Electric Fence / Hot Wire questions

[TXmom]

We have decided that we definitely want a hot wire around the outside of our coop and run because of coyotes, possums, our dogs, etc. But I don't know anything about running these wires. What do you do about the door in the run? Do you just have a door that opens to the inside, then step over the wire? If you run the wire up and over the door, then that section is unprotected, and that doesn't sound good to me.

 

[Eric in NC]

There are several solutions for entry ways/doors/gates. They involve a wire that has an insulated handle which hooks onto a latch on the other side of the door/gate.

You grab the handle, pull it off of the latch, set it aside and go through the door or gate.

Some just use the same type of wire as the rest of the fence. Some are spring loaded (my choice).

Any place that sells electric fence stuff will have them.

 

[raindrop]

The other option would be to fortify the door area- dig down and fill the strip below the door with concrete, then use a chain link door that fits fairly tightly. Then the electric wire could reinforce the weaker parts of the fence.
You could string the wire across the door temporarily to "train" your own dogs if you need to.
Just an idea, I have a door like I described above but no electric around the chickens. I use an electric net to enclose the waterfowl at night.