Electric fencing questions

[WilderSkye]

We ordered a Starkline fence which will be here next week.

1. If the fence is not near the coop/run, and you need to put the chickens in there daily, is it possible to train them to go with me to the fenced area and them walk in? Our will I need to put them in as they won't cross the open gate of an electric fence that has zapped them? Will I need to carry them over there and back to the run when ready to be put up? We will put shelter, etc in fenced area.

2. When you first put them in there, do you just put them in, it is electrified, and let them figure it out? Is it that easy? We used to keep cows and horses in electric fenced areas when I was a kid, but I have no idea how my dad accustomed them to it.

3. It is 164' long, so whatever area that will configure to can they have the whole area right off? Or should we slowly increase size? They are 10 weeks old.

We had planned to totally free range them but realized if we valued our garden and other areas of the yard, we needed to contain them exactly where I wanted them to be in.

Any tips helpful.

 

[DobieLover]

Why wouldn't you just install the fence so that they can access it from their current coop/run? They will want to go back to their coop to lay eggs when they get old enough and may want to get back to the coop for shelter.

Did you order extra support poles? If not, you will need them. I put an extra post between every post in the net. It will keep the hot wire from sagging over uneven terrain and grounding the charge.

Where will you install your charger and ground rods? What voltage/joule rating did/will you install?

As for acclimation, I just let my original flock loose in their new pen. I would do the same for 10-week olds. My head hen was the first to get a zap. She screamed and ran back the run and sulked for about an hour. She is the only one I ever saw get a pop. The others learn very quickly from the one(s) that get a zap to keep their combs/wattles away from the fence. If they brush up against the fence with their feathers, nothing happens as their feathers are excellent insulation from the charge.

If you manage to teach your flock to willingly walk over to a pen and just go in without being transported and placed there you could probably get yourself a slot in Ripley's Believe It or Not.