While I prefer solar chargers, there are also chargers that just run off of a battery. (Like a car battery.) I have used those in the past. You just have to remember to keep an eye on it and hook it up to a charger when necessary. My solar chargers get a LOOOT of sun in my location. But in the winter and such when it is foggy for days on end or very cloudy, the battery in them holds a charge for about 3 weeks.
Good to know that I have more options than just plugging into my house. Everything I had looked at seemed like that was the only option. I feel like I might forget to charge it sooo I will try and sun map my yard. Which has gotten easier with cameras placed all over.
When I was looking at the netting I saw it was all in one. Easy to buy and understand. But I haven’t seen anyone use it with existing fencing. Not the way you do but to put around a covered run attached to the coop. I’m only on .79 acres and am going to fence in an existing run. If I had more acreage I think the netting is the way I would go.
Here are the types I mentioned. (There are different brands and different prices, I just grabbed these for examples. I was also keeping horses and cattle IN. So I used chargers that have a longer range (Would "heat" MILES of fencing.) than you would need. These are also made to be OUTSIDE. Most electric ones are for indoor use ONLY. (The box needs to be housed indoors that is.)
My yard is not fenced, this was less expensive than a permanent fence for this area. There is fencing around this area of the yard, but coyotes come in the driveway. I meant to say all "year"! The coop is light wire, not secure without electricity.
My yard has permanent fencing except for “the back 40.” That’s the part of the yard closest to the woods that doesn’t get regularly used by us. I can see how electric would be cheaper than putting in a wooden fence. And coyotes in the driveway?! I’ve seen them around here before but never in my yard. The biggest thing I’ve seen is a bobcat. And that had me freaked out.
I would have to house the box outside. Unless I wanted to build a separate box for the box. Which would be do-able but if it isn’t necessary then why make more work. Would having more electricity available be better or worse? I don’t want to hurt the chickens but at the same time keep out anything big that might come along. Will the chargers that heat small mileage do that? My husband says we only need the five miles one. But I’m worried it won’t keep out the bobcat if it ventures to the yard.
I personally don't recommend Premier1 fencing. I live in upstate NY and my fence doesn't work if there's snow or even leaves. 1 inch of snow and it has low/no voltage. I think it's a good fence for the summer, and maybe as a perimeter of say a wooden fence, but not as a fence alone.
I want to use it as a perimeter for an existing run. To put around the outside. In the winter I figure I won’t be using it since there’s no predator activity. I could see the snow here, I’m in upstate NY too, ruining any fencing I have. Since it’s always so wet and heavy.
