Electric Fencing for Dummies?

[quiltnchik]

We're moving to a new house with 3 acres in the next week and, since I have seen loose dogs running through, I'm thinking about doing what someone here suggested: using electric fencing. As such, I need to know what type everyone uses, the best way to set it up and what is the most INEXPENSIVE route. I want to keep predators out, but I also want to keep my dogs IN. Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I know absolutely NOTHING about using this type of fencing, so consider this "Electric Fencing for Dummies!"

Thanks!

 

[Judy]

Here are a couple of sites I bookmarked when I was going to look into this:


http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/pnw/pnw225.pdf

http://www.kencove.com/fence/Electric+Net+Fencing_detail_NP7G.php

 

[Momo]

Electric fencing is great. But ... if you're going to use it to keep small animals such as dogs out of 3 acres you're going to spend an awful lot of time clearing brush, weeds and grass off the fence ...

 

[plowbouy]

Spraying roundup under the wire on the grass will cure any growth into your wires.. You may have to do this a couple times thru the summer to kill any new growth.

I use an electric fence around my sweet corn patch when it's silking to keep the racoons out. For good measure I use 2 wires, one wire at 6 inches above the ground and the second wire around 8 to 10 inches above the bottom wire. Your dogs will probably be able to jump over that height, so you will probably want to use 3 or 4 wires.. You'll just have to trial and error it. It's easy to just add another wire to gain more height.

I use a electric fencer that is plugged into 110v AC outlet as opposed to a battery or solar fencer. The 110v fencer packs a big punch. When an animal touches it, they don't forget it. In fact, if the grass is wet and they get within 1/4" of the wire, it will arc across to their wet nose and get them..

Good Luck

 

[patandchickens]

A thing to remember about electric fencing is that it does not always work. No matter whether it is plug-in, battery, or solar, it WILL sometimes be out. And animals can be pretty quick to notice when that happens and take advantage of it.

Therefore I would encourage you to think of electric as the "cherry on the top" rather than the main or only thing standing between your chickens and their predators... it would be highly worthwhile if you could (at least eventually) erect a 4' page-wire type fence around the property (or the portion you want to protect from dogs, then add electric wire to that (using offsets). The combination is more secure, and gives you some nontrivial degree of protection even when the fence has grounded out without your knowing it or the battery's gone dead or your power from the grid is out.

I'm not at all against electric fencing - I have a lot of it myself, and in some situations it is exactly the most wonderful thing there is - but you do have to respect its weak points as well as its strong points, you know?

And remember that dogs require a fairly stout jolt, like 4-5,000 V. I mention this because it's a bigger zap than often used with some other stock like horses.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat