How best to install overhead netting?

[MenelausMontrose]

I'm considering getting the Pinnon Hatch Farms 1" light woven or 2" heavy knotted netting for my run, which measures just under 50'x50', and is situated in the woods.

My run has some trees 10-15 feet in from the perimeter of the run. For those that have experience, is it better to cut in from the edge of the netting, work it around the tree, and then stitch it back up with zip ties or cord? Or do you get multiple thin (6-12') rolls instead of a 50'x50' sheet, and stitch them together along the edges?

 

[perkolator]

I have a few trees going through my overhead netting. I started with 4ft chicken wire so it’s a little bit different than a large single sheet of net. On the big tree trunk in our run I slit from the edge and cut out a circle for the tree, stitched the seam and screwed the wire to the tree circumference; the smaller trees were inline, so for those I did a strip on either side and stitched between trunks.
Either way would technically work, just depends how nice you want it to look I guess and what support structure you’re using to hold it up.

 

[MenelausMontrose]

Sounds good; I think I'll go with the large sheet and stitch it where needed--less effort than stitching together long strips, I think.

I'll be running 8 gauge monofilament across the run between the trees on the perimeter to support the netting.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Cutting an opening and stitching it back up makes more sense than working with strips.

How heavy is the foliage fall from these trees? I have the 2" heavy netting and I have a willow tree outside the run, but overhanging about 15' in. I set up the netting so there's a center "seam" that I can open up each fall, cut back branches as needed, and then close back up.

 

[MenelausMontrose]

Half mature pines, half young-ish deciduous trees. Most of the ground in the run is covered in pine needles. I think I'll probably have to take a leaf blower into the run and blow the netting off from underneath if the leaves don't fall through 2"×2". Fortunately no trees that require trimming or maintenance.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Fortunately no trees that require trimming or maintenance.

In retrospect putting a netted chicken run under a super fast growing tree like a willow was probably not my best idea...

 

[aart]

How many trees?
Strips might be better depending on how many trees to go around and their spacing.

 

[Shadrach]

I'm considering getting the Pinnon Hatch Farms 1" light woven or 2" heavy knotted netting for my run, which measures just under 50'x50', and is situated in the woods.

My run has some trees 10-15 feet in from the perimeter of the run. For those that have experience, is it better to cut in from the edge of the netting, work it around the tree, and then stitch it back up with zip ties or cord? Or do you get multiple thin (6-12') rolls instead of a 50'x50' sheet, and stitch them together along the edges?

A lot depends on where the netting is going around the trees. If you have branches below the roof line for example.
What one does need to bear in mind is that the trees will need managing; thinning, branches lopped, small limbs that may die and fall onto the netting, etc.
Access to above the netting needs to be considered. A hatch through which one get a ladder at each tree is advisable if the netting is tight to the tree trunk and perhaps a hatch in the middles of the largest unsupported areas of netting.
This I think is easier to achieve with strips of netting rather than trying to guess where the hatches might be on one large piece.

 

[MenelausMontrose]

Most of the trees within the run are pretty tall (25+ feet), so I won't have too many branches to deal with at the level of the net, except for the saplings which I may remove from the run.

I did end up getting a 50x50 net, but now that it has arrived, I realize I should have gotten a 50x70 to account for the additional slack I'll need to get it over the support cables, which will be above the height of the fence. May end up stitching some extra netting strips on anyway.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Beautiful shade for your birds. I have netting over my duck pen and two trees in it. They are ornamental ones so I attached my netting to the bottom of them to keep out wild birds. I also have to use painter poles and metal fence posts 7' tall to hold it up. It seems to work well though so I am blessed. Your setup looks great for your birds. They will love all of that shade.