Opossum in the Run

[jthornton]

Make it simple just put a electric wire around the fence. One at 4 inches off the ground the other at 12 inches. Good Luck

I have to attach it to the chain link fence as I only have about 2' of ground on the East side and the North side goes up a hill next to a tree etc.

JT

 

[jthornton]

Also in that 2011 thread the OP ran one hot wire around the top, I'm guessing for large dogs or climbing animals that hop over the 12" wire.

JT

 

[TLCMidMichigan]

Killing a varmint such as an opossum I best with a head shot with a 22. Looking straight on between the eyes. My past experience trapping is my basis for that. He will pass in a minute or two. No faking it here!

 

[Ruralhideaway]

I'm going to do an anti dig skirt then ground the HC and hot at about 15" to avoid most of the snow then one at the top. Might experiment with 24" chicken wire attached to PVC with zipties as insulator, attached to plastic insulators, and electrified for the bottom. That would be impossible to avoid even for tiny weasels. It'll have terrible resistance but it's only a short run.

 

[jthornton]

Killing a varmint such as an opossum I best with a head shot with a 22. Looking straight on between the eyes. My past experience trapping is my basis for that. He will pass in a minute or two. No faking it here!

Agree, if you don't hit in the brain they just keep going. Sometimes very hard to do on such a small target that is moving very fast.

JT

 

[jthornton]

@Ruralhideaway I might have to go the same route because the chickens like to keep the grass on the other side of the fence mowed down. I was trying to figure out how to have one at 2" and not zap a chicken that sticks it's head through the fence to eat grass. Well that won't work either for me they would go right through the fence... gotta think on that some. I can get 4 1/2" standoffs for the bottom wire.

JT

 

[Ruralhideaway]

@Ruralhideaway I might have to go the same route because the chickens like to keep the grass on the other side of the fence mowed down. I was trying to figure out how to have one at 2" and not zap a chicken that sticks it's head through the fence to eat grass. Well that won't work either for me they would go right through the fence... gotta think on that some. I can get 4 1/2" standoffs for the bottom wire.

JT

I've never electric trained chickens but i gather they learn to avoid. Or you could angle it away from their fence toward the ground?

 

[Sublight]

I think you have a handle on securing the coop. From all your other posts, you have a good head on your shoulders.

Just a suggestion about the way you killed it. Have you ever considered moving to a .17 HMR?

Spoiler: More info about the damage of the .17HMR.

It is DEVISTATING. There will be only 1 shot.
Ive killed 2 squirrels with mine so far. One was missing the entire top of its head. The other one had such a devastating wound that its neck was about half gone.
With this you don't have to worry about follow up shots.
They do make the .17 HMR in a revolver, but the damage would be less, as the bullet will have a slower muzzle velocity.

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

JT, I have a chain link dog kennel for my run. I attached pressure treated 2x4s around the perimeter of the cage (10' x 10') on the bottom. Then secured hardware cloth around the perimeter on the outside of the chain link. I believe 30" high... So it's like a double security. Also have an apron running around the entire thing too...

 

[jthornton]

I think you have a handle on securing the coop. From all your other posts, you have a good head on your shoulders.

Just a suggestion about the way you killed it. Have you ever considered moving to a .17 HMR?

Spoiler: More info about the damage of the .17HMR.

It is DEVISTATING. There will be only 1 shot.
Ive killed 2 squirrels with mine so far. One was missing the entire top of its head. The other one had such a devastating wound that its neck was about half gone.
With this you don't have to worry about follow up shots.
They do make the .17 HMR in a revolver, but the damage would be less, as the bullet will have a slower muzzle velocity.

For up close I like a pistol. I just grabbed the wrong one my Heritage Arms Owls Head revolver, not the most accurate pistol I own. I now have my High Standard withing reach in the mornings, a much more accurate pistol. I also have 9mm, .357 and a .44 magnum for pistol choices. So it was just a wrong choice and at a rather fast paste moment. Also at 4:30am the crack of a rifle is a bit loud even out here in the country.

I really thought I had it nailed when it stuck it's head through the chain link but just as I shot it pulled out and ran at top speed to the other side of the chicken yard. I let go 2 more rounds at as it ran in case I got lucky. This all happened in a 40' space and a couple of seconds. Did I mention it was 4:30am and I had just woke up and not even taken a sip of my coffee... I should have remembered Sargent York's pistol shooting position... but I didn't have time.

Did I mention the chickens were in no danger they were locked up in the coop and the door didn't open for another hour.

JT