electric fencing

[Jenn1018]

I found a fox in my yard over the weekend, thankfully it was before my chicken door opened and nobody was hurt. my dogs scared him off but I'm terrified he is going to come back. I need to protect my girls and the only thing I can think of is electric fencing. we have a chain link fence now. does anybody have any experience with electric fencing? What kind, how to do it, whether it worked and any other info would be so appreciated.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

I got electric netting from premier1. Don't know how it would do with Fox but it is completely ineffective with coyote. They jump or climb it and snack at will.

 

[Trish1974]

Electric fence is definitely the way to go! I don't think I'd have a flock left without it.
Try this link:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/a-treatise-on-electric-fences-for-poultry

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Trust me poultry netting does NOT work. Do not waste your money. I am down two ducks and a goose. I added 10 poles to stiffen it. Have checked the charge everyday all along. The coyotes just climb it and eat .

 

[Howard E]

I have both poultry netting and also use wire and poly tape fences, and prefer the latter.

Poultry netting looks like regular woven wire fence, and thus looks like it would work better, but I'm not sure it does. I suspect animals see it the same way as woven wire, so jump over it. With wire and poly fences, in strands, they try to crawl through or under it and get it that way. You can also bait it to hasten their journey to discovery. A sniff or lick on a hot fence will put them out of the mood faster than anything short of #4 buckshot.

Also poultry netting is far more expensive, far less versatile and harder to maintain than strand types.

Once bitten by a seriously hot fence.......the closest thing to a near death experience most varmints will have encountered to date.....will send them packing and very few return for a 2nd dose.

Starting my 4th year and no birds lost to a predator yet. Secure coop at night and E fence standing guard during the day.

 

[Jenn1018]

thank you for the reply. I think I have definitely decided to do this. the coop is secure at night, but the girls free range during the day. someone in my neighborhood lost their entire flock on Sunday during the middle of the day!! After seeing the fox in my yard on Saturday I definitely have to do something!
I suppose you have to have voltage high enough to keep predators out, but low enough it doesn't kill the chickens?? is there a happy medium.. I have one girl who constantly jumps the fence so this could be an issue for her.
Thanks so much!

 

[Howard E]

The same voltage can be used for both. I find it better to hit hard vs. a wimpy little charger. I want it to hurt. Checked mine the other day on a fresh charged battery and it said 14.7K volts.......that is 14,700 volts. Ouch. Won't kill anything but they won't forget it.

Some folks do not believe me but the same birds that fly over a 4' high chain link fence....routinely.....it is becoming a problem, will NOT cross this single strand that is only inches off the ground.



Once trained to these low wire fences, the birds will not cross it. I train them with just the single wire and they typically step on it.....and get zapped on the bottom of their foot. They launch....they cackle with indignation......then walk away fearing it greatly.

Goal is to have 3 or 4 strands of this stuff at just the right height a varmint will have to crawl under or through......you do want a few inviting gaps.....and that is how they get busted. Once they get the crap zapped out of them, you can hardly get one to go near it again.

 

[Jenn1018]

my husband is doing this today....looks like you have a gap in the middle? Sorry, just want to make sure I'm doing it right...so worried, woke up at 2 this morning panicked that the chicken door opened and of course ran down there....have to do something for my sanity if nothing else...lol
I belong to a local chicken group on FB and everyone is complaining about fox right now, just reinforcing my fear....new to this state...seems really bad here!
Thank you so much for the help!!

 

[Trish1974]

my husband is doing this today....looks like you have a gap in the middle? Sorry, just want to make sure I'm doing it right...so worried, woke up at 2 this morning panicked that the chicken door opened and of course ran down there....have to do something for my sanity if nothing else...lol
I belong to a local chicken group on FB and everyone is complaining about fox right now, just reinforcing my fear....new to this state...seems really bad here!
Thank you so much for the help!!

What state do you live in?
Fox are by far my worst predator. This time of year until about August is prime time fox activity in my area. They are feeding kits in the spring/summer and teaching them how to hunt by late summer.

 

[DobieLover]

Trust me poultry netting does NOT work. Do not waste your money. I am down two ducks and a goose. I added 10 poles to stiffen it. Have checked the charge everyday all along. The coyotes just climb it and eat .

What size is your charger? If the coyote are truly climbing it, it would collapse so that is unlikely. They are more likely jumping over it. If you could raise the height of your fence to something more like 6', they would be forced then try to climb and they would get hit with the fence. But the charger has to be strong enough to deter.
My 90# Doberman hit my net once. Once. He will not even look at the chickens now.