Will I be doomed from the start?

Thank you so much to all that replied (and so quickly)! Lots of great ideas here, and most importantly, you've given me back the confidence to give this a try. I have lots of time to prepare for the chicks before the Spring, set up the coop and run, do more research etc.

As far as the electric fencing, I'm curious how many of you have dogs and if this is a problem with them? We recently visited some friends in RI who have a backyard coop and I was curious to see how our dog (a very mild-mannered and well trained Portuguese Water Dog) would react to them. Luckily, he didn't react much at all to the chickens (just wagged his tail at them) and once when he got a little too close one of the hens promptly pecked his snout, and that was the end of that! He didn't go near them again.) haha

Will the electric fence hurt a pet if he touches it? I have no experience with electric fences but am willing to give it a try if it offers great predator protection for my birds.

Thanks again,
Marianne

My electric netting pulses at over 7000 volts but the amperage is very small. The big thing is that it pulses. Whatever touches it and is grounded when it pulses will get a shock but they can then turn loose. If it did not pulse they could not turn loose and would be fried. Pulsing is a huge safety factor.

I’ve found a few things trapped in my netting. A possum got tangled up and could not turn loose. It was still alive though partially paralyzed when I found it. The electricity is not what killed it. I found a big snapping turtle caught in the netting, turtles don’t seem to know to back up and get away from it. When I got the turtle loose (wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be) it eventually came to and crawled off. It was also paralyzed to start with. I’ve also found a dead snake and a dead snapping turtle in the netting. I think they were pretty much there all night and could not get loose.

There is some danger to it, but pulsing electrical current is regularly used to keep pastured animals enclosed. It’s really pretty safe unless you get tangled up in it.

What normally happens with a dog, coyote, fox, or about any other predator they may be able to jump the fence if they want to but they don’t. They normally explore the barrier, either with their tongue or their nose. When they get bit they jump back and rub away. You may have a few dense critters but practically all of them, including a dog, give that fence a wide berth for ever and ever. Someone mentioned they put peanut butter on electric wire to encourage critters to lick it and get a good shock. They stay away after that.

No dog is safe alone around chickens. I can walk mine in the run leashed and she ignored them, but I will never trust her alone with them.

Electric fence will not harm pets. Shock, yes. Scare, yes. Harm, no. They will quickly learn to avoid it, just like predators. Think shock collar. A momentary jolt. High voltage, no amperage. I have personally hit them many times starting at a young age, on my hands, legs, head, back, etc. It only takes animals once to learn, I'm a little slower, lol.

Having a guard dog isn't for everyone. I leave mine together all the time and on one occasion my pit saved my girls from a raccoon. Well done my sweet oly girl. They all nap together in the sun. One big pack!!!

junebuggena said:

The run doesn't have to be Fort Knox, as long as your coop is solid and secure against night time predators. Most predators will keep clear of houses during day time hours. Keep the area around the coop and run clear of excess vegetation to minimize cover for day time predators. I have bears, mountain lions, bobcats, mink, weasels, owls, hawks, eagles, possums, raccoons, coyotes, foxes, cats, and dogs. My coop is about 10 feet from the house, and I have motion activated lighting at strategic points to help deter predators.

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"Most predators will keep clear of houses during the day...." unless they learn that the people associated with them are not a threat- then they'll ditch that useless "fear of man" thing that is the only thing standing between them and a free lunch ...... do a search on this forum, and you'll find at least one member that has had a fox take one of her hens in braod daylight just a few feet in front of her ...... that fox knows that human will not actually do anything "violent" to protect her flock, so it will take what it wants, whenever it can.

I have almost all predators here in North Florida including bears. My 12 x 10 pen & my 8x4x4 attached coop has prevented any loss. Pen is chain - link on all sides and top. Bottom half of sides has 1/4 inch hardware added and sides sit on middle of 4 ft welded wire to prevent digging in. Thankfully I was given an old large dog pen providing the chain-link. Built the 3/4 inch plywood coop. Super safe.

A fox out and about during the day around here is a dead fox. They are towards the bottom of the food chain around here. Even the coons will eat them.