A treatise on Electric Fencing

[Usrudd]

Hi there,,

I just tripped upon your post and I cannot wait to read it in depth. So thank you. I was wondering if you could offer advice about the fence as it relates to keeping out bears. I live in Vermont and have had several bear visits -- none troublesome, but they did eat a neighbors chickens. She did not have an electric fence.

I am getting chickens next spring and building the coop now. I am interested in a solar electric fencing and wondering if anyone has experience with this and recommendation and especially where you would buy this.

Many thanks in advance.

Best,
Ursula

 

[Howard E]

I don't have a lot of experience with electric fencing for bears. None in fact. Having said that, if I was to try, here is what I would do. I'd go heavy duty.

By that I mean I'd go with a high tensile type fence of the type used on cattle pastures, and that means heavier wire in the range of 12 gauge smooth or even barbed wire (which you can make hot) hung on steel T posts with insulators. Probably 5 strands or more (more if you were dealing with smaller predators like raccoons at ground level). Those are going to require braced corners and I'd go with the inline strainer to tension it up.......

http://www.zarebasystems.com/zareba-in-line-wire-strainer-ils1

As for the charger itself, Parmak makes a solar powered version of the fencer I have, as do a lot of other's. Whatever it is you get, make it a super hot fence. Like in the range of a charger rated for 30 to 50 miles of fence. Fry his face off hot.

If I knew for certain I had one in the area that would be coming around, I might go so far as to introduce him to my fence. I'd hang something him might try to lick on it......keeping in mind bears seem to have a habit of getting mad at whatever it is that bites them, so they may go on a rampage on your fence.

I don't know if that would turn a bear, but that is where I'd start if I wanted to try.

 

[Usrudd]

thanks for your reply. I did read a bit on bear fencing and someone posted an electric fence how to on you tube that was useful, but I waned to hear from chicken people. I appreciate your comments and will read up on those links you forwarded to me. And yes, I also understand that I should bait the bear just to make sure he associates the fence with unpleasant results. I may get back to you with questions.

Thank you again,
Ursula

 

[Howard E]

Got a chance to check out some of the bear fence youtubes. This one was pretty good.....for bears and all things fencers.

I do note that for some temp uses, they are using poly tapes and poly ropes, as were some of the other bear fence videos, including those from NOLS. The one they show for the dead animal composting site was what I had in mind for a permanent fence.

Then there is this video:

Not sure what else they did wrong, but who put down all that plastic? As in insulating, non-conducting plastic? Don't make it that easy for them.

 

[Usrudd]

Hi there,

Yes thank you, that very informative video was the one sent me by our local bear expert and it's the one that I will model my dance after and hope for the best. A friend is willing to donate his Gallagher M 80 electric fence charger ? But I do not know if I can incorporate that piece into my desired solar powered fence. If you have some thoughts on that, I'd be most appreciative, and of course it may save me some money but I'm not sure if I can use it. He had a conventional electric fence in the suburbs and was using it to keep the deer out of the garden. I will check out the other links you sent as well.

My thinking is that as the coop will be a fixed item, I want a permanent electric fence.

Best wishes and thank you again,
Ursula

 

[Howard E]

It looks like the M80 is an older, now outdated AC powered unit. I have no idea on how hot it is. You could use it to power a remote site by one of two methods. They make a shielded hot wire that can be laid on the ground or buried under gates, etc. That would work for a short distance, but is a bit expensive to buy, so again, only a short distance. Option B is run an unshielded hot wire overland.....put it on steel T posts elevated up high above the weeds.......not unlike what power companies do to run power to our homes. The permanent fence will cost the same, all you would save is the cost of the fencer, which is going to run in the range of $100 to $200 depending on how you go.

One of the solar units featured in the bear video is the same fencer I use, except it is solar powered. It is this unit:

http://www.parmakusa.com/product_details.php?PId=4

Mine works. Apparently theirs works. My suggestion is to use this one as a benchmark to rate any others you might find against as far as power output, cost, etc. The goal is to get up to that level of bear / varmint zapper.

Best of luck and keep us informed of how it goes!

 

[Usrudd]

Hey, thanks again. That's the solar charger I want too, and I think I will forget the M80 part. I will just go Solar and hope for the best. Have no idea what I need to buy in addition but I have a smart engineer helping me so I think I will be ok. You are awesome to be so helpful and kind. I'm doing all this for about five chicks I want to get next spring and start a new hobby. I love this blog and website. Thank you for being so welcoming to new comers.

Bets,
Ursula

Ps. Which of those parmak units should I get for my 6 by 10 coop and run set up? The fence will be outside, of course, some extra feet. Thoughts? I see they have a six cell, and 12 cell?

 

[Howard E]

Depending on the size of the perimeter fence run, I would think either should work. The coop/run being 6 x 10, but will you also be fencing in a yard or open ranging area (perhaps using wire or poultry netting) or is this just to keep bears from breaking into a secure coop/run? If a large area, I'd lean towards bigger is better in the fencer. Even more so if you think you might have issues keeping the weed load down. Fencers will keep shocking, even in contact with weeds.......to a point. But weeds also bleed off some of the smack.

BTW, an electric fence is good for a lot of other things besides bears. Scan the list of predator problems and bears don't show up very often. Foxes, raccoons, coyotes, skunks, possums, weasels, dogs, cats and a lot of others do. Electric fences work to keep them at bay as well. Given any chance at all, you can count on the fact that there will be a whole host of predators will be ready, willing and able to clean you out. A good hot fence is what keeps them at bay in the distance and a good tight coop is the ultimate defense at ground zero. In this, you are ahead of the curve as you are planning for them even before you have a coop. Most find out after they have been cleaned out, or at least have suffered some serious losses.

 

[Usrudd]

Yes exactly. We have those other pests as well, so I will be protecting against them too. I feel like the five strand method would be most useful for me. That was a recommendation from something the local bear experts linked me. And yes I will have them being able to run around a bit but I thought that would be in my overall yard which is extensive. I know I can't fence everything! I wish I could, though.

So I guess I would say even if then coop and run are 6x10... The fenced area could be 12 X 20ft. Does that sound reasonable somewhere in there I'll plant some shrubs and perennials too so as to pretty it up. I'm planning on building the Wichita cabin coop from this website, and maybe incorporating a slide out board somehow -- dunno- under the roosts-- so as to minimize cleanup. You sound super experienced, so if u have a thought about that I'd welcome it too. I love having this forum to visit so as to discuss things with knowledgeable people out there.

Have a great day!

Ursula

 

[Usrudd]

Hello again,

I'm going to visit Tractor Supply this week and see what they have for solar powered electric fencing. I'm investigating now what to attach this electric fence to, as I live pretty much on a ledge outcropping in VT. I think I need to put up something "sturdy" enough so that a bear does not just rip it off and fling it over the hill. Not sure what to do. I'm hoping the people at the tractor supply know something about this. I thought I'd check in with you as well, as you def seem like an authority to me. In the video that we both saw, it appears like that persons elec fence is mounted on a serious wooden fence. Ideally a split rail would be nice but I do not think I have enough soil to get posts into the ground. I'm hoping there's a solution.

If you have any ideas please write me.

Best wishes,
Ursula