Feeding in the hen house????

[Folly's place]

Electric fencing is a wonderful tool if it's legal to have at your site, if the landlord approves, and if you set it up correctly for the job it needs to do. HowardE has very good information here, and Premier1supplies.com is a terrific online, phone, and catalog resource, for both supplies and information.
Your local farm store will likely have supplies, and information also.
Mary

 

[Farming Feathers]

I installed a hot wire around my coop and run after losing 11/12 chickens to raccoons.

 

[Farming Feathers]

Did the hot wire stop the problem with raccoons???

 

[Farming Feathers]

Electric fencing is a wonderful tool if it's legal to have at your site, if the landlord approves, and if you set it up correctly for the job it needs to do. HowardE has very good information here, and Premier1supplies.com is a terrific online, phone, and catalog resource, for both supplies and information.
Your local farm store will likely have supplies, and information also.
Mary

 

[Farming Feathers]

The landlord has approved before I ever asked.

Yes, it will, if configured and maintained properly.

Folks who have tenacious predators, especially bears...or dogs or raccoons or......
Sounds like the wire you have may have been for keeping large livestock in rather than keeping predators out.

I don't have predators that warrant hot wire, but I sure have read a lot about it.
There are many different ways to use hot wire to protect a flock and/or property.

If you are really interested in setting up hot wire on your rented property,
would probably be best to start a new thread here titled something like "Protecting my Flock with Hot Wire". Post pics of area and existing wires and your coop/run and explain the situation. Not sure how much you'd want to invest on a rented property, especially if you don't plan to be there long term, or if your landlord would even allow it, some things to think about before proceeding.

You could also do some searches here on BYC using the terms 'electric fence', 'hot wire', 'poultry netting'....there ya go, I did the searches for you and linked the results, start reading

Also Howard E is a hot wire guru and has written extensively, and well, about hot wire setups and function and always seems willing and able to tutor and/or troubleshoot.

I thank you for all you have suggested and I will research for more info. Thanks again Larry

 

[Altfrizzle]

Did the hot wire stop the problem with raccoons???

Yes, we've had no problems since installation. We do still have raccoons in the yard (my property abuts open space) but no chickens have been harmed.

 

[GardenTillers44]

I was impressed with these trays. Are they heavy plastic, or are they made of the same light wt plastic that the usual trays for gardening are made of?

These trays are much more substantial than the typical flimsy black starter trays. They are made of ribbed polypropylene and can be picked up and carried with litter, sand, shavings or whatever substrate you might use. We put pine shavings in them under the roost to catch and absorb poop, and it makes for an easy dump into the compost bin. If they get soiled a quick hose-off cleans them right up, and they don't hold any odor. They have made the clean up under roosts, feeders and waterers a snap. I have found the shallower unperforated trays less than 2" deep worked best and don't invite the chickens to perch on the edges and possibly flip them. We have used the Maxi and Giant Garden Trays for over 2 years now and they have held up well.

 

[GardenTillers44]

I want ask those of you who have this predator does electric fence repel dogs????

2 years ago we made a decision to invest in a Premier 1 electric poultry mesh fence to protect our girls from the myriad of predators we have in the area. We have not lost a single chicken to a predator since we added the fence and a covered run. I really like the flexibility the Premier 1 mesh offers. It is easy to move around and we move the perimieter to provide new forage area and let the old recover. Dogs (feral and neighbor's), coyotes, fox and raccoons plagued us before, but have all been "taught" to stay away after getting a snootful of voltage. The fence is 4 ft. tall, and I feared the preds would easily jump it, but that has never happened, and the chickens stay put as if they know it provides a safety net for them (that may just be our heavy breeds though). The fence itself will give a pretty good jolt and you want to maintain an output of 4,000-8,000 V by mowing low or spraying a vinegar/salt/soap mix on the ground periodically under the fence to knock back the foliage. It was pricey, but it also protects the garden and gives us peace of mind. Actually, I decided it was worth it the first time I heard the neighbor's chicken-eating dog howl from sticking his nose in the fence! It has never been back.
This what we use:
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/poultrynet-plus-12-48-3-electric-netting?cat_id=53

 

[lazy gardener]

I was not able to keep my flock contained with that fence. I loved it until I lost 3 birds to hawks. they were always taken OUTSIDE the fence.