Feeling dumb, but asking here...

[ChickieNikki]

We were planning to get Premier electric poultry netting, but were not planning to electrify it--just using it for a movable freeform run (I've got a 250' x 150' area for the girls, and I wanted to be able to move the fencing and rotate the range space they have at any given time. The fence would not need to be predator proof for other than dogs--there are no wild animals that come to my yard (in 4 years, not so much as a deer hoof print or bunny track has been observed, and we've looked), but I do need to fence them so that they're not a temptation for neighborhood dogs. No one ties their dog up, so there are several wandering around sometimes. There's only one on my street, and I don't think she's quick enough to snap up a dead chicken (she's like 13 years old, beagle mutt) but you never know. My next door neighbor has a hunting dog (lab) that is not very obedient, even though it apparently is decorated in hunting dog type obedience (whatever that means), and my neighbor on the other side has 5 labs that are only out when the owners are outside, but they're not tied up.

Anyway, I feel dumb for considering the electric netting if we're not going to electrify it--it just looks SO easy to move around. Is there any other option for 4' net fencing that can be set up almost instantly and moved almost effortlessly? I'm willing to pay the Premiere price for the ease and convenience of it--but is that dumb if I'm not electrifying it...

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[standardbanty]

Buy solar panel to electrify the fence. Labs could knock it down.

 

[Lollipop]

I agree with the idea to electrify the wire. Either the solar charger or run a cord. Dogs that are ignorant of electric fencing will run right through it. Even though no predators seem to exist, coons and others are very urbanized and will be attracted by the smell of chickens. Family units roam constantly and have no "home" turf. Bottom line, don`t get comfy. It only takes one raid to wipe you out of chickens.......Pop

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Oh gosh, DON'T do that. Dogs will blow right in as if there was nothing there whatsoever (except you'll have paid good money for that 'nothing')... also chickens will get stuck and/or out. Really truly, pop for a CHARGER and electrify it!!!

A battery powered charger is your best bet. Rechargeable might be cheapest if this fence will be used most of the year (remember it cannot be used at all in snowy conditions, and may work poorly on frozen or very very dry ground).

If you are going to just use one or two sections of fence, the charger would not cost terribly much -- if you are going to string together many sections of fence to electrify the size area you describe, it would take a bigger charger. Get premier's advice on charger choice, you don't necessarily have to buy it from them (other places are cheaper, although many of those cheaper ones are also not as good or reliable for the same power output) but at least see what they say in terms of choice.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[RevaVirginia]

Join the club on the feeling part and glad you're asking at the same time.

Edited before submit, the idea you may be seeking is located in paragraph #8 ....lol

The dilemna I have is the fear of predators while still being able to feel fairly safe while letting the hens free range, to a degree. Part of me says the roosters will take good care of them while another part says I don't want to bare the feeling of guilt from allowing them to free range without any protection other than the rooster.

My case is a revolving type since the only "established" chickens are the roosters. They've seen the predators and have a good idea where they reside on the food chain. The roosters have reached full size and the predator issue is lessened considerably. sThey're not lip smackin' billboards for a Hawk or Owl that has happened by. The gals on the other hand are a different story.

They too are nearing full size and I feel that I will be able to let them run around freely after I've finished their home to where I'm satisfied the can retreat from danger or situations they've decided in their little heads they dont want to be around. So far I have a coop that is inside a barn. This part of the barn looks like it probably housed pigs or some other smallish animal...had 3 stalls that come out to about waist height. Now they have one "1" little chicken door with ramp that leads outside to their run. The run is nothing more than an area outside of the coop with no access to grass other than what I toss in. All this is quite stationary and secure.

If...if they're outside the run now and get alarmed they start running for the safety of the coop and some have no problem finding their way back while others see the door and instead of heading for the entrance they just keeping bouncing off the fence. While i'm there I know its not a problem, but I don't want that vision in my mind if they were to be "gotten" while I wasn't around.

Which brings me to what I'm almost done with....A chicken tractor 5.5 x 18 or what I prefer to think of as a portable "safe" run. You've probably seen the A frame looking tractors, mine is the same except the coop part is nothing more than a place for feed/water and refuge from the sun. But as I approach completion I'm beginning to think that this will be less functional than what I'd intended. They'd all have to be in the "refuge" part and stay there in order to move the run safely.

What I'd like to have is a place that I could toss out somewhere on the acreage that would put someone in the mind of fluffing a blanket or tossing out a slinky...lol. Well my brain will be grinding this even as the portable run gets finished. lots of thoughts, but the more I think about a solution I'm betting as the girls get "established" my concerns will lessen also.

Everyones predatory concerns are different but that doesn't mean your predatory threats cant change. Now that I've got carpal tunnel and have reached my daily ration of murderous slaughtering of the english language *which I enjoy to no end*.....How about some of that welded wire fence which appears to be about 1" x 3" mounted on a grocery cart wheel type of set up...vertical axle thing. since your concern seems to limited to neighborhood dogs...whew!!....where's the couch!?

David

P.S. can't wait to read this after a couple years of chickeneering, sorta like opening up a time capsule....you know..."omg, did I say that..???....how silly of me."