Electric fence hardware cloth

[Morning_Star]

I was researching electric fences as a future project when I had a shower thought.

Say I wanted to protect the hens at night only with electricity and the hens sleep above ground surrounded by wood. Couldn't I just electrify the hardware cloth instead of using electric wires? I googled galvanizing process and it is conductive.

 

[saysfaa]

Electric fences need wires that are separated from the ground by either air or insulators. The current wont flow through the wire - or whatever touches it - past where the hot wire connects to the ground.

 

[cmom]

I have electric wires around my coops and pens. I do have my fence grounded so if anything touches the fence wire and the electric wires they will know it. I have several cameras up around on my property and the predators do avoid the pens. I think some may have tested them in the past. I think the adults teach their youg that whatever is on the other side isn't worth getting zapped for. I have a quite powerful fence charger and when anything touches the hot wires, they will hurt, but that is the idea. I want them to hurt so they will know whatever is on the other side isn't worth getting zapped for. Good luck...

 

[McChooky]

Electric fences need wires that are separated from the ground by either air or insulators. The current wont flow through the wire - or whatever touches it - past where the hot wire connects to the ground.

I was researching electric fences as a future project when I had a shower thought.

Say I wanted to protect the hens at night only with electricity and the hens sleep above ground surrounded by wood. Couldn't I just electrify the hardware cloth instead of using electric wires? I googled galvanizing process and it is conductive.

In an alternate electric fence you connect your charger to a ground rod then run a couple strands of BOTH hot and ground wires around the coop. (connect the hot and ground separately)Anything touching both at the same time would get zapped. Run one ground wire from the ground rod to the mesh. Then Anything touching the mesh and a hot wire would get zapped.

 

[McChooky]

In an alternate electric fence you connect your charger to a ground rod then run a couple strands of BOTH hot and ground wires around the coop. (connect the hot and ground separately)Anything touching both at the same time would get zapped. Run one ground wire from the ground rod to the mesh. Then Anything touching the mesh and a hot wire would get zapped.

You're going to kill yourself and your chickens or someone else if you put "juice" on the mesh. Don't do it.

 

[saysfaa]

Stombergs have electric poultry netting. It won't help if you were trying to use hardware cloth you already have. I was browsing for other things and didn't read the description so do not know if it is intended for predator protection.