Author Topic: chicken mesh  (Read 4052 times)

thenovice

  • Joined Oct 2011
chicken mesh
« on: February 10, 2012, 08:31:43 pm »
Just a quick one. Has anyone had any experience of keeping sheep (southdowns) behind chicken mesh for a short while? Wondered if it was mman enough to keep them in a field for afew weeks? Thanks in advance people  :thumbsup:

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: chicken mesh
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2012, 10:10:23 pm »
If they are anything like Ryelands, they'll be fine  ;D

Hazelwood Flock

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Dorset.
Re: chicken mesh
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2012, 10:19:43 pm »
If it's bordering a hedge should be o.k, but as a dividing fence probably a bit flimsy!
Not every day is baaaaaad!
Pedigree Greyface Dartmoor sheep.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: chicken mesh
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2012, 11:24:57 pm »
I HATE working with chicken wire - wrecks your fingers and is impossible to tension  ::)
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

SteveHants

  • Joined Aug 2011
Re: chicken mesh
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2012, 08:21:20 am »
To tension it, I 'weave' it in and out of a bar and then have someone pull it tight whilst I pin it. Do I think it'll hold sheep? No.

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: chicken mesh
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2012, 09:01:59 am »
It isn't strong enough to stop a sheep, no.  So the question is, would they challenge it?  If there's plenty of good grazing and they would be and feel secure, then tame downland sheep would probably not challenge it, eh?  So the next question is what would be the consequences if they did get through?  If they could only get into another field, somewhere safe, then maybe risk it if you have to and it's only a short term thing.  But if they would be able to get to a road, or somewhere that was unsafe for them, or somewhere where they'd be a nuisance to others, then perhaps it would be a good idea to look at an alternative or augmented fencing plan.
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

robert waddell

  • Guest
Re: chicken mesh
« Reply #6 on: February 11, 2012, 09:20:04 am »
as usual there is conflicting views i have a piece of woodland that is fenced on one side with  rabbit netting and has been for over 20 years cattle and sheep have been on the field side of the rabbit netting and pigs have been on the other side for the last 10 years  admittedly it has a scare wire along the bottom on the pig side and a scare wire along the top serving both sides      never had any problem even with wild boar  (iron age pigs)
even the best fences can fail if animals are starving or scared :farmer:

thenovice

  • Joined Oct 2011
Re: chicken mesh
« Reply #7 on: February 11, 2012, 10:20:52 pm »
Again, lots of sound advice. Thanks one and all  :wave:

 

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