Electric Fence Energizers

[June2012]

I'm going to set up an electric fence around my yard to protect my quail against coyotes, neighborhood dogs, cats, raccoons, and what have you. My yard isn't too large at about 2000 sq ft or so.

I don't know what to get for the energizer. Should I get the 0.1 Joule or 0.2 Joule charger? The 0.1 Joule looks like it'd only keep my quail in and be ineffective for keeping predators, but then, the 0.2 Joule looks like it'd hurt a child or dog on contact and possibly overkill... Help!

 

[Trish1974]

I have a 0.5 joule, 25 mile, Zareba charger I use around my 2,400 sq. ft. run (its wrapped around 4 times). My old high school burned-out buddy touched it last year and said it felt like a really hard static shock. I register 7,500 volts when I test it. Of course your set up will vary due to your grounding and such, but hopefully that gives you some idea of what kind of jolt they have.

 

[The Phantom]

Mine charger is super strong. It’s only 2 joules but it runs 13,000 volts. Lol

 

[June2012]

So 0.1 Joule is too weak? I should do at least 0.5 Joule then?

 

[Trish1974]

So 0.1 Joule is too weak? I should do at least 0.5 Joule then?

I vote for the 0.5 joule unit. Strong enough to get the point across but not strong enough to seriously hurt someone.

 

[Sequel]

I'm going to set up an electric fence around my yard to protect my quail against coyotes, neighborhood dogs, cats, raccoons, and what have you. My yard isn't too large at about 2000 sq ft or so.

I don't know what to get for the energizer. Should I get the 0.1 Joule or 0.2 Joule charger? The 0.1 Joule looks like it'd only keep my quail in and be ineffective for keeping predators, but then, the 0.2 Joule looks like it'd hurt a child or dog on contact and possibly overkill... Help!

Hi there! I don't have a great big one, I just looked and couldn't find any joule info on it. I was worried about my 2 year old grandson, I always try to remember just to shut it off when he's here. I read something somewhere about dangers if toddlers hit a hot wire with their heads. Don't remember where of course. Last week he grabbed it with his hand and had an unpleasant surprise but no harm.

Unless you're running miles of wire I wouldn't bother with a huge one, put some foil tabs on the wire with a little peanut butter and whatever goes in for a sniff isn't going to want to repeat the experience. Having said that, whatever kind you get, make sure it is installed and grounded correctly and if you're in an urban or suburban area post signs. Although I have no trespassing signs I just reminded myself I should have electric fence signs as well. Good luck!

Cathy

 

[June2012]

I vote for the 0.5 joule unit. Strong enough to get the point across but not strong enough to seriously hurt someone.

Hm, ok! I looked around and they said that coyotes and wolves need around 4000 to 5000 volts of output, so the 0.5 joule would be perfect!

Hi there! I don't have a great big one, I just looked and couldn't find any joule info on it. I was worried about my 2 year old grandson, I always try to remember just to shut it off when he's here. I read something somewhere about dangers if toddlers hit a hot wire with their heads. Don't remember where of course. Last week he grabbed it with his hand and had an unpleasant surprise but no harm.

Unless you're running miles of wire I wouldn't bother with a huge one, put some foil tabs on the wire with a little peanut butter and whatever goes in for a sniff isn't going to want to repeat the experience. Having said that, whatever kind you get, make sure it is installed and grounded correctly and if you're in an urban or suburban area post signs. Although I have no trespassing signs I just reminded myself I should have electric fence signs as well. Good luck!

Cathy

I did some extra research and like I said in the above post, electric fences for coyotes need at least 4000 to 5000 volts. A 0.5 joule energizer fits the bill perfectly!

Your comment about your grandson made me think about my neighbors...haha. (Got no kids myself!) I was thinking of rigging electric net fencing, but now I'm worried that a neighborhood kid could get tangled in it. >.> Maybe a few strands of wire is better?

 

[Sequel]

I only have the hot wire around my garden/chicken coop compound which is inside a 6 foot woven wire field fence. We put the hot wire on the outside of that at about nose level to an average to large dog. I didn't have much luck at keeping anything out with just multiple electric fence wires. The canids went under and the deer went over.

At the horse facility down the road they use multiple electric wires only on a few pens, the horses stay in but everything else comes and goes. When it's important , expensive show horses or vulnerable sheep, goats and chickens they use field fence or even cyclone fence with electric on top.

 

[June2012]

I only have the hot wire around my garden/chicken coop compound which is inside a 6 foot woven wire field fence. We put the hot wire on the outside of that at about nose level to an average to large dog. I didn't have much luck at keeping anything out with just multiple electric fence wires. The canids went under and the deer went over.

At the horse facility down the road they use multiple electric wires only on a few pens, the horses stay in but everything else comes and goes. When it's important , expensive show horses or vulnerable sheep, goats and chickens they use field fence or even cyclone fence with electric on top.

So electric fencing isn't effective against coyotes? I thought if you put the first electric wire six inches above the ground it would deter digging. o-o

If they use field fence, would electric netting work?

Also, thank you very much for helping!!!

 

[Sequel]

So electric fencing isn't effective against coyotes? I thought if you put the first electric wire six inches above the ground it would deter digging. o-o

If they use field fence, would electric netting work?

Also, thank you very much for helping!!!

I'm only relating what I've seen and dealt with here. I had to read back and you have a 2000 sq.ft area, yeah? You can try it and see. My chickens are my pets and I have a small flock so they are dear to me and I'm more comfortable with the barrier that the field wire and hardware cloth provide with the added zap to the nose of anyone who thinks about climbing up and over.

I read about electric netting and was thinking of getting some so I can rotate some pasture for day ranging. The problem for me was that is needs to be on very closely mowed grass, or it grounds itself out. That's what I heard. There is a farm nearby who use it for pastured egg hens, but they have giant movable tractors, a huge field and a livestock guardian dog. I don't think they energize it and half the chickens just hop over it. The coyotes tease the dog but the hawks are the ones that kill the most chickens. Oh and even though they offer tougher stuff nowadays, I wonder how long it would last. I have terribly vigorous grass and weeds, I'd be afraid of ripping it up if I miss a mowing, you know? I'd rather put my money in wire that'll be around for a while.

I have had no evidence of any digging anywhere, and my soil is mostly sandy loam. I like to think that the hotwire has discouraged the creeps from bothering further. I don't KNOW that, but the coyote tracks in the snow last month came down the hill and turned away from my chicken compound, so I figured they were trained, lol. My only loss so far is from a hawk.

Cathy