Electric Fence for Chicken Protection

[Chickidee26]

You may be able to use the posts that you will have the chicken wire attached to, it depends on which connectors you use. Tractor Supply has a variety. You will want the electric wire to be far enough away from the chicken wire so that it doesn't cause sparks or the elctric pathway doesn't get cancelled. If it gets cancelled, such as if it touches the chicken wire, which is touching the ground, it will not work. We did 7 rows amd attached them to 6 foot metal posts. We have our coop (4x4) and run(8x8) attached to each other and the electric fence goes around the entire area. There is about 4 feet of space between the electric fence and the coop/run, so that the grass can be cut with a push mower. I do not believe it has raised the electric bill very much and we have a very strong one that will deter a bear. No worries, there are no stupid questions.

Thank you. I was thinking of having the chicken wire on the inside of the post (4x4) and the electric fence on the outside of the post? In other words 4” apart...do you think that is too close?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Hmmmm......not sure what your question is???

As for going through woods, etc, it can be done.....works best to clear a pathway......enough to have a clear pathway on both sides of the fence. Serves two purposes: you don't want any weeds, shrubs, brush touching the fence to ground it out.....and want an opening so predators and birds recognize it as a boundary.

Perimeter of 240 acre farm across the road is fenced with single strand of wire fence. It is powered by ancient ParMak 30 mile fencer......AC.....and not on a GFIC outlet. It is grounded out all over the place, yet still serves up a good shock without going south, as it is an AC fencer. A battery powered one wouldn't last more than a few days with that level of weed load. It is basically the only thing keep in a herd of over 100 cow/calf pairs and some bulls.

Downside of going through woods for chickens is if there is a connected tree canopy over the fence. If there is, coons can go over the fence through the trees.

I'm having that same conundrum. We just bought a house on a little bit of land. We want to fence off about half an acre for the chickens and goats, but a chunk of it is wooded. I could fence all the way out to the road and completely surround the trees. We were originally planning to just wiring the pens and runs, but I'd love for the chickens to be able to roam a bit without babysitting (that'swhat I do now).
Decisions, decisions...

 

[cmom]

Hmmmm......not sure what your question is???

As for going through woods, etc, it can be done.....works best to clear a pathway......enough to have a clear pathway on both sides of the fence. Serves two purposes: you don't want any weeds, shrubs, brush touching the fence to ground it out.....and want an opening so predators and birds recognize it as a boundary.

Perimeter of 240 acre farm across the road is fenced with single strand of wire fence. It is powered by ancient ParMak 30 mile fencer......AC.....and not on a GFIC outlet. It is grounded out all over the place, yet still serves up a good shock without going south, as it is an AC fencer. A battery powered one wouldn't last more than a few days with that level of weed load. It is basically the only thing keep in a herd of over 100 cow/calf pairs and some bulls.

Downside of going through woods for chickens is if there is a connected tree canopy over the fence. If there is, coons can go over the fence through the trees.

My brother did the same thing with his pasture and a single hot line.