Electric fencing, do you really need it vs non electric fencing

I use the poly rope wire around my pens and coops. The predators know it's there. My land is mostly open pasture so I don't have trees to deal with but do have nice large covered pens. If your wire or fencing is close enough to trees, some predators can climb the trees to enter the area. I don't free range like I used to but my pens are 200 feet by 60 feet. Don't forget a ground rod. This fence charger is similar to the one I have and this is the poly rope wire. Good luck with whatever you do...
Zareba 25 Mile Charger.jpg PolyRopeWire.png
 
I use the poly rope wire around my pens and coops. The predators know it's there. My land is mostly open pasture so I don't have trees to deal with but do have nice large covered pens. If your wire or fencing is close enough to trees, some predators can climb the trees to enter the area. I don't free range like I used to but my pens are 200 feet by 60 feet. Don't forget a ground rod. This fence charger is similar to the one I have and this is the poly rope wire. Good luck with whatever you do...
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Thank you. This fence stuff can be a bit intimidating and overwhelming. All of these posts have been super helpful
 
So I bit the bullet and just ordered the Premier One Perma net 48" plus a gate and the Hot Shock 5 energizer. I called Premier one and they answered all my questions. Now I have to figure out how to install it with all the obstacles on my property ie: rocks and trees and uneven ground. Just FYI one of my concerns was I want to but the fence right up against my chicken run but I have hardware cloth buried all around it to keep digging predators out. I was worried if I put the metal spike through the hardware cloth the metal on metal would short the fence out. He told me it would be fine as long as the electrified part of the fence does not touch the hardware cloth it doesn't matter if the spike hits the hardware cloth. Also I had questions about the uneven terrain and he said I can stake the fence down with like tent stakes or whatever so nothing could get under the fence. I also had another question about the gate because in all the videos it shows the gate butting up against the fence on both sides but since I want to butt it up to my run I wasnt sure if it would work correctly and he said it doesn't have to butt up against fence on both sides as long as it gets energy from one side it will be fine. Answered all my questions and was nice about it too. Ill check back when it comes in because Im sure Ill have more questions and/or Ill let you know how it worked out in case anyone else is considering this. Thanks again all!:bow:bow
 
I've heard they are very good on the phone.
Congrats on your decision and Best of cLuck implementing it.
Now is a very good time to go out and trim/pick stuff up on the path of the fencing.
Thats the plan, clear as wide a path as I can before all the green comes. Thanks!
 
I live on a mountain at 8500 feet. We have bobcats, mountain lions, bears, etc. I too would like to free range. Could you please tell me what breed of dog you have to protect your flock? My husband just bought an Australian Shepard/ American Shepard mix. Would she be a good dog to protect my flock and how would I train her to do that? I also have a 4 year old Rooster and a 1 year old Rooster that is currently in a separate cage because he attacks my older Rooster and is very hard on my 23 hens. Thank you. Mount Lemmon Mary Lou
It all depends on how much fear your predators have. Any dog small as a collie can't handle mt lion or even small black bears. You need a Large Guard Dog . Great Pyrenees and Mastiffs would be better. Put them in with the birds when they are pups, but keep an eye on them for the first few months. They may kill a few birds playing with them to begin with, but if you'll put the dead bird in their mouth and give them a good ass whipping, it doesn't take them long to figure out that they are there to protect the birds.

Edit: Oops! I chimed in not knowing she had it all fixed. :oops:
 
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... if you'll put the dead bird in their mouth and give them a good ass whipping, it doesn't take them long to figure out that they are there to protect the birds.

Edit: Oops! I chimed in not knowing she had it all fixed. :oops:

The bird in the mouth butt whooping works so well that Buddy, my Great Pyr puppy, bit my brother!
When my brother came over, Buddy was all tail wagging, jumping up, and licking my brother all over the face.
But like the dumb "s" I am, I decided to show my brother the babies. When he reached down to pick one up, all hell broke loose! Buddy barked viciously about twice and then grabbed him by the pants leg just nipping his skin! My brother dropped the biddie and Buddy got in between him and the biddie ready to bite him again if he tried to hurt one on his babies!
Buddy maybe over 100lbs, but he's only about 9 months old, still a puppy, and hasn't learned that if someone is with me, its ok if someone other than me touched his birds.
Buddy loves his little birdies! :love
 
My birds also roam a wooded area behind their coop. I think they are actually safer there where stray dogs can't see them from the road. One day we came home to see our dog, Jimbo, between the fenced yard (three sides of the coop are inside his fenced yard) are two stay dogs that were bigger than him. One rooster had taken half the flock into the woods where there's a massive patch or prickly pear and jumping cactus. The other rooster had sent the rest of the girls to the coop and he was just inside the open gate. The third rooster was at the open door of the coop. I was so proud of all my boys that day! Only one hen was injured, but she lived. Another time, (Jimbo was not loose.) Beakman put himself between the flock and two dogs. They dragged him next door and were trying to kill him. Thankfully, my husband saved him. Beakman is 8 years old now and retired with one hen. Make sure you have a really good rooster. Also, more chickens if you have more than one rooster.
 

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