Moveable electric fence during daylight hours for fox/dog prevention

[Birdsong 82]

I can definitely understand that. My friend has a problem with a fox that comes through her yard every single day. At my house I find raccoons out even during the day. But depending on where you live you get different creditors at different times

 

[Trish1974]

@hayley3 You may want to check out this article:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/a-treatise-on-electric-fences-for-poultry.72229/

 

[hayley3]

Thanks Trish...

 

[True Patriot]

Tractor Supply has fence kits as low as $65. Would be better to build your own. Check Lowe's and home Depot, they have all the supplies in the fence section. Would definitely be cheaper than $500

 

[hayley3]

I didn't see any fence kits...I did find grazing net for $280 without an energizer. I really don't even feel confident enough to pick out an energizer to go with the $280 netting.

 

[Howard E]

Most of use have been trained to think of and refer to the "box stores", like TSC for things like this, perhaps unaware that there are many other local options if you know where to look. Almost all of the local farm co-op stores, the farm and home stores carry these supplies. We have a small lumber yard locally that also has them. (As an aside, they also have far better quality lumber and at the same or better prices than the box stores and a better level of service to help you).

What these other stores stock are the fence chargers and supplies needed to build livestock fences, and we use the same stuff to make fences to protect our chickens.

Instead of the pre-made netting fences, consider a $20 roll of 17 gauge aluminum wire, or even poly rope or tape, some step-in insulated electric fence posts, etc. A really good system can be put together for around $200 in components, and most of that will be the fence charger and a 12 volt car battery to run it.


This simple fence measures 40' x 50', and took me about an hour to build and is doing double duty. Keeping a flock of 22 young pullets in and coons out of that patch of sweet corn. That is only one strand of poly tape.

A fence made of 2 or 3 strands like this would be about as easy to build, even more effective and is easier to construct and move that the poultry netting fences, of which I have 2 and rarely use. The size is also something I can vary to suit myself, vs. the awkward spacing of the netting fence posts that come pre-attached.

BTW, I have found both fences to be equally effective. But I prefer these simple strand fences over the netting. They don't look as imposing, but they still work.

 

[hayley3]

Thank you Howard, you have upped my confidence. All I have is a TSC and Orscheln's. In Kentucky they have a Rural King, I'm in Indiana.
I was thinking of doing a solar energizer because batteries scare me. What do you buy to connect the energizer to the fence? I really know nothing. I will look for the tape. What kind of white posts are those?

 

[Howard E]

Orschlens, TSC or Rural King would all have what you need. I get much of my stuff from Orschlens.

Our store stocked a 12 volt fence charger from Zareba, rated for something like 10 miles of fence (might have been 0.6 joules). Cost was around $90. Hook the power leads of that up to a 12 volt deep cycle car battery (Orschelns' would have those as well....group 24 size cost about $70). You will then need a battery charger, which runs about $30.
View attachment 1457550
On this setup, the ground rod for the fencer is simply the steel post, which is doubling as a corner post. Fencer could also have been hung on the same steel post. Drive the post at least a foot into the ground and it should work.

One roll of the white poly tape or rope.....those may come in rolls of 660 feet or 1320 feet (1,320' = 1/4 mile). It will pay to go to the premium stuff, which has more wire, which ups the chance of the animal touching it, and also lowers the resistance level of the poly rope, meaning it is less work for the charger and gives a better shock.

The white step in posts also came from Orschlens. Their store brand posts are ok, but there is a better version from Parmak.......

https://parmakusa.com/product/bigfoot-step-in-post/

They might also be sold under the name "Bayguard", which is a Parmak brand. They seem heavier and more durable to me, but any of them will work. Cost of those runs about $3 each and on level ground, you can space those about 20 feet apart.....so that gives you some idea on how many you might need.

If you have uneven ground, likes dips or valleys, you can get the wire to hug the contour by using the yellow clip on insulators that are used on T posts, and install them upside down, to hold the wire/tape/poly rope down vs holding them up. Set the T post in the bottom of the trough and a white step in post on the shoulder or bank on either side.

 

[Howard E]

This is the setup I was referring to........

Shows all 4 clamps needed to set it up. Red (+) and Black (-) clip to battery for power supply. And Red (+) clip to the white poly tape (hot wire) and Green (-) clip to the steel post, which establishes the ground for the fence charger to work.

The animal is connected to the green clip through the ground....literally the grass and/or soil they are standing up. When they touch the white tape, the circuit closes and the high voltage current flows through them, which they feel as a painful shock.

So this teaches them that if they mess with the tape in search of what is on the other side, they risk getting zapped. In short, it teaches them to leave it the heck alone!

 

[hayley3]

I found a Parmak solar fencer....if I use that instead of the battery, I then would need to buy premium poly tape...(what size tape do you recommend?) plus step-in posts, 1 t-post for ground, some yellow clips and clamps? I go to town tomorrow so can shop then.
Thanks for your help!