30 pm |
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we used the 2 inch cloth netting--we have guy wires criss crossing the pen--then when it snows we either use rubber hammer and hit poles or get broom and just nudge the netting until snow falls--WARNING--Snow will go down your neck. We are in south Idaho so We get our share of snow. Last storm--last week--it didnt even cling to netting--just fell through.
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Jim |
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D C T
UPA MEMBER
Joined: 16 Nov 2007
Posts: 642
Location: Georgia, USA |
| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 12:40 am |
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| featherhead wrote: |
| We use the 2x4 welded wire for the top. Predators can easily chew through netting. |
YES  It is called "dog wire" at local suppliers and I use it for pen sides and
tops.
I do NOT use netting of plastic or string because there are abundant
predators here in Georgia. In fact just last week a pair of possums
ran afoul of this fowl keeper  but NO birds were harmed this
time.
All pen sides have a sheet of roof tin at bottom.
If I had plenty of money I would have chain link fencing.
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but the original question was about snow on top 
Here in Georgia there is not much snow but what I have seen
stuck to dog wire top of pen was beautiful and caused no problems.
Can not say how that would be in the far North with huge
snowfalls. 
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friendly poultry orthopedist |
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burdgurl
UPA MEMBER
Joined: 07 Apr 2008
Posts: 315
Location: USA |
| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 12:34 pm |
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| featherhead wrote: |
| We use the 2x4 welded wire for the top. Predators can easily chew through netting. |
Ditto . Also have seen folks birds get caught up and strangled in the netting so we stay away from that stuff. |
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