So sick of this. Electric fence question

[chkva]

I'd be cautious of getting an automatic door opener when you have so many predators because they can sneak inside your coops before the door closes and the chickens will be locked in with them. They already know the chickens exist and will try to outsmart you at every chance they can. I would definitely do the electric fence, I have heard amazing things about them. I would start with the electric fence and see if it stops them from attacking before installing automatic chicken doors.

I live in a wooded area with many predators, but the neighbors have coon hounds that keep our property clear of anything. If we ever left this area, I would buy myself some trained hounds because they seem to scare off everytjing and their bark carries for quite a distance.

 

[ocap]

I have had coyote attack at 10:00 am, killed 30 guineas

 

[Akm78]

No experience I know of with predators yet, but our German shepherd got zapped once by our premier electric poultry net and it has changed her entire backyard (40 acre backyard) behavior. She avoids everything near the coop. So much so it’s annoying to us, but good statement about the fence.

 

[Nyla]

Is it possible for you to get a dog or a Goose as a guardian?

 

[Norcal527]

Y (A) I know of no solar charger with enough punch to deter an animal the size of a coyote..

I used a solar charger to deter a bear that ate my chickens twice. Never had an issue after that.

 

[Howard E]

I used a solar charger to deter a bear that ate my chickens twice. Never had an issue after that.

This one has enough punch to deter anything, up to and including bears.

https://parmakusa.com/product/magnum-solar-pak-12/

It is the same fencer as the 12 volt battery version, but with solar panel and battery included, plus all the electronic controllers to run it properly.

If you have a 12 volt deep cycle battery and battery charger, you can use that instead, and save about half the cost.....but will have to charge the battery every couple months or so.

There are several other companies that make these. As long as the fencer is rated for 1 joule or greater, and puts 7,000 + volts to the line, it will deter varmints.

Good to see so many folks have tried and are using these. Set up and maintained properly, E fences are about as good a deterrent to predators as you can have.

 

[cmom]

I have electric in all of my coops. I have night lights in them. My fence charger is ac. It's been working for many years. In the areas most susceptible to predators I have my wire with 3 wires but you can put as many wires up as you want. I also have game cameras up out at the coops and many nights I see mostly coyotes but they don't mess with the wire. As far as I'm concerned it is the best predator deterrent for climbers and diggers. My charger puts out around 9000 volts. I think it is a 25 mile charger. The fence charger on the chick/grow-out coop is a 10 mile charger which puts out around 4500 volts, when I touch it I know it. I check the wires with a meter every evening when I collect the eggs to make sure it's working well. I use a digital meter. I had a couple with the lights but I like the digital meter better.