Premier-1 Poultry Fencing - WARNING

[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.

 

[Penpal]

I had the same trouble this year. I thought the chickens were big enough to not escape, but they weren't. Their feathers protect them from the charge and they squeeze through. I only have 3 that are little, now. They are put in a dog cage at night when everyone is behind electric.

 

[DaisyBuff]

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

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[Tankueray]

Yes you can buy the charger separately. They didn't have the fence I wanted in stock so I had to buy it from Kencove, but I bought this charger from them and it works great: https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/intellishock-60-solar-fence-energizer?cat_id=245
It also wasn't really the charger I wanted, but after spending an hour on the phone with two reps and two tech guys, no one could tell my why the one I wanted was wired in a particularly weird way, so I skipped buying it. (I build a lot of solar stuff, they didn't know why their controller was wired as if it were a switch when I've used that same controller for many projects and make sure to use blocking diodes, the switch thing seemed like a dangerous shortcut.)
In the end, the 60 was overpriced, but less complicated to deal with, and easier to claim on my insurance if someone steals it. (That's a thing folks, think about locking your solar controller down somehow.) Don't forget your ground rods, the 60's spikes will work if you're not in a bone dry area, but depending on the fence and climate, you might need one or more separate ground rods.

If you're not moving them around, why not just put up a real 4 foot t-post and welded wire fence to keep them out of your garden? It's pretty easy to run 3 strands of wire on the outside to electrify it. Mine will jump the fence where a gate is because they have something to land/step on, but they won't jump the welded wire because they can't perch on it in the interim. I use privacy screen on the inside to keep the chicks in, and keep the predators from seeing in. The only place I've ever had predators come through is in the one corner where there is no privacy screen, unless it's bobcats and they just jump over, clearing any electric anyway.

 

[All4Eggz]

Yes you can buy the charger separately. They didn't have the fence I wanted in stock so I had to buy it from Kencove, but I bought this charger from them and it works great: https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/intellishock-60-solar-fence-energizer?cat_id=245
It also wasn't really the charger I wanted, but after spending an hour on the phone with two reps and two tech guys, no one could tell my why the one I wanted was wired in a particularly weird way, so I skipped buying it. (I build a lot of solar stuff, they didn't know why their controller was wired as if it were a switch when I've used that same controller for many projects and make sure to use blocking diodes, the switch thing seemed like a dangerous shortcut.)
In the end, the 60 was overpriced, but less complicated to deal with, and easier to claim on my insurance if someone steals it. (That's a thing folks, think about locking your solar controller down somehow.) Don't forget your ground rods, the 60's spikes will work if you're not in a bone dry area, but depending on the fence and climate, you might need one or more separate ground rods.

If you're not moving them around, why not just put up a real 4 foot t-post and welded wire fence to keep them out of your garden? It's pretty easy to run 3 strands of wire on the outside to electrify it. Mine will jump the fence where a gate is because they have something to land/step on, but they won't jump the welded wire because they can't perch on it in the interim. I use privacy screen on the inside to keep the chicks in, and keep the predators from seeing in. The only place I've ever had predators come through is in the one corner where there is no privacy screen, unless it's bobcats and they just jump over, clearing any electric anyway.

I believe that’s the one Premier One recommended to me.
Here’s what she emailed me.

I had no idea it will cost this much so I’m not so sure that I’ll be getting it. Still thinking about it.

 

[Tankueray]

I believe that’s the one Premier One recommended to me.
Here’s what she emailed me.
View attachment 3181523
I had no idea it will cost this much so I’m not so sure that I’ll be getting it. Still thinking about it.

Again, a permanent fence is much less expensive. AC voltage fence chargers are also much less expensive. You can post that netting to Craigslist or FB and get almost retail for it. Pastured poultry is not a cheap hobby in any way.

The best way to repair it is to slip a crimp over it, you can use a butt crimp and pull the plastic sheath off. Twist the two wires together in such a way that they're still in line, like if you were soldering them. Move that crimp over the wire twist and crimp it with a pair of pliers. (There is technically a better way to tie and repair it if you have the kit and bigger crimps that come with it, but if you don't have that, then regular electrical gear can be used.)

 

[BamaBee]

@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.

Yes, it has killed 1 of my ducks and another was stuck in it. Thankfully we were there and able to turn it off so that we could release him before a 2nd shock came.
Here is my post describing the incident:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/poultry-fence-killed-my-duck.1539909/

 

[BamaBee]

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.

It killed my duck. It was on. It wasn't slack. Then I saw another get stuck.