Premier-1 Poultry Fencing - WARNING

[3KillerBs]

This is one of the reasons I’ve been holding off on running currents through the fence. I do not get much wildlife here but I am afraid that I will harm the wildlife that does live around here (we get bears, squirrels, wild cats, foxes, etc.). It’ll help protect the chickens from other predators but it can also harm the wildlife that are not interested in the chickens.

Thanks for your response.

There are always tradeoffs to everything and accidents happen.

I lost a cockerel last summer because he got trapped between the fence and the inner curtain all night -- unable to figure out how to get out of that space the way he got in. Best I can figure is that he panicked and broke his neck.

There would have been room for him to sit without touching the fence -- I'd found pullets sitting in there in the daylight when I got home from work and they were fine once rescued -- but he didn't. Kung Pao was *always* panicking over something or the other he might well have managed to kill himself some other way before he got to the point of culling for the table.

I have to be realistic and know that my fence has protected my flock when a roaming dog killed all but 2 of a neighbor's flock.

All we can do is be careful and responsible about our setup and prepare for foreseeable events then fix the unforeseen problems after they occur.

 

[3KillerBs]

Sucks you had to cut the net.

Fortunately, it's easily repaired.

It comes with a repair kit and instructions.

 

[3KillerBs]

Another thing I love about it. I have 2, 100 ft rolls

I am hoping to use chick-selling money to buy another roll -- once the Avian Flu lets up, at least.

 

[3KillerBs]

But how you cut it, would that effect how the fencing works once turned on? If it rains with it on, could it become deadly or a fire hazard?

The poultry netting comes with a repair kit and instructions for it's repair.

It's perfectly safe in the rain. Why wouldn't it be?

This article will clear up a LOT of misconceptions about electric fence -- which is used successfully to hold millions of individual livestock animals all over the world.

Is there a way to buy just the charger? With the solar panel.
I have the fencing. But I just need a poultry safe charger.

Premier 1 sells all the components separately as well as in kits. They have excellent customer service -- I've emailed them many times and gotten good information.

 

[3KillerBs]

Wow, usually this brand has great products, but since many of your chickens are getting stuck, then this could use a recall.

It works fine if used correctly.

 

[All4Eggz]

Once you do run current through the fence it becomes a hazard to the wildlife you are and are not trying to keep out of the pen.

To date countless frogs, a few toads, one big beautiful mother snapping turtle and a young buck have lost their lives in my fence. That's a difficult thing to come to terms with if you respect and love nature as I do.
I will never ever forget what it felt like to find the young buck laying in freezing cold water with the fence wrapped tightly around his antlers down on his head and face with blood coming from his eyes getting jolted with 10,000 volts over and over.
All.
Night.
Long.

He died about 4 hours after being freed from the fence and dragged from the freezing water. I wanted him shot immediately but don't have a gun and the neighbor wouldn't do it.

Horrifying.

This is one of the reasons I’ve been holding off on running currents through the fence. I do not get much wildlife here but I am afraid that I will harm the wildlife that does live around here (we get bears, squirrels, wild cats, foxes, etc.). It’ll help protect the chickens from other predators but it can also harm the wildlife that are not interested in the chickens.

Thanks for your response.

 

[3KillerBs]

@Tre3hugger, @3KillerBs, @DobieLover, @Alaskan, and @addctd2plnts-
How do I make my fencing electric, yet safe for poultry? (links to products?)
Is it strong enough to kill the poultry?

I’m sick of the chickens getting into the flower garden…
Now I’m looking to make my fencing electric.

Any help is appreciated.

This is what I have: https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/poultrynet-plus-48-inch-starter-kit?cat_id=160

It will not kill your poultry and they will not get tangled if you keep it electrified and, most importantly, keep it TIGHT.

Unfortunately, chicks up to a certain age can pop right through it and they don't get shocked because they jump up off the ground to do it -- so they aren't grounded.

 

[All4Eggz]

Oops, thought I'd included it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/a-treatise-on-electric-fences-for-poultry.72229/

And for Premier 1 just scroll to the very bottom of their home page. There is a "Contact Us" link under "Support".

I have contacted them and they responded very quickly.
The worker is trying to understand my situation so she can help me more…
will keep y’all dated.

 

[MadGardener]

Lots of good points! I'm also very happy with my Premier1 netting and charger. My birds have learned to avoid the net. I keep it charged at all times I'm not in the pen. Younger birds have escaped, but they generally want back in and are easy to round up.

I have not caught any critters in it yet. But my trail camera did catch a black bear the 2nd night we had chickens on the property. So far it's kept predators out for me very well.

 

[addctd2plnts]

I am going to start off by saying that I love Premier-1 poultry products.

This is a warning to all homesteaders that use this type of netting.

I had two chickens get tangled up in the netting just today. Many in the past as well.
One of them would have died if I hadn’t got
her free in time. The other one had her leg stuck.

View attachment 3092224View attachment 3092225
I took these photos after attempting to free her. It was no use. I tried pushing her through, and pulling her out but it wouldn’t work. Was about 5 minutes of me trying to free her with my hands.
Then I ran to get a pair of kitchen shearers. I had to cut the fencing to free her. She was dazed for a bit afterwards, but she is now running around and has no injuries that I can notice.
View attachment 3092232
Just as I was cutting the fencing… I heard another chicken screeching close by. Another chicken stuck in the netting.

View attachment 3092228
It is completely my fault that there is fencing laying around.
This time it was just her leg. I didn’t have to cut any fencing.

View attachment 3092229


Some of the chickens like to fly over the fence. I have clipped their wings multiple times but they have grown back so I am going to clip again.


If you have this type of netting, it is very crucial that you charge it to be electric!
This type of fencing is supposed to be electric but we have not gotten to that yet.

Just a warning to all y’all. I don’t want anything like this happening to someone else.

Ways to prevent this is to clip your chickens’ wings regularly and make your fencing electric.

Premier Poultry also tells you it must be tight to avoid injuries. There should not be slack in the netting.