I have electric poultry netting that I typically use for my birds... mostly to keep predators out. The netting is the typical 4x4" and doesn't hold in little chicks. So now I've got momma and little ones who want to hang out with the big guys, so here are the problems: - the fence doesn't hold in the little guys, but they generally stay with momma who can't get out - And I've been keeping the electricity off cause the little ones are only a few weeks old. Do you keep your electric fence on even with little chicks? It's a big jolt and I'm afraid they could really be hurt since their bodies aren't feathered out yet. At what age is it safe to turn the fence on?
I don't know that this will be at all helpful, but I will share my experience. I also use the electrified poultry net and my little guys just run in and out of it without even noticing! They continue to do this until they reach close to their mature size. Obviously, this is not ideal, but I have not yet constructed a solution. My plan is to build a couple of hardware-cloth clad chicken tractors this fall, one for my bantams and one for standard hens with their chicks while they are still young. Although we haven't lost any adult birds to hawks, our neighbors have lost MANY youngsters from their flock this year. The movable tractors should allow the little guys to graze safely.
thanks so much for sharing your experience. I also talked with my dil and she mentioned that their little ones never seem to even notice the electrical shock. So even though they go in and out, they will eventually feel it and realize that they should stay inside... i hope i hope i hope. or they'll be unable to fit through the fencing. Oh these chickens - they do sometimes drive ya crazy.
You might see about the Omlet fencing at https://www.omlet.us/shop/chicken_keeping/omlet_chicken_fencing/. It has near-ground spacing of 5cm/2inch squares. Or you might try making your own chick fencing using step-in poly portable fence posts or step-in fiberglass Sun guard portable fence posts from Tractor Supply and cutting bird netting for fruit trees from a nursery to fit, then putting them together with zip-ties/cable ties available at hardward stores and maybe even Walmart.
PS to my reply: Buy or, from heavy gauge wire, make your own yard/landscape staples (landscape fabric pins) to keep the escapers in. This would be less expensive than buying extra posts.
I wouldn't leave the fence off for fear that the chickens would become habituated to it being off and stick their heads through ones you turn it on and become entangled when they get a shock. I'm a worrier though. I'd construct something temporary for mama and chicks until they get feathers and can be in electric netting. How about use that plastic poultry netting inside the electric for them? If you put it maybe 3 feet from the fence I'd think even if a young bird jumped it, they'd be able to stay back from electric until you could rescue.
