Electric Netting is great

[sugarbush]

I installed our electric poultry netting from Primier1 around our chicken tractor today. we had an episode of chicken eating by one of our dogs last week. I wanted the netting anyway and the deaths of the chickens gave me a good excuse to spend the money on it. I am charging it with a Zareba 5 mile fencer. The dogs attempted to push through as soon as I let the chickens out of the tractor and into the fenced area and they quickly retreated to the house. The chickens are getting zapped on it as well, but they don't seem smart enough to realize it and continue walking into it. Other than the squacking they seem to be no worse off than before it bites them.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a343/smithie128/100_0675.jpg

 

[BirdBrain]

Thanks for the post. I have wondered how those really worked in real life. You know things always sound good in advertisements.

 

[simba49450]

i am leary about the electric net fencing cause i have cats and kids around. another alternative that i found was a dog kennel with chick wire around it and a top. if i used the netting like that it would be disasterous but its cool that it works for you, and hopefully the babies will learn

 

[greyhorsewoman]

We recently started using electric poultry netting. Our poor little corgi found out the hard way she couldn't sneak under it like the deer netting around the garden. (She is great with our livestock, but it was good to see it worked.) The charge isn't that nasty, I think kids and cats are safe (kids should be able to learn ~~ I grew up around electric cow fencing).

We have had several chickens FLY over the netting. Seems always the same ones. Clipped one wing, still flew out ! Clipped both wings, still flew out !! (Husband suggested leg weights!) So, those two go back in when we feed/water/close for night. I've come to terms with the fact that they are just going to be vulnerable.

 

[walkswithdog]

Thanks for POSTING!!! I've got my premier order sitting in my "shopping basket."

I have a friend who's used one for chickens and a slightly more durable one for his goats. I'm definitely looking forward to simple containment that will REALLY deter the couple of local strays.

I'm going to just buy one panel at a time as I go along. The chicken main yard is 200 x300 but the outside fence is already a permanent one, so I only need enough to keep the dogs buffered away from the chickens when they take over the back yard.

The dogs are fine with livestock but the "puppy" and the two rescues have enough chase drive I don't want the whole pack back there. A little zap for pushing their limits will remind them.

Athena is unfortunately 18 months and FULL of beans still. It's okay though I love! this age.

 

[sugarbush]

We have two cats as well and they are fine. They can sense the electric and do not bother the fence.

I am using it to contain broilers so flying over is also not and issue. It is tru that it only takes a few minutes to set up and move. The chickens have stopped running into it so I guess they are not as dumb as I first thought....Just slow learners.

The only issue I am seeing with it now is that if it is not kept in a square it sags badly. I fixed that with tent stakes and string to support the posts like a circus tent posts.

None of our three dogs have gotten through it yet. They all learned real fast that the chickens bite

 

[walkswithdog]

We're getting the double spiked posts to help with sag/shift and about every 20 Ft on the main line we also have t-posts with insulator clips to keep things tight.

We learned the hard way that when we don't buff out a fence a deer will run into it and try to mow it down, regardless of electricity or not. The suckers are major pests. I can't count the number of tposts they've snapped and fence they snagged before we buffed up everything. The extra and taller t-posts will be good extra support for it.

 

[MSITHero]

Are you guys doing this for a PERM fencing solution or temp as you move it around? If perm I can only say that type of setup would cost you a lot more then you need to pay... My advice for people looking to go electric. Go to your local feed/tractor store. The staff can give you the best solution.

 

[the1much]

electric fencing will NOT hurt your dogs, cats, kids, babies, or anything else,, it just a short quick DC current zap,,, heres a good thread on it also

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=92824

 

[MagsC]

I think it sounds like a great idea, especially for areas with a lot of predators.