Dogs and Electric Fences

[alibabba]

Oh, I don't know if I posted this. I lost 2 bantams last year to Coopers Hawk. The big chickens are too much for it. Kept them all peenned for a few days and all was well. ,
A few weeks ago lost a broodies chick, I assume to the same type hawk, it was just gone.
I was lucky enough to squirt the Hawk with a hose (while rousting my chickens out of my garden) but same day I ran the zig zag string, no problems since.

ETA its not pretty, but ill try to get a pic of that and the electric strands and the set up.

 

[mesafox101]

Cats are more likely to go after chicks - they prefer helpless targets. Adult chickens can put up a good fight especially if they do it en masse.

my cat would probably get beat up by a chick lol

 

[Roscoe2k2]

"I grew up successfully around hotwire several decades ago, and by measures of those that know me, everything turned out OK with no mental scars directly attributable to getting shocked. My young kids (6 an 4) are well adjusted to fencing and it have helped expand their vocabulary and technical thinking."

Yes.perfectly safe. My kids touch it for fun. 6,9, 11,15.

I bumped my bottom into it many times on the horse farm where I worked. Surprising, but not the least painful more like a static electric shock.

 

[Roscoe2k2]

Cats? I have never worried about cat's getting chickens.

I'm newbie..still learning.

Gathering as much as possible..here and there...btw happy new year folks


I've been at work..have to catch up here

 

[Howard E]

Humorous update........walked past the fence a few days back and noticed the fence was limp in a few spots......something had hit it hard enough to loosen the wires. Thought it might be helpful to talk about and was in the process of shooting a few photos when I look up to find a big white pit bull dog bearing down on me. Was coming from the direction of one neighbor, but did not belong to them. Had not seen it before at all. It was being accompanied by a smaller pug.......pit bull's little toady.

Anyway, dog is coming directly at me at full speed........not snarling or growling, so I assume just wanted to check me out and perhaps be petted.......except between me and her was that fence......that she didn't see.......so ran right into it. I yelled, "stop" and "don't do it", but that did not help. She is into the fence and a split second later, dog lets out a yelp.....winces.......I see the pain on it's face......and heads off straight away from me and didn't stop to look back until it was 100 feet away. It stood there looking, sniffing and then headed on off towards another neighbors house....toady following along as good toadys are wont to do.

Judging from the yelling that took place over there, dogs had gone walkabout without permission. Just the type of thing you expect dogs that show up unannounced to kill your chickens would do.

BTW, when it was all over, I look behind me and there are the birds......no more than 50 feet away and in full view......taking it all in....in a nervous sort of way.

PS: This is what the fence looked like after the pit bull hit it. Need to do the tighten up.
Also, if you look close, the 2nd white step in post is leaning out several inches. That is a sign that whatever hit the fence the first time hit it from the inside.....it was trying to get out. That happens sometimes.......when going in......they are partially through when the fence bites em......they jump forward.......and are then trapped inside. So gotta find a way out. Some of them will panic and hit the fence at a dead run trying to get out.......in which case, they pop through or if it snags them.......they may get a second dose of "burning love".

 

[Folly's place]

Here we have deer that do that sometimes too.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

I wonder if that dog ever comes back? Does he think you did it, or realize it was the fence? Only time will tell.
Mary

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I wonder if that dog ever comes back? Does he think you did it, or realize it was the fence? Only time will tell.
Mary

I had my own dog inadvertently get bitten by a temporary electric fence. As long as this dog lived (6 more years) he would never again cross the place that the temporary fence guarded. However he would happily cross the former electric fence location if he was headed in the opposite direction from the direction he was headed when he first got shocked. Such is the brain function of animals. This is what some posters refer to when they say that electric fences educate the varmites. This is especially true because there is no explanation in the varmints' mind to explain the sudden and very painful shock or bite. All he wants at all costs is not to repeat the lesson. Which is great to me because it tends to keep the varmint in question at bay.

 

[Mama Runner]

I'm old school I guess. This is my property and I shouldn't have to worry about your dog coming over here. Not just to protect my animals but myself and the hoard of kids that are always here. I will shoot them and leave them right where they lay. I should not have to worry about the safety of my property and family. They need to take care of their animals!!!!

 

[Howard E]

Mama:

While I appreciate the sentiment, herein lies the problem. The event happened so fast, there was no time to react.....i.e., get a gun and start shooting. Time lapse between when I noticed the dogs presence and when it hit the fence was no more than 5 seconds. And that was with me standing right there. Had I even been in the house with my head turned, I would not have known about the trouble until it was too late. After the fact. Maybe then I could have grabbed a gun and got em both and started a feud with whoever it was they belonged to, but by then, the damage would have been done.

That is the beauty of an electric fence. It is ALWAYS ready to protect. On guard 24/7 doing it's job, with or without me. Dog........with bejeezers blasted out of him.....but still very much alive.......is gone and having suffered a most unpleasant shock, most likely will not be coming back......chickens alive and doing well. End result was no drama, no repercussions and a return to a quiet, peaceful afternoon. Just what everyone wants.

PS: I should also mention that we live on 10 acres. Dogs were just visitors to the house across the road......a house on 500 acres. Owners probably let them out into the yard not thinking they would run off as they did. Dogs......being dogs.......just took off. Its wide country with not many yard fences to stop them. I had heard them yelling at something only moments before, so they were aware that the dogs had took off, and they were trying to get them back. So not something they were intentionally allowing to happen....it just did. If that was something that happened daily, we would have a problem, but not under circumstances outlined above.

But again, fence saved the day so in this case, "no harm, no foul".