does anyone use the kencove or premier poultry netting?

[risfawnser67]

Happy New Year!

We use the Premier 1 electric netting and it is a godsend!!!! No predators except those that can come from overhead and our chicks are too big and have too much cover for hawks and owls.
We raised chickens 20 years ago and I said, "never again." I spent all my time and money fighting the possums, minks, weasels, coons and foxes by digging in wire everywhere. But now, voila, the netting does it and we have about a quarter of an acre that is nice and secure and a flock of 21 happy chicks. We have used it since March 2008 and it has worked flawlessly. In dry weather, it can be a little challenging to move in that you have to use a spike and hammer to make a hole because the soil is so hard.
I can't say enough positive things about it; it is just a HUGE relief to have and if you order online, Premier gives you free freight. It would be a bargain at double the price.

 

[mtnhomechick]

Quote:
That's a nice looking set up you have there.

 

[Kiser]

Has Anyone had issues with Kencoves Plastic feet on there post??
I bought some of there electric netting 3 months ago and already I have 9 cracked, twisted or bent plastic feet post.
At this stage unless they address this issue I wouldn't recommend to anyone

 

[figurin-out]

i'm thinking of buying the poultry netting to keep the flock on our property mainly and hopefully a bit more protected while outside.  i'm curious to know if anyone else uses it and what their experience has been with it before i order it.  i guess i'd probably have to trim some primary feathers on my guineas and peafowl since they would be likely to fly over the fence(?).  and would this netting deter hawks or would they fly down into the "chicken paddock" anyway?

I use Kencove electric poultry fence and love it. Call them, they are veryhelpful. They recommended i buy 1 section to see how it holds up through the winter in Ohio. It did great. Used with the correct charger it knocks me on my but when I get poked. I have heard Pradators howling into the woods after tangling with the fence. Won't protect from birds of prey. To do that, I used t-posts with nylon baling twine to create a Spider Web over the run. Works like a charm and only cost $29 for the twine since I had the posts. I used less than 1 spool to cover a 35x50 area.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I use Kencove electric poultry fence and love it. Call them, they are veryhelpful. They recommended i buy 1 section to see how it holds up through the winter in Ohio. It did great. Used with the correct charger it knocks me on my but when I get poked. I have heard Pradators howling into the woods after tangling with the fence. Won't protect from birds of prey. To do that, I used t-posts with nylon baling twine to create a Spider Web over the run. Works like a charm and only cost $29 for the twine since I had the posts. I used less than 1 spool to cover a 35x50 area.

How were you able to use the netting in winter? Doesn't it just ground out as soon as snow gets deep enough to touch the lowest wire?

I've the 48", 164' net kit with hotgate and AC/DC P5 Patriot charger kit. Using the volt meter that comes with kit I get over 4k volts when first set up and then do to shifting, sagging and grass growing it goes to the 3k volt indication so adjust fence each week to keep it at full shock.


General remarks on electric fencing and poultry:

With two people the fence can be relocated in two hours. I do that every two to three weeks. To slightly move to reset tight, and mow the grass edge only takes one person half an hour to hour. Basic maintenance once per week. My birds spent the first day realizing the fence gave a shock and now avoid it by a good two feet at all times. Since they never dealt with any kind of fence before and are educated about this fence don't even attempt to fly over. They were educated at 12 weeks of age and at 17 weeks old now none ever breached the 4 feet. They'll only get bigger which means they'll never try. We keep the birds in a grow out covered pen until good size (12 weeks) as a deterrent to hawks. Coop on stilts and fruit trees provide modest cover too.

 

[figurin-out]

When it snows I just turn off the fence and shake the snow off. Then turn it back on. I put extra fence posts in between each built in post. I got the version that has neutral on the bottom then alternates hot/neutral every other row. Kencove recommended that due to me wanting to use it year around. It doesn't short out as easily. I have the recommended 1 joule low impedance charger on it. And I'm not kidding when I said it knocks me on my butt. It even shocked me once when I wasn't touching the fence. I just had my arm reaching over the fence. I go out at night and listen for shorts. I can see the spark. I just rake or walk the perimeter and lift up the fence and kick the snow away if it shorts, but the snow really didn't cause too many problems. The leaves in the fall, when wet, shorted more often, but it only took about a half hour a week to rake the leaves into the center of the pen. I just keep a heavy duty lawn rake in the pen. I mow and weed around the fence. All fences require looking after to make sure the are effective and in good repair. There is no such thing as a maintenance free fence.

 

[centrarchid]

With deep snow events it takes predators time to determine the fence is not hot. I use dogs as well that reduce likelihood predators will invest time in testing fence.