Electric net poultry fence double-back question

[RoyalChick]

You can't extend it some in any part of your 'loop' to make the area slightly bigger? Remember, with electric fencing/netting, you can do any configuration, so can loop out but 'exclude' a plant you want protected, etc. Doesn't have to be a 'pretty' fenceline...can be funky/wavy, look like a drunken sailor put it up, and all is good!!!

Oh yes, I am embracing my inner drunken sailor!
Sure I can randomly use up 30' of fence with curls back forth and at the same time connect the charger to the fence with 30' of wire sitting on the ground, but in the current set up it won't get the chickens much more space because of needing to leave room for access.
When I solve the access problem, I can definitely increase maybe even more than the 30' - but for now I can't really do that.
I am going to start by trying it doubled back, if that doesn't work I need to find the spool of heavy duty insulated wire so I can go 30' from the charger to the beginning of the fence with live wire.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Thanks! You are reinforcing my instinct that it would be OK to double back - at least worth a try.
And yes, I do have human access via the coop - I may eventually increase their area even further but there are some challenges to that involving access so I need to think my way through that issue first. I don't want a complete loop because I feel like I want to be able to rush in if there is an emergency without turning off the fence. Maybe that is a foolish worry but it is where my head is now!

I doubled back in my configurations last year with my Premier 1 Poultry Plus 48" netting, no problem. Check it with the meter (you have a meter?), you'll see it's fine, as long as the hot wires (everything except the bottom-most horizontal wire is hot on this brand) don't lay on the grass at all. In fact I bunched it up twice as I recall, sort of piling it all together on it's own posts, gently looping the top and side wires, and sometimes using an extra Fiber-Tuff post to help hang the extra fencing at the right height.

Depending on your setup - the size of the battery and solar charger and what it puts out- that determines the length of fencing you can run on it. I have their IntelliShock 60 solar thing. I think it is 0.5 joules. I think it can run a max of 350 feet of 48" fencing, I asked on the phone once for what I had. Of course, the longer it is, the greater the chance a cumulative draw of any grass or weeds that touch any hot wires will lower the zap level.

The zaps have their own timing. Just like jumping rope you can gauge it and work with the netting in short bits without turning off the energizer if you have to. I have hand-weeded that way when I was quite far away from the energizer and happened to see a weed. Also, you can hold the post in between the hot wires. You can hold the vertical wires. You can wear dry leather gloves too and that is quite good. For access right now I made a cloth loop from the end fence post to a big FiberTuff post, and the net posts are flexible, so I unloop the big post, and step through in between zaps by gently pulling it away. Sometimes my butt gets a little zap through my pants! But not a big deal. I just make sure my cell phone is not near the fence side. I also bought a gate I'll install again for the main summer area, they work very well and are one-handed.

Emergency access - in an emergency you won't care, and it won't matter. You will not be injured or seriously hurt. You might get lucky and blast through the net in between zaps. Anyway, if you are wearing clogs or boots or sneakers, so are not making a good ground, you are fairly well protected from any serious zaps. (I have felt both - wet feet, wet hands and hot wires gives a real good one, but not enough that I wouldn't continue through in an emergency.) Do not lay down on the hot net, or place your neck or head on the hot wires, and you should be fine. I suppose if you have a pacemaker there might be special guidance.

Edit to add: I bunched up when I was going through areas of lots of rocks and the step-in posts were tough to do, there'd be great soil and then a rock, darn! Sometimes I used a tent pin to drive holes first. So if I didn't need the extra length I bunched rather than keep setting posts for no reason.

 

[RoyalChick]

I doubled back in my configurations last year with my Premier 1 Poultry Plus 48" netting, no problem. Check it with the meter (you have a meter?), you'll see it's fine, as long as the hot wires (everything except the bottom-most horizontal wire is hot on this brand) don't lay on the grass at all. In fact I bunched it up twice as I recall, sort of piling it all together on it's own posts, gently looping the top and side wires, and sometimes using an extra Fiber-Tuff post to help hang the extra fencing at the right height.

Depending on your setup - the size of the battery and solar charger and what it puts out- that determines the length of fencing you can run on it. I have their IntelliShock 60 solar thing. I think it is 0.5 joules. I think it can run a max of 350 feet of 48" fencing, I asked on the phone once for what I had. Of course, the longer it is, the greater the chance a cumulative draw of any grass or weeds that touch any hot wires will lower the zap level.

The zaps have their own timing. Just like jumping rope you can gauge it and work with the netting in short bits without turning off the energizer if you have to. I have hand-weeded that way when I was quite far away from the energizer and happened to see a weed. Also, you can hold the post in between the hot wires. You can hold the vertical wires. You can wear dry leather gloves too and that is quite good. For access right now I made a cloth loop from the end fence post to a big FiberTuff post, and the net posts are flexible, so I unloop the big post, and step through in between zaps by gently pulling it away. Sometimes my butt gets a little zap through my pants! But not a big deal. I just make sure my cell phone is not near the fence side. I also bought a gate I'll install again for the main summer area, they work very well and are one-handed.

Emergency access - in an emergency you won't care, and it won't matter. You will not be injured or seriously hurt. You might get lucky and blast through the net in between zaps. Anyway, if you are wearing clogs or boots or sneakers, so are not making a good ground, you are fairly well protected from any serious zaps. (I have felt both - wet feet, wet hands and hot wires gives a real good one, but not enough that I wouldn't continue through in an emergency.) Do not lay down on the hot net, or place your neck or head on the hot wires, and you should be fine. I suppose if you have a pacemaker there might be special guidance.

Edit to add: I bunched up when I was going through areas of lots of rocks and the step-in posts were tough to do, there'd be great soil and then a rock, darn! Sometimes I used a tent pin to drive holes first. So if I didn't need the extra length I bunched rather than keep setting posts for no reason.

Thank you! Very helpful and reassuring. I think my energizer is a bit bigger - 0.75-1.6 Joules according to the owners manual. No idea why it is a range. Max output is 9,000 Volts (though I think you never actually get that high) and it is rated for 25 miles of fence.
I am very familiar with the rhythmic click - I have been using it for a while, just not with a net. I believe the wildlife learn the click too because I have seen on camera foxes and raccoons approach it and turn back even without touching it.
The net fence is a whole new experience for me which is why I was worried.
Thanks for the help!

 

[bgmathteach]

Oh yes, I am embracing my inner drunken sailor!
Sure I can randomly use up 30' of fence with curls back forth and at the same time connect the charger to the fence with 30' of wire sitting on the ground, but in the current set up it won't get the chickens much more space because of needing to leave room for access.
When I solve the access problem, I can definitely increase maybe even more than the 30' - but for now I can't really do that.
I am going to start by trying it doubled back, if that doesn't work I need to find the spool of heavy duty insulated wire so I can go 30' from the charger to the beginning of the fence with live wire.

That sounds like a plan. If you have a TSC near you, they usually carry the insulated wire. I LOVE that you are willing to embrace your inner drunken sailor! My hubby, not so much, lol. Good thing I put up and take down all chicken fencing!!

 

[RoyalChick]

Update.
Well the fence is up and running. The double-back doesn't seem to prevent it working. I also have direct bury insulated wire on order so I can take the advice of several in this group and get rid of the double-back to give them even more space.
They are loving the extra space already.
I didn't bait the fence yet (just ran out of energy before dark) and I also haven't seen the chickens interact with it which does worry me a bit as they do tend to graze near the fence however much space they have.
Thank you @Aunt Angus @bgmathteach @Ponypoor @DobieLover @ChicoryBlue I was feeling a bit discouraged by it all before you all weighed in and convinced me I could make it work.
Thanks!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I also haven't seen the chickens interact with it which does worry me a bit as they do tend to graze near the fence however much space they have.

I'm guessing the joules range has got to do with the amount of ground rod put in? Trying to learn about this better. Does it have to do with some energizers varying the output depending on the load it senses from weeds, or something? Also, 25 miles of fence?Wowee.

On foraging near the fence, I have noticed this. I am tempted to set up my low non-electric plastic fence if I "free-range" them outside their moving greenhouse frames but inside the electronet. Alternatively, I was really always right there when they were "free-ranging" and I tried to make sure they stayed away - warning them and shooing them. It requires close attendance to their every move. I thought the hens learned not to go near it, and they mostly did, trial by fire. But at least one got zapped once or twice more last summer, and I felt bad for them. I could tell they tried to stay away but sometimes made mistakes, the little daredevils would cut it close. I suspect they will have to learn it again, or will they remember? Their bare feet ensure they get a painful zap. I know, I've tried it with good grounding, one hand on the ground, one on the wire. Ouch!

There is something about foraging near a barrier they naturally like - a wall, a fence, a bush. It is some protection, it feels safer? So they are always pushing the limit. Second, over time that edge grows especially attractive because it DOESN'T get heavily foraged. Thus it is best to keep moving the fence. But I had one part I didn't want to move - it was right next to the driveway, I couldn't move it further out, and also near their favorite lilac bush/maple saplings that they took afternoon rests and dustbaths under. It was great cover - I wound up putting aviary netting over and all around it to include it in a summer-long part of their run.

So I want the predator-protection of electric but am thinking of making a very large electric area, treating it as semi-permanent, and defining everything else with non-electric barriers.