Electric Fence

[Ted n Ms]

If i put up an Electric Fence around the bottom of my yard (2X4 welded wire) (50'X 50') about 2'' from the ground. Will this help keep out varmints? I could also run one around the top.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Will this help keep out varmints?

Yes, but you will have to keep the grass off of it.

Aprons are better for stopping diggers, and electric fence is better for climbers​

 

[Ted n Ms]

Thanks i do have weed burner fencer charger and also can use herbercide. Mabe i can find some chainlink fence for an apron.

 

[Debbi]

If you have snow where you live, it will cover the wire 2" off the ground and ground it out; no shock. If you have a solar charger, it will drain the battery. If you are talking about a chicken run when you say "yard", then the welded wire would be used like an apron. I have a 2 foot apron all around the ground on the outside of the run, tacked to the frame, and then covered it in gravel.

 

[Ted n Ms]

No snow.... Well maybe a half inch a year for about one day.

 

[wyoDreamer]

I used a single strand of electric fence placed 4" above the ground and inside the fence to keep my Husky from digging out and running loose. Worked like a charm. She would actually lay on it and be insulated from shock by her dense fur, but the fur on her legs was not as heavy and it stopped her digging out after only one shock. However, she could hear when the fencer was on, and as soon as it was off, she would start digging.

I would suggest a second strand at the top of the fence to deter the climbers. A friend did this and it kept his two great danes from jumping a 4' chainlink fence.

 

[Clay Valley Farmer]

Thanks i do have weed burner fencer charger and also can use herbercide.

Do you really want to put down herbercide where your chickens will be eating?

Weed burners do work to an extent, but they are not a solution to weed and grass, esp if you are trying to run a wire a couple inches off the ground. Also 2" off the ground is pretty low, lots of critters would step over that without ever knowing it was there and any amount of wet weather and it will be shorting to ground.

Problem I can see is 2x4 welded wire has fairly large openings in it and a small preditor like a mink or weasle could easily miss the hot wire and sneak through the bars a racoon could reach trough if it could get clear of the electric.

What I have found to work is putting the hot wire a nose level for the expected preditors, for us it is skunks and racoons and maybe a coyote or stray cat/dog and space the hot wire off the fence a good 5-6 inches. This way any preditor gets a snap well before it even gets to mess with the fence. Also seems that diggers want to get right up next to the fence before going down so putting a hot wire a distance off the fence puts a wrinkle into their plans. For that matter you could put it farther yet, but I like to ground the fencing to get maximum snap effect bettween grounded fence and hot wire should something try and climb or reach in.

Snow if you get it (really) is not that hard to deal with, just run 2 or more hot wires a few inches apart and have something set up to disconnect the lowest wires as snow builds. Once there is any real amount of snow and the ground is frozen digging is not really an issue and may preditors are less active anyway.​

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
Oh, you lucky dog!

When I had the electric working on mine, it did manage to run off a nosey coyote. I had two strands, 6" and 3' off the ground. I could hear him yelping all the way back to the woods! He's not been back since. Just be sure to check the 2" line often. Real heavy weeds and moles that can pile up dirt on the line will ground it out too.

 

[Shai]

Quote:
Do you really want to put down herbercide where your chickens will be eating?

Weed burners do work to an extent, but they are not a solution to weed and grass, esp if you are trying to run a wire a couple inches off the ground. Also 2" off the ground is pretty low, lots of critters would step over that without ever knowing it was there and any amount of wet weather and it will be shorting to ground.

Problem I can see is 2x4 welded wire has fairly large openings in it and a small preditor like a mink or weasle could easily miss the hot wire and sneak through the bars a racoon could reach trough if it could get clear of the electric.

What I have found to work is putting the hot wire a nose level for the expected preditors, for us it is skunks and racoons and maybe a coyote or stray cat/dog and space the hot wire off the fence a good 5-6 inches. This way any preditor gets a snap well before it even gets to mess with the fence. Also seems that diggers want to get right up next to the fence before going down so putting a hot wire a distance off the fence puts a wrinkle into their plans. For that matter you could put it farther yet, but I like to ground the fencing to get maximum snap effect bettween grounded fence and hot wire should something try and climb or reach in.

Snow if you get it (really) is not that hard to deal with, just run 2 or more hot wires a few inches apart and have something set up to disconnect the lowest wires as snow builds. Once there is any real amount of snow and the ground is frozen digging is not really an issue and may preditors are less active anyway.

Great info, thanks for sharing!

 

[OldGuy43]

Quote:
Warning!!! If you live in a dry area and don't keep the weeds cut back the fence can start a brush fire.