Electric netting; undecided

[Tracyree]

So i have a 16x20 covered run with sand bottom for my 11 hens. I can’t free range because we have bobcat, fox, raccoon, dogs and hawks. I have an electric netting fence from when I kept chickens about 10 years ago and was thinking I’d use it (with some hawk netting over it), but I’m hesitant. I realize for it to work, the hens have to touch it and get zapped to learn to stay away from it. Apparently I’ve gotten sappy and soft since last time I had chickens….I dont want to zap them.

Those of you that use it, do you think it’s worth it to be able to least them out of a large run?

 

[DobieLover]

I've had my flock penned in with it for nearly 6 years and I love it.

Only 2 or 3 of the originals got popped.
They screamed.
They ran.
They pouted for a while.
They got over it and the others quickly learned to stay away from the fence. All subsequent generations from the originals have never touched that fence.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My experience is a bit different. I don't have a flying predator problem, I don't know why. My ground-based predators are dogs, foxes, dogs, coyotes, dogs, raccoons, dogs, bobcats, dogs and a few others. Since I put up the electric netting I haven't had a problem with any of them.

A chicken's feathers insulate them from the electric shock, but if they touch a hot wire with their beak, comb, wattles or other bare spot while their feet are grounded on the earth they will get shocked. I think each chicken needs to learn for itself, they don't learn that lesson from each other. I've seen chickens pecking at grass, weeds, or other bits of food at the base of the electric netting. If they get shocked they squawk, jump back and up a couple of feet, and then go back to eating. Some can be kind of hard-headed and may need a refresher but they quickly learn to not peck at the grass there.

That is not a steady current of electricity. It pulses about 50 times each minute. If it were a steady constant current they probably could not turn loose. But since it is a pulse they can turn loose and are not injured.

If you install electric netting your chickens will get shocked until they learn not to touch it. You will need to occasionally clean out the growth under it so it doesn't short out. My situation is different form yours but I think it is well worth it.