What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[peachachecha]

I am contemplating purchasing the omelt netting to put around my eglu go so my three hens have more room to roam. My concern is that they will be able to "fly" over it and we are not allowed to let our chickens roam unconfined. Does any one know if this would happen. I do not want to clip their wings for fear of harming them.

[hammy72]

Mine haven't managed it yet although they do stand on top of their eglu run and house and eye up "the leap". However, mine do have their wings clipped, the farm did it for us when I bought them and said I could get a vet to do it next year but by then they might be docile enough not to try and escape.

[peachachecha]

thanks for your thoughts - I may just call my vet and ask if he can clip the wings. I know they would like it much better with a little more room and then I could sit in the area with them.

[squiffs]

You can clip their wings fairly easily. Plenty of videos and diagrams available online. I was shown how to do it the day my hens arrived, and did it there and then.

[coco]

I had the Omlet netting, mine didn't fly over it but used to wriggle underneath it. Make sure you have plenty of pegs [i used tent pegs] round the bottom

[Cooks]

yes mine went under too, the rascals, if it wasn't them getting out it was Suzi my dog getting in!

 

I gave up in the end and hubby built me some fencing for them.

[Happy Mrs Chicken]

I bought the 21m omlet netting about a month ago,as i wanted my hens to have their own area as i was fed up of poo on my patio.They havn't flown over it yet but they do have their wings clipped.Its expensive but im glad i bought it.

[chuckmum6]

Mine have old Omlet netting, the pullets could walk through it, but don't and yes they could probably fly over but again they don't! Mine just keeps them where I want them, I did consider buying some new netting, but the 21m is too short and 42m way to big , so I stuck with the 25m old netting for now.

[LolaLayla]

I have hybrid girls and they can fly over the netting. I was shown how to clip their wings and did so, however about once a month they still manage to fly over. I think they get on the eglu and jump. But that isn't a big problem, unless they get in the veg patch! I really like the netting, it is robust and you can move it easily

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I use the Omlet netting and love it . Mine can't fly over it as their free range area is very narrow and long. They could probably jump onto their bench and fly over but they haven't worked that one out yet .

 

To prevent little heads getting at the grass on the other side, I attached some black plastic garden netting along the bottom half. It works brilliantly and you can't even tell it's there.

[doctors girls]

have you looked at "knowlesnets.co.uk" you can state your length and height that you require and it also works out the price for you and then for the posts have a look at "farmcare uk" it could work out a cheaper package

[peachachecha]

Thank you so much everyone for your input. I like the idea of making the netting narrow, that way it might be more difficult for them to get over the netting. I will check out the other sites too. I just love coming on to this site and learing is much more fun on here then reading a book about raising chickens. Most of all I love seeing where every one is from. It shows that we are all alike and what a small world this really is. The very best regards to all of you chicken lovers, I know I love mine and it has only been two weeks. Have wanted chickens since I was little and gathered eggs on my great grand fathers farm. Now I am retired and loving it.

[kissinuk]

I used knowlenets for my home made version, heres an old pic, sadly both girls in the picture have passed on, but the fence is going strong.

[fluffy chick]

I have the electric omlet netting and have had some problems. My bantams when pol could fit thru the holes (so I electrified it ) I had some ex bats though that flew over even though I'd clipped their wings.

 

It is perfect for my pekins, silkies and cochins though none of which can fly though

[kazmac]

Kissinuk, can I ask you where you got the poles for your netting?

We'll need to keep our chickens fenced in within our garden to avoid our neighbour having a heart attack at the thought of our chickens 'escaping' and ending up in her garden!!

[squiffs]

I used knowlenets for my home made version, heres an old pic, sadly both girls in the picture have passed on, but the fence is going strong.

 

 

I use this same method.

[kissinuk]

Kissinuk, can I ask you where you got the poles for your netting?

We'll need to keep our chickens fenced in within our garden to avoid our neighbour having a heart attack at the thought of our chickens 'escaping' and ending up in her garden!!

 

Here's my original post from 2008, not sure if the links will still work or not though!

 

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=27677

[kazmac]

Yes, it still worked. Thank you for that.