{"id":3453,"date":"2026-09-28T21:34:33","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T13:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.spagirardot.com\/blog\/?p=3453"},"modified":"2026-09-28T21:34:33","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T13:34:33","slug":"what-size-of-poultry-net-do-i-need-for-my-flock-4316-9d2f59","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.spagirardot.com\/blog\/2026\/09\/28\/what-size-of-poultry-net-do-i-need-for-my-flock-4316-9d2f59\/","title":{"rendered":"What size of poultry net do I need for my flock?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey there, fellow poultry parent! Let\u2019s cut to the chase \u2013 nothing kills the joy of raising chickens, ducks, or turkeys faster than a fox sneaking through a gap, a hawk snatching a chick mid-forage, or a chicken escaping to tear up your neighbor\u2019s prize tomato plants. I\u2019ve spent the last 12 years running a poultry net supply business, and the question I get more than any other is: \u201cWhat size of poultry net do I need for my flock?\u201d I\u2019ve seen folks grab a random roll of net from the hardware store, only to have it too short, too short, or too flimsy a week later \u2013 so today, I\u2019m breaking down the science of measuring your space, your birds, and your predators to get this right on the first try. No guesswork, no wasted money, just practical, tested advice that I wish I\u2019d had when I started my own backyard flock back in 2011. Poultry Net<\/a><\/p>\n

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First, let\u2019s start with the two basics you absolutely can\u2019t skip: your total space (length and width) and the height you need to keep your birds safe. A lot of new keepers underthink height, but it\u2019s non-negotiable for two big predator groups: aerial threats and curious escape artists. For aerial predators like hawks, owls, and even crows, standard backyard chickens can fly 3 to 6 feet high when spooked, and heavier breeds like Orpingtons or Jersey Giants might hit 4 feet if they\u2019re motivated. But wait \u2013 I sell a lot of net that\u2019s way taller than that, and here\u2019s why: if you\u2019re using the net as a full enclosed run (not just a fence), you need enough height to drape over the top, or to support a hoop frame, to keep predators from diving in. For free-range adjacent flocks where you\u2019re using net to section off a yard or pasture, I always recommend a minimum of 5 feet tall \u2013 and 6 feet if you have light breeds like Leghorns that can fly even higher. If you\u2019re raising turkeys or ducks, bump that up to 6 or 7 feet, because turkeys are shockingly good fliers (adult turkeys have been known to clear 8-foot fences) and ducks, while poor fliers, will huddle together and push each other up to escape over lower netting.<\/p>\n

Next, length and width. This is where most people make their biggest mistake: they measure just the space their coop is in, not account for how much room their birds need. The USDA\u2019s Small Flock Management Guide says each standard chicken needs at least 4 square feet of indoor coop space and 10 square feet of outdoor run space for daily use \u2013 but if you\u2019re letting them forage or giving them more space to move, that number jumps to 25 square feet per bird. Let me use a real example: I had a customer last spring who had 12 Rhode Island Reds and a 10×12 foot patch of backyard he wanted to section off. He calculated 12 birds x 10 square feet = 120 square feet, and 10×12 is 120, so he bought 10 feet of net. A month later, he was back complaining his chickens were overcrowded and picking at each other. The problem? He didn\u2019t account for the fact that netting runs along the outside of the space \u2013 not the inside. If your target area is 10 feet long and 12 feet wide, the net roll\u2019s length has to cover the entire perimeter of that rectangle, not the area inside. Wait, no \u2013 hold on, let\u2019s get that straight, because I confuse this with customers all the time. If you\u2019re fencing a rectangular area, the perimeter is (2 x length) + (2 x width). So that 10×12 foot space has a perimeter of 44 feet, not 22 feet. Add another 10% to that to account for overlaps at the corners (you\u2019ll want to overlap net sections by 6 to 12 inches to keep gaps) and to leave extra if you need to wrap around a tree or a garden bed, and that\u2019s 48 feet of net, not 10. That\u2019s a huge difference, and it\u2019s why people end up with too much or too little.<\/p>\n

Also, don\u2019t forget to factor in extra space for expansions. If you plan to add more birds next year, or want to let your flock roam more in the future, buy a net that\u2019s long enough now to grow into. I always tell customers: if you have 12 birds now, but want to get 6 more, calculate for 18 birds, not 12. It\u2019s way cheaper to buy one extra roll than to have to redo your fence six months later.<\/p>\n

Now, the mesh size \u2013 that\u2019s another thing that\u2019s easy to overlook, and it ties directly to your net\u2019s effective size. Mesh is the size of the openings in the net, and it\u2019s measured by the distance between the threads. For standard adult chickens, a mesh size of 2 inches x 2 inches is perfect \u2013 it keeps predators like raccoons, opossums, and weasels out, and lets air flow freely so your chickens don\u2019t overheat in the summer. But if you have chicks or bantams (tiny chickens like Seramas or Silkies), you need a smaller mesh \u2013 1 inch x 1 inch \u2013 otherwise a weasel or a small chick can squeeze through a 2-inch gap. For ducks, I recommend a 1.5-inch mesh, because ducks are a bit larger than bantams but still can get their heads stuck in wider mesh, and they\u2019re targets for hawks too. A lot of cheap net at big-box stores has 3-inch mesh, which is great for garden fencing but useless for poultry \u2013 raccoons can reach through 3 inches and grab a chicken\u2019s leg, so don\u2019t skimp on mesh size just to save a few bucks.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s the type of poultry net, which affects how you measure size too. We sell three main types, and each has slightly different sizing rules:<\/p>\n

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  1. \n

    Portable Poultry Netting: This is the lightweight, flexible net you use for rotational grazing (moving your flock to new grass every week) or temporary runs. It comes in rolls that are 3 feet, 4 feet, or 5 feet tall, and lengths from 50 feet up to 200 feet. For portable net, always go with the taller option if you\u2019re moving it often \u2013 4 or 5 feet, because you don\u2019t want to have to reattach it every time you move it. Also, make sure the net has built-in loops or stake holes at the bottom, so you can secure it to the ground to keep foxes from digging under.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    Permanent Poultry Fence Netting: This is the heavier, more durable net for coops that stay in one place. It\u2019s 5 feet, 6 feet, or 7 feet tall, and lengths from 50 feet to 1000 feet for large pastures. For permanent runs, I recommend going with the tallest you can afford, even if you have small birds \u2013 it\u2019s easier to keep predators out than to add extra net later.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  3. \n

    Hawk Netting: This is the fine-mesh net you use to cover the top of your run, or to create a full enclosed aviary. It comes in widths up to 50 feet, so you can cover a large area without seams. Hawk netting is usually 10 to 15 feet tall, so it\u2019s designed to drape over a frame, and the mesh is so small it keeps even small hawks from getting through.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Wait, let\u2019s test this with a real customer example I had last month. A guy in Ohio had 15 chickens, wanted to section off a 20×30 foot area in his backyard, and wanted to keep hawks out. First, he needed perimeter: (2×20) + (2×30) = 100 feet. Add 10% for corners and overlaps: 110 feet. Height: 5 feet for the sides, plus 10 feet for the hawk net top. Mesh size: 2 inches for the sides, 1 inch for the hawk net. We recommended a roll of 5-foot permanent net (110 feet long) for the sides, and a roll of 10-foot hawk net (22 feet wide, enough to cover the 20×30 top) for the ceiling. He texted me two weeks later saying that foxes had already tried to dig under, but the net was staked properly, and hawks hadn\u2019t bothered his chickens once. That\u2019s exactly the kind of job we get right by following these rules.<\/p>\n

    Another thing to consider: ground clearance. You can buy poultry net that has a extra-long bottom mesh, called a \u201cskirt,\u201d that you can bury 6 to 12 inches in the ground to keep predators from digging under. If you don\u2019t want to bury net, you can use landscaping stakes to pin the bottom of the net to the ground every 2 to 3 feet \u2013 that works too. But if you\u2019re buying net that doesn\u2019t have a skirt, you\u2019ll need to add 1 foot to the total height of the net to account for the part you\u2019ll bury or stake. That\u2019s a common mistake \u2013 people measure the total height they need above ground, but forget the part that goes into the dirt.<\/p>\n

    What about free-range flocks? If you\u2019re letting your chickens roam your whole backyard or pasture, you can still use poultry net to section off areas, or to create a \u201cpredator buffer\u201d around the edge of your property. For free-range, I recommend a 6-foot tall net with 2-inch mesh, and running it along the fence line of your property, or around specific areas you want to protect (like vegetable gardens or chicken roosting spots). A lot of people use electric net for free-range, which is a thinner net with a low electric charge that keeps foxes and coyotes away \u2013 in that case, you still follow the same sizing rules, but you can go a bit lighter on the mesh because the electric charge adds an extra layer of protection.<\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s go over a quick step-by-step guide to make sure you get it right:<\/p>\n

    Step 1: Count your exact number of birds. Remember, each bird needs at least 10 square feet of run space, so multiply your number of birds by 10 to get your total area in square feet.<\/p>\n

    Step 2: Measure your target space. For a rectangle, length x width = total area. Make sure the total area matches the number you just calculated (add more space if you can \u2013 overcrowding leads to stress and pecking).<\/p>\n

    Step 3: Calculate the perimeter. Perimeter = (2 x length) + (2 x width). Add 10% to that number for corners, overlaps, and extra space. That\u2019s your net length.<\/p>\n

    Step 4: Choose your height. Minimum 5 feet for chickens, 6 feet for light breeds or turkeys, add 1 foot if you\u2019re burying the net to stop digging predators. For hawk net, add 10 to 15 feet to cover the top of your run.<\/p>\n

    Step 5: Pick your mesh size. 2 inches x 2 inches for adult chickens, 1.5 inches for ducks, 1 inch for bantams or chicks. Avoid mesh larger than 2 inches for poultry \u2013 it\u2019s a predator invitation.<\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re still unsure, here\u2019s a quick sizing cheat sheet I made for customers:<\/p>\n