Unsecure chicken perches

[Oat]

Was looking at this on the Omlet site as i need to keep the chickens off the veg patch (which is a rather large veg patch.

Does this netting work? Does it need to be electrified and are there any benefits of electrifying it?

 

I hesitate to buy it as i think the chickens will get over it. They have there wings clipped b ut even now they will easily get on to / over a 1metre wooden fence. With the wooden fence though they can jump on top of it, i suspect they couldn't balance on top of this chicken netting.

 

All helpful comments welcomed

[TheFeatheredFiend]

We have electrified chicken netting protecting our ladies, but we bought it as a kit including 50m netting, energiser and leisure battery from Flyte So Fancy. I think it came to about £300 or there abouts.

 

The netting was a pain in the neck for DH to set up because our lawn is very uneven and not square, we had to buy extra posts but the electrifying bit was dead easy to do.

Once done it looks good and gives us wonderful piece of mind when the girls are free-ranging and an extra layer of security at night when they're locked up in the cube.

 

I've accidentely touched the fence a couple of times and it HURTS! It will certainly make a fox go and look for an easier meal if he sticks his nose on it!

It's a little over a metre high but the hens have shown no inclination to get over it what so ever.

[skye]

Hi there,

 

Usually people only electrify netting to protect their chickens from predators, rather than to stop them getting over it. I know the little madams are easily able to jump up onto a 1m fence - that's because it is solid and they can perch on the top on the way over. However, even my most agile girl has never flown over the omlet netting, as it is too flimsy to perch on, and they simply don't try!

 

We have used it often as an effective barrier around tender plants/our veg patch with no harm done

 

They can get their heads through it to peck at whatever is beyond if it is not electrified though, so be careful! Our bald blueberry bushes are testament to this.

 

skye x

[Miss Millies Chicken]

If you are going to buy the netting I would recommend getting the special corner posts. I have found them very useful for keeping the fencing taught.

 

I have been using the netting for 18 months and in that time Zillah and Queenie have flown over a couple of times. Millie has shown no interest at all. Although I'm having more of a problem with one of my new ex bats Griselda. She has flown over twice this last week just for the fun of it If she doesn't stop she will be having a wing clipped soon.

 

I don't usually electrify it but am at present because a fox has been sniffing around a couple of weeks ago.

[beach chick]

we've used elctric netting for several years now.

in my experience:

- once they've gone a little too close they treat it with respect

- yes it does help prevent predators, but is by no means foolproof

- if you combine electric fence with cube/eglu/WIR/whatever, MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE THE ELETRIC FENCE ON ALL NIGHT! even if your girls are safe inside, if you leave the fence switched off Mr. Fox will be able to bite through it - thus leaving a hole he can come back too...

[Oat]

Thanks for the feedback guys n gals.

It seems that Omlet now sell non electric netting kits aswell as electric netting kits. We are going to get a 25m electric netting kit to keep the chooks off our veggie patch. Then i will keep an eye out to get an energiser in the near future.

We only let the chooks out of the 3m run when we're at home at the moment due to building work etc. With this electric fence i hope we will be able to let the chooks out even when we're at work....