Anyone use Electric poultry netting?

[smiley]

Thinking about getting this. Want to move my flock to a larger paddock. The area is about 1/2 to 3/4 of an acre. I have it fenced with 4 rail board and diamond mesh. But, a fox got in and munched a chicken last time (I caught him in the act and he got my favorite hen, daisy). So, I moved them to my fenced in backyard.

Anyone have luck with electric poultry netting? Hens will be free ranged during day..no rooster. I have a portable coop and figure I can move the netting and coop across paddock.

But, how easy is this type of fencing to use? Is it effective?

What about in the winter? I am in New England.

Anyone ever use it with a solar type of battery?

How do you get in? Is there a gate or something? Sorry..I am pretty pathetic when it comes to things like this!

How good is it at deterring coyotes and foxes?

We are getting a german shepherd puppy this summer so that should deter some predators as, hopefully, he will patrol around paddock.

Please let me know your thoughts as I plan on moving my coop out there as soon as the ground firms back up after the winter thaw.....

 

[KirstenJL]

I am a new chicken owner and I have a shed-type coop with a small attached run with electrified poultry netting from Premier1 surrounding the whole set-up. I just got my chickens (as day-olds) in November so I haven't had a lot of experience with it yet. There is definitely a learning curve with the fence (at least for me). The Premier people are very helpful but you have to know what to ask. I started out getting a solar charger, but then found out it must be in full sun for it to be effective. I returned it for an Intellishock battery unit and that has been fine except I found out that it must be covered or rain will disable it (I use a small plastic bin). The battery unit sits on a grounding stake and that has to be at least 40 feet away from other grounds--wells, satellite dishes, etc. This was an issue for me since I have my chickens in a big immobile coop in a relatively small back yard.

I got the temporary netting, but then ended up getting extra support poles for it. This type of netting doesn't need a gate--you just tie the ends together, but it's kind of awkward pulling it in and out of the ground and when the ground is frozen, they're stuck. I just bend one pole aside when I go in and out.

Snow drains the charge from the fence to some extent (I cleared it away from the fence as much as I could) and our recent inch of ice totally disabled it. Luckily the chickens were just as happy to be inside for the duration! The fence died overnight a couple of nights ago and after hunting around on the Premier site found that a likely cause is the plastic netting touching the metal spikes on the support poles. Sure enough--fixed that and now the fence is fine.

I know that it works though--just today witnessed a big dog nose the wire and take off for the far horizon. It didn't stop running for as long as I could see it!

Good luck!

 

[MakNugget]

What a coincidence. I just installed mine this morning, and so far I love it.

I'm using product from Premiere 1 as well, but instead of using PoultryNet, I chose PermaNet, which is supposed to be sturdier. They offer single or double spike. I chose double spike and it works better than expected. I bought the support poles as well, but I find it unnecessary at the moment. The site makes an effort that the PermaNet is easier to handle with two people, but it's really not that bad by yourself. I only have 25' and 50' rolls so I'm sure the 100' would be a handful, but the 50' wasn't even any more difficult than the 25'. Installation is just as easy as they outline in the instructional videos.

Here's a tip if you're going to buy from Premiere 1 then learn from my mistake. Buy what you need except for the support stakes first. The reason is that most things they sell free of shipping charges -- my entire order was free except the stakes. The support stakes (6' 11/16") are considered odd sized and aren't covered in their free shipping option. Since it looks like I won't need them for their intended purpose, I'm stuck with them, plus about 35 in shipping.

There is no "gate" per se, but rather you plan your layout so that where you want to enter is where two sets of netting meet. Pull one end out and stick it to the side and voila, you have a gate.

I have their brown suitcase solar charger kit and it seems to be easy to use. We don't get full sun but it's not a big deal for me since I only plan to use it on weekends. If you plan on using it during cold months, you're better off using an energizer with a deep cycle battery or a plug in energizer.

The chickens loved their time outside the run, doing a great job eating up the weeds and scratching the dirt. Every once in a while I'll hear them get zapped from getting too thorough at weed pulling around the fence, but I think they are figuring it out.

 

[snowflake]

I love the premier 1 fence also although I do not have the electrical unit. I use the fence as an extension to their area or to keep them out of an area. It is easy to move and set up I usually set it up and move it by myself. I have the double spike as we have clay and I thought it would be sturdier. I have a 100ft. I do not use it in winter as we have an ample run are attached to the coop and they don't go far from the coop in the winter anyhow. Mine do not like the snow.

 

[smiley]

Thank you, everyone! This forum is so wonderful! Those were exactly the kind of responses that I was looking for....

 

[foxinachickenhouse]

Ours has been set up for about 10 months. Got the semi permanent fence and solar charger and am totally happy. Charger keeps trucking on even in the rainy PNW. The more permanent fence is still very easy to move but sturdier all around. We are overrun with raccoons and have had no issues with the fence being breached. One silkie gets under it though, little rascal. Dog touched it once and then wouldn't go near it ever again. I know of one other person that had this setup liked it too. He moved it in a pie shape all around his coop to rotate pasture areas and that was the only protection his flock had. Never breached with coyotes, foxes, roaming dogs about. Only thing, the wires that come with the solar charger were chintzy. They dont clamp well and fall off charger. I had to tape them on. And they are short.

 

[kelidei]

I am glad I found this thread... been thinking about it... BUT my biggest problem is from above... Hawks

wish I could figure something out with that... I know they would love to escape their yards ... because they try at every opportunity!

 

[IndigoJaguar]

If you have somethings in their yard for them to hide under hawks shouldn't be a big problem. My rooster always warned my girls when there was a hawk and they would run under the house. BUT we live in a woods too.