Replacing run with electric fence.

[pfost262]

I've had a run, 16x12 attached to my hen house since I began keeping chickens. The run is kind of falling apart and becoming a bit of an eyesore in the yard. I've recently been toying with the idea of replacing the run or going with another option. What are your thoughts, pros, cons, with removing the run and setting up an electric fence. My yard is L shaped, decent size, but not extremely large. I would like the hens to be able to free range in different parts of the yard instead of being confined to a 12x16 box. So is it worth it to remove my run and spend the money on electric fence? How does the electric fence fare in the winter time with snow and or hard ground? Thanks!!!!

 

[Maeschak]

I've had a run, 16x12 attached to my hen house since I began keeping chickens. The run is kind of falling apart and becoming a bit of an eyesore in the yard. I've recently been toying with the idea of replacing the run or going with another option. What are your thoughts, pros, cons, with removing the run and setting up an electric fence. My yard is L shaped, decent size, but not extremely large. I would like the hens to be able to free range in different parts of the yard instead of being confined to a 12x16 box. So is it worth it to remove my run and spend the money on electric fence? How does the electric fence fare in the winter time with snow and or hard ground? Thanks!!!!

Do you mean electric poultry netting or like pasture electric fencing? I use electric pasture fencing and can tell you that snow drifts (where the snow touches both the ground and the hot wire/s) will ground out the fence. Grounding out the fence due to snow can be a serious pain, but oddly, it usually takes most animals a long time to realize the fence isn't hot anymore... meaning, the snow usually melts before they realize that they could have touched it without getting zapped. The other pain with electric fencing (of any sort) is that you also cant let anything grow up and touch the fence or it will ground out. That means you must be diligent about weed whacking under your fencing which also means that the fence must be high enough to weed whack under (which might be too high for small chickens). On the other hand, electric fencing (like pasture fencing) is very economical and great because it is easily set up, easily moved around, and easily fixed.

 

[chickens really]

In my opinion I would redo the run and purchase the electric poultry fence also.....I have a Run and free range my Birds in the safety of the Poultry fence........Predators come to mind.......


Cheers!

 

[pfost262]

Unfortunately my yard isn't large enough for both a run and fencing so I would have to figure on one of the two. My only worry was that I would hate to take down the run and put up fencing and run into problems and regret removing the run. However, I've been seeing that fencing seems to have more benefits than a run.