Bondinho Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Hi all, Quick question, I'm thinking about getting some chicken netting to give my chooks a bigger area to free range in, but I want to make sure it has a roof so they can't fly away on me! Can you fit a netting roof to Omlet netting for example using bungie cords/pegs etc? Or is it not possible and will it just blow away with the first gust of wind?! I don't want to build a walk in run in my garden as it's too small really and the missus probably wouldn't be too happy with it taking over loads of space! At least with the netting I could take it down when needed. Cheers Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 The Omlet netting is only about a metre high, so unless you go in on your hands and Knees....or am I misunderstanding you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRC99 Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 The Omlet netting is only about a metre high, so unless you go in on your hands and Knees....or am I misunderstanding you? I think that the question is whether the chickens can hop/fly out of the top of it. i.e. is it a "tunnel" or just sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iChicken Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I don't think it would be possible to fit a roof over the netting, even if you could there are other ways for the chickens to escape. The netting is only to keep chickens in a certain area and not designed to be used as a secure run. Our girls can hop over it at will or with a bit of effort get under it, luckily they choose not to most of the time. When they see me walking down the garden with the treat bowl or if I leave the box of corn in the garden one always hops over and runs straight to the food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bondinho Posted February 13, 2008 Author Share Posted February 13, 2008 Yeah I meant just to stop them flying out really. I thought if you fitted the netting so it was very tight between each pole then you wouldn't have issues with them escaping underneath it?! If they can get out in numerous other ways what is the point in it? I only wanted so I could be secure in the knowledge they couldn't escape by flying out, but if they can easily get out underneath (or through it maybe?!) It wouldn't have been a secure run for them to live in permanently as it clearly wouldn't be fox proof etc, just to prevent them from going anywhere unwanted really. I guess it would be a bit of a mission fitting netting roof to netting sides so just ignore me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I have used tent pegs to fasten the bottom of the netting down and it works quite well. You could clip their wings to stop them hopping over the Omlet netting. Also, position the netting so that they can't flap over it from the top of the Eglu as a couple of my naughtier girls are known to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iChicken Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I thought if you fitted the netting so it was very tight between each pole then you wouldn't have issues with them escaping underneath it? The bottom part of our garden slopes slightly so it makes it harder to get the netting tight top and bottom, also when its goes around obstacles or from the grass to the soil there are small gaps they can get under. If they can get out in numerous other ways what is the point in it? The netting is great for keeping them in a certain part of the garden which means they can free range all the time I'm at home and 99% of the time our chickens are happy to stay inside it. It's very flexible and can be moved easily into many weird and wonderfull shapes. It also provides great entertainment when they try to run through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iChicken Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 You could clip their wings to stop them hopping over the Omlet netting. Wing clipping hasn't affected our girls ability to fly as much as we had hoped, luckily Dora doesn't realise she can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bondinho Posted February 14, 2008 Author Share Posted February 14, 2008 OK thanks for all that. Perhaps I'll get some and try it. I don't think my Appenzeller would be prevented from flying over it to be honest, even with her wings clipped she can go pretty high! Even if she does then hit the floor in tangled mess and look concussed for a few seconds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...