Havahart AC-Powered Electric Fence - to keep hens in?

[RachelJoy]

Our 4 hens have now managed to pretty much destroy our fenced in backyard (approx 75' by 100') this spring. I don't think any grass is going to grow back unless we limit their wanderings and scratchings.

Will something like this (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VXYV6K/ref=oss_product) electric wire fence do it? I don't want a big ugly fence, and it's not crucial that they never escape from it. I just want to give the yard an opportunity to recover. Ultimately, we might let them back out for 9-10 months/year, and just contain them during mud season. The smaller enclosed area will still be approx. 30' x 15'.

They get closed up in a safe coop for the night, and have done well so far with just the picket fence (and a dog barking from inside the house) keeping things out during the day.

If we do the wire, how many and at what heights will be most effective? I'm thinking maybe two wires at 6" and 18"? I know they could hop right over, but will they?

Thanks for any advice!

Rachel

 

[patandchickens]

So, is the situation basically that you are happy with continuing to trust your yard fence to keep dogs (etc) OUT, and you simply want to keep chickens confined to a smaller area?

You would be much better off, IMHO, with a 4-6' fence of cheap plastic garden mesh. You can make it so it rolls or folds up pretty easily, and attaches to bamboo stakes or t-posts or step-in posts or whatever. Your chickens will respect it more than they will respect an 18" electric wire fence, and it will be MUCH cheaper and easier to set up. Realize that they will still go over it if they really want to -- wing clipping may help with that if it becomes a problem -- but of course that is even *more* true of your proposed electric setup

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[j3707]

I read of one chicken farmer out there that uses an electric wire about 1 or 2 feet (don't quote me) off the ground and the chickens didn't bother hopping it....also kept the 4 legged predators out.

HOWEVER, they were fencing in a very large area. The chickens had plenty of space to roam and probably didn't really care about ranging further.

I think electric fence is more to keep critters out than keep chickens in...

I'd go with Pat's suggestion. Maybe 6 foot tall deer netting.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
If you carefully read the accounts of most people who use that sort of setup, it just "mostly" keeps chickens (of very inactive breeds) in, and "mostly" keeps predators out (when there is already somewhat predatorproof boundary fencing). This is not usually good enough for the tastes of backyard chicken owners...

Just sayin',

Pat