Electric fence

[JackE]

The same sort of things happen with any loose mesh/net fence, electric or not.

Except the turtles and the snake, did not get tangled in the fence. The turtles looked like they just pushed into the fence, and stayed there. Looks like all they had to do was back up. The snake had just run over the bottom strand, and I guess with the repeated shocks, just could not go all the way through, and could not back up. I did not have to untangle him at all. Just shut off the fence and pulled him out. And the mantis, he just grabbed the fence and held on. Getting his front legs off the fence, was more difficult than the turtles, or the snake.

 

[CrazyTalk]

I've got miles of electric fence up right now (well, mile) - and I've never had any issues with animals getting caught it in. I don't use poultry netting though - I use woven wire fence and hot lines in various places ( a couple near the ground and a couple at the top) - and I've never had any problems with it killing animals.

So, this may be a YMMV thing, but I think it's something specific with poultry netting.

 

[farley redfield]

closer is better. and you said why. if you want room for weed eating, raise the wire to 6 -12"
from ground. anything big is going to be hit by a fence 6"
up but can step over a shorter wire. a dog will stand on hind legs and not touch a low wire.

 

[gotthefever]

Hey there,

I would skip the tpost strand idea. More work expense and may not work as well as you would hope.

You could attach the insulators directly to coop and run, quick and easy. It will save money, and might avoid a big pain making and using a gate.

****Also, strand electric must have a second barrier visible to the critter (they don't get to touch it, so it doesnt have to be sturdy, but they need to NOT be able to figure out they can skip through the wires to open ground (see raccoon and foxes in the vineyard) earlier.

Also. I have a 10 by 10 chain link, electrified. I bought the smallest charger and the electric jumps on a wire to the pen about 30 feet, wraps around twice.....even the gate which is only wired connected through the handle gets 5000 on the meter. You are not fencing miles ...

My coon hound hit it months ago and will still not go into the back yard.

(SO bought the "big charger", we have the same output, just sayin.)


As others said, strand down low, to deter diggers, about 7 inches higher for nosers.....up to as many as you wish. If you feel that something can avoid the lower wires by jumping or climbing, a strand of hot plus a strand of ground near the top, close enough so they touch both at the same time. FYI - raccoons are not known to jump up onto something.

-A

p.s. fox tracks and possum tracks in the snow travelling within a few feet f the run, do not even stop to investigate. Good these are trained . IT works.