Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[rural mouse]

Got a pic?

Running from about where I'm standing on down the hillmatching up with the fence line at the bottom

The big pole is the power line with 2 grounds coming off

 

[rural mouse]

Answer to the dreaded molting question. View attachment 3314612

Whilst I'm capable of making that, I don't think I'd want to inflict that on the poor hen. How can she dust bathe or straighten her feathers?

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

As I was making coffee this afternoon I looked out the window and saw this. This milk crate is their favorite new hangout. Sadly I am now down to only 1 keeper chick. The blue one in this group. Wattles sprouted 2 days ago on the white chick darn it.

 

[rural mouse]

Then your fence ground should be located at least 30(?) feet away from the power pole. I could look into this better later. The ground doesn’t have to be right near the fence. I think it doesn’t even have to be right next to the charger either but I’m not sure about that. I think you don’t want to ask a system’s ground to do more than that system has been designed for. I believe they advised in the literature against connecting any ground to a power pole but it might be okay to run a fence next to a power pole.

So I think the ground can be anywhere in the circuit. I believe you just have to complete the Circle Of Zap: between the soil and the critter touching the soil and the fence, the fence, the charger’s positive wire sending power to the fence, the charger’s negative wire going to the ground rod(s) and the soil again. Maybe when things are near each other it’s easier to identify where a problem is if your voltage drops.

If correct, the only downside is you use more insulated cable running from the charge to the ground if it is a distance away, and you might need more charger? Also, the ground between the critter and your ground needs to be conductive to complete the circuit.

My ground is four-five feet from the charger, but the charger is maybe 150 feet from the fence. I ran the positive cable 20 feet up to the barn upstairs window, 30 ft out across a swale over to the wooded hillside, 80 feet along trees and then another 20+ down the hillside to the fence. I think I could have run two cables out there and put the ground by the fence if I wanted. Or run the ground cable somewhere completely different. One thing I do have out there which I love is a cut- out switch, with a short clip cable going to the fence.

Sorry for the long post. I do yadder on. Hope it is helpful though.

At the moment no. I never got physical science, so the terms may as well be Greek. However, once I start reading up on the things, it will probably start making sense.

My knowledge of electrical stuff comes from my dad telling me over the phone how to change a receptical (he had to explain what that was). The black goes to the black, white to white, copper is the ground and after tightening the screws, wrap electrical tape around it, covering the screws (so no one gets zapped if they grab it while it's hot).With the breaker box turned off. Jumper cables for the car battery, red to red and black to black or to the metal frame.

 

[ValarieF]

As I was making coffee this afternoon I looked out the window and saw this. This milk crate is their favorite new hangout. Sadly I am now down to only 1 keeper chick. The blue one in this group. Wattles sprouted 2 days ago on the white chick darn it.
View attachment 3314839View attachment 3314840

So adorable

 

[rural mouse]

As I was making coffee this afternoon I looked out the window and saw this. This milk crate is their favorite new hangout. Sadly I am now down to only 1 keeper chick. The blue one in this group. Wattles sprouted 2 days ago on the white chick darn it.
View attachment 3314839View attachment 3314840

Are the red ones pullets or did the roo fairy strike them too?

 

[RoyalChick]

At the moment no. I never got physical science, so the terms may as well be Greek. However, once I start reading up on the things, it will probably start making sense.

My knowledge of electrical stuff comes from my dad telling me over the phone how to change a receptical (he had to explain what that was). The black goes to the black, white to white, copper is the ground and after tightening the screws, wrap electrical tape around it, covering the screws (so no one gets zapped if they grab it while it's hot).With the breaker box turned off. Jumper cables for the car battery, red to red and black to black or to the metal frame.

I probably was a step behind even that when I started. I suggest you hang out on the Premier One website. They have a lot of instructional videos and articles. Their customer service is also genuinely helpful.
Same is true of Kencove whose fence I actually purchased, but they have slightly fewer instructional stuff.
I had to call them when I was setting it up because I had some basic questions and they were very happy to spend time on the phone with me.

There is also quite a lot of good stuff on YouTube like this.
https://www.zarebasystems.com/learning-center/how-electric-fencing-works

Sorry if this is too basic for you - but it helped me visualize the whole thing!

 

[featherhead007]

Whilst I'm capable of making that, I don't think I'd want to inflict that on the poor hen. How can she dust bathe or straighten her feathers?

That’s why they aren’t very popular. They can’t scratch, preen, or dust bathe .

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Are the red ones pullets or did the roo fairy strike them too?

Not sure yet. No wattles and while their combs are bright, they hatched that color so no changes yet. They will be 3 weeks old tomorrow.

 

[micstrachan]

Hi, friends. I’m feeling quite under the weather and look at this very sweet visitor I have right now. I’m not waiting till post since it’s already Monday in Australia. She’s at the bottom of the pecking order, so doesn’t visit my lap very often. However, I know she enjoys it, as she was hand raised and liked to nap on me as a chick. Her little visit warms my soul.