Electric net fence injured chicken!!!

[Fishkeeper]

It's possible the scent of bait will lure something in a bit closer, but that something will very quickly decide not to be in the area any more, and will know what the fence does and not to come back.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Wow, i would have never thought to bait it, seems like its kinda asking for trouble but then again i see how it could work!

A shock to the nose/mouth area is MUCH more effective than a a little pinch on the outside of their thick fur... if they even feel it. Hides are a lot tougher than a tender nose or lips.

I didn't bait mine because I don't have a specific problem. But if I did... that is part of getting it set to the right height. Think, someone slaps your but or the back of your hand or head... verses face.

 

[MisaF]

Hi all,

We just put up electric net fencing around our chicken yard after seeing a fox last week checking out our girls. Kept them locked up until we got the electric net fence up and running.

Yesterday was our first day and we literally sat by the power box for a few hours to be able to quickly turn it off in case anyone got into trouble or got stuck. Our chickens and two ducks got zapped multiple times and it was heart breaking. It’s better than getting eaten by a fox so we’ve kept it on.

How long does it take for hens and ducks to realize the fence is causing the pain and stay the heck away from it?

Can the power from the fence kill or seriously injure the chickens or ducks? We adore our chickens and ducks. They are all super friendly and sit with us and jump on our laps and shoulders. I want them to have a safe yard so they don’t have to spend all day locked in their 10 x 10 run where they safe but don’t have much room.

We also put up bird netting over the whole area since we have hawks all over the damn place lately. Attached is a pic of our set up.

Not sure why I’m so worried about the fence hurting one of our girls but I am.

Thanks!
Melissa

 

[aart]

How long does it take for hens and ducks to realize the fence is causing the pain and stay the heck away from it?

Can the power from the fence kill or seriously injure the chickens or ducks?

Depends on how smart they are.
The power on most poultry fence chargers is an intermittent pulse, so not likely to kill them unless they get tangled and can't get away.

 

[MisaF]

Depends on how smart they are.
The power on most poultry fence chargers is an intermittent pulse, so not likely to kill them unless they get tangled and can't get away.

That’s my biggest fear. I don’t want them to get tangled and continue to get shocked. We are now on day two and I’ve been watching from the deck for the past hour. So far no one has gotten zapped. Praying the lessons learned yesterday are starting to sink in.

 

[azygous]

Chickens learn pretty quickly after receiving a shock. I watched one hen peck at the hot wire and get a shock on her beak. She never tried it again.

The only danger with an electric fence is if it's close enough to grounded metal that the chicken can touch the grounded metal at the same time it receives the shock. That magnifies the shock to the point it will kill small birds and it could stop the heart or knock out an adult chicken. Usually the poles that come with electric net fences are non-conductive.

I have accidentally touched a metal hog panel while the electric wire on my setup was in contact with it, and the shock felt like getting hammered with a 2 x 4. While my chickens learn to stay away from the wire, I'm slower to learn.

 

[PicnicRock]

Don't beat yourself up over this. The learning curve with chickens is pretty much an ongoing education for us all.

I don't have electric netting, but I do have electric hot wire surrounding my coops and run. When a chicken touches the hot wire, they get a shock and they don't ever touch it again.

I doubt your chicken would have gotten tangled up in the netting had the charge been activated. Probably a lot of us would have made the same mistake. These poultry electric net fences are designed as much to keep chickens in as they are to keep predators out. In order for them to do what they're designed to do, the current must be turned on.

I think you'll find that this was a single freak accident. Tomorrow turn the current on and stick around to watch your chickens. You will probably see one or two peck at the netting and turn around very quickly and go the opposite way.

I can say with 100% certainty birds get spooked and will get tangled in lit poultry netting. The results are horrible. It is thankfully rare enough that it is still the best option. I had three birds this year tangled in lit netting. I have over 100 birds. There are other options for small back yard flocks. They are expensive. Eglu with a run. Carolina style coops. I have too many for that to be practical. A bird that gets caught for an extended period, say overnight, is not likey to fully recover in my experience.