The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Does anyone know why we can't just use regular chicken wire with a fence charger. Has anyone tried it?

From what I can gather...... You have to have proper grounding for an electric fence. Since chicken wire is all wire, everything would be charged and the wire that is at ground level would "ground out", reducing the level of charge to nil on the fence since it would lose too much charge into the ground. When you see electric wire, they are usually strands that are above the ground. On the electric net, the bottom wires don't take a charge and therefore, aren't grounding out.

ETA: Then a grounding rod is used for a single ground.

I guess if you could figure out some way to keep it above ground level and put enough charge on it to handle all the wire you could probably rig something.... but I don't like rigging where electricity is concerned unless I'm sure I know what I'm doing or have someone that does!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
That would be SO FUN!

 

[pigeonguy]

I know nothing about it.
http://www.pasturepro.com/blog/2011/05/electrifying-woven-or-barbed-wire/
However I know a little about electricity and my answer is no, you can't use a charger on regular wire.

I'm going to read the link but could you elaborate. We use regular wire single and double strand to put electric fence up for cows and other animals.

 

[aoxa]

I love my Muscovys..they are so sweet and filled with expression. They talk and talk with out saying a word..you can almost hear them through body language. My Drake loves baby chicks. I wish I could give him some, but he is so protective, when someone comes close to his charges he will run the chicks over in his excitement to protect. I will gate the babys up in a small fence and he talks to them through the fence and trys to warm them. Show what to eat. Poor chicks taught to eat stuff a normal chick would not eat...lol.. He is not as good with baby ducks, but, the hens beat him up if he gets to close when they are young.

Oh that's adorable!!

I love how muscovies do their head bobs. they dance around. It's really entertaining. They aren't like ducks.. They are more like geese in their behaviour.

And their Elvis impersonations hehehe.

 

[pigeonguy]

From what I can gather...... You have to have proper grounding for an electric fence. Since chicken wire is all wire, everything would be charged and the wire that is at ground level would "ground out", reducing the level of charge to nil on the fence since it would lose too much charge into the ground. When you see electric wire, they are usually strands that are above the ground. On the electric net, the bottom wires don't take a charge and therefore, aren't grounding out.

ETA: Then a grounding rod is used for a single ground.

I guess if you could figure out some way to keep it above ground level and put enough charge on it to handle all the wire you could probably rig something.... but I don't like rigging where electricity is concerned unless I'm sure I know what I'm doing or have someone that does!

I'm going to read the link but could you elaborate. We use regular wire single and double strand to put electric fence up for cows and other animals.

Guess I ask that to soon. I did think about keeping it off the ground because I new about the ground thing. I was thinking about 4 inches up with a weed cutter fencer. From what some of the farmers have told me when a weed gets on the wire the charger will hit it harder and cut it in 2. It is only a 150 FT X 30 FT run I can weed whack that much. Might just scrap the hole plan and put 3 strands around the chain link at 6, 8 and 14 inches it is only for the predators. What you said makes sense though might be high maintenance. Its just that I have a lot of chicken wire hundreds of feet I'll figure something out to do with it. My run is chain link fence. Maybe I could wrap it around the garden so they can free range during planting. The garden is 1/4 acre big.

 

[Mumsy]

Make sure it is pine..read the lable..if it is pine, open the top of the bag outside of the coop. Just toss a few handfulls in and stir. Check back later and see how it is. If all is well and the chickens seem fine..I would just add a little here and there. Fresh pine is very strong.It just might need some air time.

It isn't really the smell you need to worry about. Animals that eat Cedar shavings can get very sick. Pine shaving not so much a worry. Cedar is also bad in gardens. It is toxic for growing many plants in. If you go into the forest and find an old Cedar tree, you won't find anything growing around the base all the way out to the drip line. Cedar mulch is often used in areas where weed suppression is desired. Pine shavings are good to put around blueberry plants as a mulch. I use Cedar lumber for lots of things in side my coop but never shavings. Around chicks especially. Sounds like you got a super smelly bag of pine shavings. I think the advice from delisha is spot on. Go easy and observe.

 

[Arkansas81]

Ok, just read 108 post!!! So my question is......I am gathering eggs for hatching. I gather throughout the day. I sit them in an egg Carton on my counter big end up. I turn them all over at least 3x during the day.

So is there anything else I need to be doing? Do I need to turn them over completely throughout the day or can I just pick up one side of the carton, tilt it?

Thanks! I really enjoyed all the post, I am learning a lot!

 

[stonykill]

Ok, just read 108 post!!! So my question is......I am gathering eggs for hatching. I gather throughout the day. I sit them in an egg Carton on my counter big end up. I turn them all over at least 3x during the day.

So is there anything else I need to be doing? Do I need to turn them over completely throughout the day or can I just pick up one side of the carton, tilt it?

Thanks! I really enjoyed all the post, I am learning a lot!

just tilt the carton. That is enough.

You are doing all you really need to do. Collect good clean eggs for 7 to 10 days, tilting the cartons a few times a day and incubate or put under a broody. Simple as that!

 

[Arkansas81]

  just tilt the carton. That is enough. 

   You are doing all you really need to do. Collect good clean eggs for 7 to 10 days, tilting the cartons a few times a day and incubate or put under a broody. Simple as that!

Thanks Stony! This is my first time with hatching eggs. Making sure, I want happy customers.

 

[jendodd79]

I'm curious what you do with your fermented feed when you go away for a few days? I'm not sure that I could get our normal chicken sitter to worry about replenishing the feed over a period of days. But at the same time, is it ok to just have a batch sit for 4-5 days without being eaten?