Need a help with electric fence design

[Rodrad]

We just lost one 4 months old chicken to, likely, a fox. When I went to lock the chickens in the coop , at about 9 pm Infiana time, one was missing. I couldn’t see any trace of blood or feathers but will check again tomorrow. Our run is 50 ft square and has 4 ft chicken wire around it and electric fence at about 8“ above the ground on the outside the perimeter. I looked but i couldn’t see any dug hole under the fence, but it was dusk so I will check tomorrow.

I know that fox can jump over my low electric fence (I was advised to set it so low to protect raccoons from coming over the fence) but wonder how the fox avoided to touch the wire before deciding to jump over (and clime the fence). I assume it was the fox since the whole chicken is taken away.

I would like to get info about building a better electric fence.
i would appreciate any input.

thank you

 

[McChooky]

I strongly advise you to run a series of wires extending outward from the fence on top .It will keep foxes and cats out.

 

[cmom]

My fence is connected to my ground so anything that touches the fence and the hot wires will get zapped. I also used metal fence posts.

 

[cmom]

Probably not. I have learned not long ago that we do have weasels in Florida but not where I live (so far). I had a rat infestation in one of my coops. I renovated the coop and set traps but there were so many, trapping was impossible. I invested in some rat bait stations and put them in our barn which is behind the coops. I check the baits regularly and re-bait as needed. I did not or have not found dead rats laying around so I assume they went into their tunnels that were around the coops and went into the tunnels and died, buried themselves. I put the bait stations in pet carriers on shelves so the only things that could get to the bait are the rats. Rats are good climbers.

 

[McChooky]

The problem is if anything jumps ON your fence it won't be on the ground if it touches the wire.To complete the circuit and get a shock the animal has to be standing on the ground and touching the wire at the same time. There is a way around this...

 

[Rodrad]

The problem is if anything jumps ON your fence it won't be on the ground if it touches the wire.To complete the circuit and get a shock the animal has to be standing on the ground and touching the wire at the same time. There is a way around this...

I understand that. However, my electric fence line is within few inches from a chicken wire fence where the animal need to get in order to climb over it. So, I plan to put several more strings of electric fence and there will be not enough space between the lines itself nor towards the chicken wire fence so that the predator should made the contact with both. BTW, my chicken wire fence is grounded since it is attached to the metal posts.

 

[cmom]

http://www.poultrydvm.com/featured-infographic/tips-for-protecting-poultry-from-predators

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-treatise-on-electric-fencing.1117877/

 

[cmom]

I posted a couple of links above that may help you. I have electric wires around my coops and pens, good heavy duty netting covering all of my pens and concrete under the gates all due to losses from predators in the past. So far nothing has gotten past the hot wires. Make sure your fence charger packs a good wallop as the predator won't be phased by a tickle. You want the predator to know the hot wires are there and hurts. I use the poly rope wires. Good luck...

This is the fence charger I have on at my outer coops and anything that touches the wires will hurt. I think the adult predators teach their young that a bird isn't worth getting zapped for.

 

[45lk9p459gm-w]

I strongly advise you to run a series of wires extending outward from the fence on top .It will keep foxes and cats out.

I like it .... I assume that ever other wire is hot and the ones in between are ground?

 

[Rodrad]

I am thinking to add about 4-6 strands of electric wire just outside of my grounded chicken wire, possibly just 4” or so. I would think that any predator trying to climb it would need to touch at least one of the electric wires while either being on the ground or holding onto chicken wire fence.

what do you think?

i appreciate your input,
thank you