Pat done a pretty good job.
One thing that I would add or ask. I assume you are actually going to have a containment fence, welded wire, chicken wire, hardware cloth wire and the elctric fence will be used to back - up or add a defensive measure to your coop?
I have five conductors-- all charged wires. I grounded the containment fence and used a six foot ground rod. So this is how it works. On a moist damp morning/night Mr Coon (substitute dog, cat, possum, skunk, mink as needed) walks up to my chicken yard, he sees the wire, so he sticks out his nose and because he is standing on earth he is delivered a zap, right to the nose/paw/booty whatever. Now on those hot summer days when it hasn't rained in a week or two the ground is dry, conductance is low, so Mr Coon standing on earth is no longer delivered a sure shot. But if Mr Coon walks up sniffs the wire with no zap, and then decides that he will climb/dig/ tear the fence as soon as he touches a charged wire and the containment fence, he is delivered a zap.
The one I use on my coop/run is a small nonpulsing A/C unit, trust me when it hits you, you ain't going to ignore it. Total length of charged wire is maybe 100yds. Plus it is grounded very well.
I have a solar charger that I use to contain horses, Pat is correct in saying that the estimate given is for PERFECT conditions. Mine is rated for 3 miles, but I have never exceeded 1/2 mile of charged conductor. However with my horses, they learned very fast and they are very sensitive, and they have plenty to eat on the inside of the fence, so they don't really try to break out. Last year I had one instance of the larger horse going through the electric. I might add that even if they get through the electric they are still contained by a property fence, the electric fence only contains them to the portions of my property they are allowed to graze. Never would I rely on electric fencing to keep them off neighbor's property or road. Any how I was leading the pony with my grand daughter aboard, the larger horse was up by the barn ignoring what was going on. Anyhow I opened the electric gate to allow access to the rest of the property while walking around. When the larger horse noticed he was being left behind/out, he came running (1/4 mile you would have thought he was Seabisquit), and ran right through the flagged charged wire. He gave a pretty good snort, kicking fore and aft, but he hit it hard enough and came on through. Broke the insulated spring handle. I compare it to a human running and jumping through a camp fire. Doesn't hurt but you get a little warm, but you ain't likely to got stand in the camp fire, samething with the fence, he ran through it and got a zap, he went on through, but if he walked up to it and touched it, no way would he stand there leaning against it.
