Chickens are sneaking to the neighbors

[Howard E]

How high is high enough? Does it have to be electric? Can't they just fly over an electric fence?

Home Depot has 72" high galvanized poultry fencing. Also found it on sale at true value and it was pretty cheap.

Thanks so much for your help.

You would do that for an acre? A square acre is over 800 linear feet. An electric fence of the type shown above would cost less and be many times easier to construct than an acre of physical fence.

As Zoomie suggests, electric fences are NOT a physical barrier of the type we normally think of. But once the birds get zapped a few times, they recognize it as a boundary they do not want to cross, so they go up to it, but won't cross it. If somehow they do find themselves on the outside, a fence of that type allows them to get back in. In a panic, they can punch through or easily lift up and fly over it. They will risk that to get back in. They do not seem to risk that to get out, even though the out option is the same.

 

[dmaldet]

I don't have to do the entire acre. It's only a portion of one side. But it makes sense what you are saying. Going to look into the electric option also.

Thank you.

 

[RandyTheRooster]

Any cheap plastic fence will keep chickens in (provided you have clipped their wings). You can also use old metal pipes or rebar as cheap fence posts.

 

[Merrymouse]

Not trying to criticize at all but if you have skunk you have racoons and other chicken killers. Look at it this way, if you go electric you solve both problems. Predators and boundaries. You could maybe just fence off a section for them and periodically move the fencing to a different location so they still can use the whole acre but just not at one time. Just a thought, good luck.

 

[dmaldet]

As I am fairly new to chickens I just am learning that skunks kill chickens. And yes we do have the occasional skunk around. So considering the electric fence now. How high does it have to be to keep chickens in? And what is most cost effective electric fence and the charger also.

Thanks again.

 

[Howard E]

I think I've already shared what I do. I also have that treatise on electric fences. Link to that in my signature below. BYC member and sometimes poster Robert P has a nice article about this on his website:

http://www.plamondon.com/wp/faq-simple-electric-fences-chickens/

Robert uses 1 and 2 wire systems. So maybe 10 inches? Yes, that may be all it takes. Again, it is not the height. It is the potential of getting zapped that keeps them away from it. The more open the area you have, and the farther away from the fence you can keep them, the less fence you need.

I did something similar to Robert's 1 and 2 wire system, but I upped my fence schedule to 4 wires, each about 5" or so apart. That is in an area about 75' square. I was using our little yapper house dog as my test subject. He is a runner and the one and two wire fences didn't stop him. He was jumping over them. Once I went to 4 wires, that all stopped. He now respects it and hasn't gotten out through that fence since the 4th wire went up. That was sometime last summer. But even with 4 wires, we step over it. No gates needed. If you do need to cross it with something big, turn the fencer off, pull one of the step in posts out and lay it and the wires on the ground and driver over them.

I also use the Parmak fencers. I am using the 12 volt model. On a fully charged battery, which lasts about 3 or 4 months, I am getting 16,000+ volts. That is a potent deterrent.

Animals are awfully smart about a lot of things, but none of them seem to have developed a working knowledge of electricity, so they don't understand why it is that little shiny strand of whatever that is hurts them like it does, they only know it hurts and hurts bad. So they avoid it.

 

[dmaldet]

This is very very helpful. I think this is the way I am going. Thank you so much!!!

 

[Howard E]

One final thing........once you do install a fence and expose your birds to it, there is a learning curve for them. They won't know what a hot fence is until the hit it and and find out. So initially, expect many, if not every bird you have, to wind up on the wrong side of the fence. Generally, it is one or two at a time that find their way across it (mine stepped on it when it was only 1 or 2 wires). So they are on the wrong side, and once that happens, they desperately want back in to join the flock. So that means they get to cross it twice. That is how they learn. One or two experiences with that is generally all it takes before they decide whatever is on the other side is not worth it.

So initially, don't be discouraged or disappointed to find them on the wrong side. That is to be expected.

Varmints the same thing, although they rarely cross over to the inside when they get zapped. They tend to turn and run and don't come back. If they do come back, they are cautious, and cautious means they are sniffing and leading with their nose. That almost assures a second dose of zap.

With varmints, these fences really are the great equalizer. Varmints encounter physical barriers all the time. So have learned to climb, dig, pry, and fight their way past them. As they see it, there is no obstacle that can't be overcome with persistence and effort with physical barriers alone, there is no risk in trying. An electric fence is different. It appears harmless and of no threat or deterrent to them at all, except it bites back. In the risk / reward formula, that changes everything.

 

[dmaldet]

So glad you gave the additional info.

Thanks again.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I live in SE PA & have possums, coons, skunks, red & grey foxes, coyotes, hawks, owls & possible dogs. Where in Eastern PA do you live? I am in a once rural, now more suburban area. There are always predators. That being said I went 15 years without anything ever getting my chickens.