Feeling a little electric fence challenged

chickenmomma16

Crowing
11 Years
Jul 16, 2012
1,021
805
316
Buckley, Washington
EC951E9F-A3F5-4BFF-A60E-567DAB3340B0.jpeg

Thinking about getting some electric poultry netting to be able to safely free range my birds. I haven’t had an issue with aerial predators but coyotes are a huge problem here. I think I’ve got the fencing picked out. It’s the Premier1 48” x 164’ 2 prong poultry netting. Now I’m a little unsure about the supplies needed for my situation.
I do not have power to our coop. I will be using the netting to basically extend my run area. The nearest power is an outlet outside at the back of our house about 50ft to the coop. I’m not sure if solar power, battery power, or AC power is best. Other then the fence and charger, what else do need? A grounding rod? Fence tester? (No, I’m not gonna touch it :eek:). May be a silly question to some, but what do you use to go from the charger to the actual electric fence? Electric fencing is very new to me if you haven’t guessed it by now.:caf I may also be using this charger to power an electric fence around a small garden next year, right near the coop.
What do you think would be best in my situation?
 
How old are your birds? If they are young/light they can probably fly right over the top of the fence so keep that in mind.

I also got the one with the second wire so it would shock anything that jumped on to the net. Never ended up using it and finally sold it on craigs list to a guy that had goats.
 
How old are your birds? If they are young/light they can probably fly right over the top of the fence so keep that in mind.

I also got the one with the second wire so it would shock anything that jumped on to the net. Never ended up using it and finally sold it on craigs list to a guy that had goats.

They are mixed ages from 3 yrs to 3mo. I have Wheaten Marans and Wheaten Ameraucana. My birds are pretty docile (the male Marans are too heavy to be very flighty) so I’m not super concerned about them flying over at this time, I can always limit the new area to the older birds to be safe. I’m planning on moving the fencing and rotating their free range access so hopefully they will be content enough to stay inside the fence. I can hope at least!:smack
 
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I have been using the Premier netting fence for the last 8 years with my Parmak - pak 6 solar fence charger. It has been an easy combo to manage over the years & effective at keeping my flock safe from most predators. If I had it to do over again I would have gotten the larger charger, the pak 12. The netting has a lot of strands to keep hot & more strength would be better. I live on a heavily wooded parcel and do not see any sun from October-May so I have 1-2 extra batteries on hand to swap out each week to keep the charger strong. The battery I swap out goes on a trickle charger in our shop to get it ready to take another turn in the fence charger.
I just got power to my new coop & have been contemplating getting a new charger here soon. In my research I found this article on BYC, it is very informative! I do not know how to link to it but if you search the website I am sure you can find it.
A Treatise on Electric Fences for Poultry

One last thought..... I did have one summer where a local fox figured out how to slip under the bottom wire on the Premier netting fence (it is not hot). I used some landscape staples until he learned that he would get shocked, it did the trick!
 
I have been using the Premier netting fence for the last 8 years with my Parmak - pak 6 solar fence charger. It has been an easy combo to manage over the years & effective at keeping my flock safe from most predators. If I had it to do over again I would have gotten the larger charger, the pak 12. The netting has a lot of strands to keep hot & more strength would be better. I live on a heavily wooded parcel and do not see any sun from October-May so I have 1-2 extra batteries on hand to swap out each week to keep the charger strong. The battery I swap out goes on a trickle charger in our shop to get it ready to take another turn in the fence charger.
I just got power to my new coop & have been contemplating getting a new charger here soon. In my research I found this article on BYC, it is very informative! I do not know how to link to it but if you search the website I am sure you can find it.
A Treatise on Electric Fences for Poultry

One last thought..... I did have one summer where a local fox figured out how to slip under the bottom wire on the Premier netting fence (it is not hot). I used some landscape staples until he learned that he would get shocked, it did the trick!
Oh! Hey fellow Washingtonian! I’m over here near Enumclaw in Buckley. Thanks for the link I‘ll read through it. It seems that combo (the Premier netting and Parmak charger) are pretty popular. I’ve run into that combo a few times now.
I haven’t seen fox around here but I have seen Bobcat, Coyote, and I think it was a weasel that dashed across our pasture once. Also a local Racoon family and the occasional Opossum pass through. As long as it can deter them I think it will be a good option for me. I have a plan for deterring arial predators but we are out in the open and it’s a bit harder to sneak up on my birds by air.
 
One last thought..... I did have one summer where a local fox figured out how to slip under the bottom wire on the Premier netting fence (it is not hot). I used some landscape staples until he learned that he would get shocked, it did the trick!
Fantastic info! I just installed the Premier1 PermaNet 12/48/3, and I have FOXES all over the dang place. I will do the same!
 
Oh - to the OP: I didn't buy the kit because I live in the woods and don't get enough sun. What I did was call Premier1, and they told me what to get. You can also look at what a kit comes with and piece it together yourself (unless you can get it cheaper on CL!).
 

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