Electric Fence Question

[Casey3043]

If I put two wires, bottom (8 in from ground) and top (sticking out six inches or so toward the outside) of a chain link fence, will this be enough to deter raccoons, coyotes and foxes? The fence is 5 feet tall.

If the raccoon climbs the fence, how will he get shocked at the top if he is no longer in contact with the ground?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[RedStarDaddy]

Ground the fence.

RSD

 

[jenjscott]

If your chain link is on metal post in the ground, it is grounded enough. If it's dog pen panels, you may want to wire it to a stake driven in the ground.

 

[Casey3043]

I bought an 8 foot ground rod. So if the coon is in contact with the fence, which is in the ground, and the wire at the same time, he will get a shock?

Cool!

Are two wires enough?

 

[twentynine]

I would bring the bottom wire down to aroung 6". Top wire I would not offset so far. But, to answer your question it would protect your chickens very well. You will have to check it daily and remove any vegatation that might intergfere with it.
Run the groung wire to a ground rod of atleast 6' long and also ground to the fence. That way anything touching the fence and hot wire will get the business.

 

[twentynine]

Quote:
Yes and yes! Cheap quick and easy.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
I've fried two squirrels who had the bad luck to crawl through a chainlink fence and grab hold of the hot wire while their back legs were still on the chainlink.
You really do have to check your fence often because a dead squirrel will ground it out

 

[Casey3043]

Hmmm! Thanks for the help and input. I had squirrels ravaging my corn patch this summer. I think I will include the garden in my electric wire, as it also has chain link and is adjacent to the chicken yard.

Can't wait to get it up, but must get out there with a weed eater first, and maybe some Roundup to clear the bottom of the fence.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

I ran the hot wires on mine at 6", 12", 30", and at the top of my kennel/run. I also drove 3 8' ground rods 10' apart. Not being satisfied with the results due to dry earth, I then tied the last ground rod to the kennel. I also put an 18" apron out of chicken wire around the perimeter of the kennel and grounded it also. Now my readings from the cage to the hot wire is 11,000 to 11,500 volts. It may be over kill but I've only lost two birds to predators in the last 17 years, and we have plenty of predators. I figure the money I've spent on chooks and their necessities, whats another $200.00 for a good electric fence? I have a 50mile fencer on a 10x10 run as of now. As I add more runs, I will just connect the fencer to them also. Nothing like the screaming of a predator in the middle of the night.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
You may have thus far avoided sad accidents with this, but I would like to suggest that this is probably NOT a good idea for other people to do. There is no value to it and it makes the fence a lot more dangerous to pets, livestock, and people -- who YES, CAN get injured or killed in various ways in electric fences, especially if you do things like that.

JMHO,

Pat, big fan of electric fences used *properly*, not a big fan of having a gratuitous electrocution risk in the backyard