Building New Runs-Electric Fencing?

[CityChicker]

I am building new duck runs this year. I need something that can cover a large area and be predator proof. I would prefer not to have to add netting to the tops since I am using a fairly large area.

Does anyone have any ideas on what I could use that is fairly safe from predators? I am looking at using electric netting. Has anyone used this with good results? The main potential predators I have seen here are skunks (and quite a lot of them). We have also seen a few foxes and hear of the occasional coyote. Our property does also have a six foot wood privacy fence all around it, not that it would stop them (it may just slow them down I think).

Let me know what you think. Thanks!

 

[Judy]

Do you mean electric fencing or netting? Here's a thread about the netting: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=150879

Lots of folks on here use electric fence, including me, as I also have a yard too big to cover. Mine is the plain wire and plugs in; the solar/battery chargers are more expensive. No predator problems but I've only had it for a couple of months. I have 3 strands mounted outside a 6' galvanized fence. The dogs each touched it once, ran off yelping, and now won't go near the yard.

You'll probably find a lot more info on here about electric fencing than netting.

Not much info, but gives you a bump, anyway.

 

[CityChicker]

Thank you! I will read the other thread. I was talking about electric netting, but I have thought about using regular electric fencing as well. Ideally, I would like to fence about .25- .33 of an acre that I am going to plant as well.

 

[Der Alte]

I have the PoultryNet that Premier sells. Others sell it too but Premier's price was good. Also, if you call, a live, English speaking human answers the phone. The switch you to someone who gives you straight and useful answers to your questions.

My dog got his muzzle zapped and won't go near the fence. I might put him inside with the birds sometime. The birds don't mind him. He tries to lick them and obviously likes them. My dog is a 7 lb Yorkie who would lick any intruder - lick them on the hand, ear, ...

 

[CityChicker]

Thank you. I was looking at the ones Premier sells. Do you think it is strong enough to keep out larger predators, especially skunks? I know it says on their website it should. The other thing I wonder is if I could keep the fence up year round and how I would put a door in it. I don't think I am tall enough to step over it.

 

[crtrlovr]

I have the Premier net fencing. You don't need a door; just (disconnect the power supply FIRST!!) pull the end stake out of the ground and walk through. My husband (bless his heart!) drove 2 short sections of pipe into the ground where the last stake goes so it would be stable and not make holes over & over, causing the stakes not to fit tightly into the ground.

 

[patandchickens]

You can't use it year-round if you get snow. If you don't, you can use it year-round as long as your ground doesn't get too dry (they do sell a pos-neutral version that doesn't rely on ground rods and soil conductivity; but all things being equal it is not quite effective as the usual grounded version). Unless you are in an unusually nonwindy location, plan on using t-posts to tie the corners to.

Remember though you will have to keep moving it to mow underneath. The bottom strings are SO low that you cannot have hardly ANY weed growth, which in some places may have you mowing weekly or even more often. It isn't that hard or time consuming to move the fence for mowing but with a significant legth it will add up.

Honestly I would not rely on electric fence as my sole or main means of predator prevention. If it's inside a larger perimeter-fenced area, especially if that area is inhabited by other large livestock or poultry-friendly dogs or something, then it's a reasonable risk, but that's different from having electronet be the *only* thing between the birds and the predators.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[CityChicker]

Thank you all for all of the great information! Not being able to use it in snow is a concern for me. I may try a smaller size of the netting just to see how I like it first. It would be nice to have something like this to run my birds in after the breeding season so that they can enjoy foraging and being on the ground more. I don't know at this point if it is practical enough for all my runs though.