Will a 5 strand electric fence keep out foxes?

[hayley3]

I was reading online and someone said a fox just jumped over a 3 strand fence and got her chickens. I'm just wondering if they can go through the strands since they have so much fur? I was thinking the bottom would be 6 inches off the ground so I can weedeat. I was also wondering if there was some kind of "easy" fence I could attach to the middle and just use a top and bottom wire, which I would like better.
(My internet is bad at the moment so I really can't search through the forum very well)

 

[aart]

I was reading online and someone said a fox just jumped over a 3 strand fence and got her chickens

How high was fence?
@Howard E is the fence guru around here.

 

[Mtnboomer]

He'll go under it eventually.

 

[hayley3]

I am not sure...I can't find the "blog" now. I think he said start the first strand at 6 inches and then 2nd at 9 inches..but I am guessing. So I guess that's the question to ask, how far apart should strands be to be effective.

 

[hayley3]

He'll go under it eventually.

That's what I'm afraid of. So I was wondering if there's any type of fencing that I could attach to a tpost that is not going to be hard for me to do. I cannot put up welded wire or woven wire myself.

 

[hayley3]

I found out you can attach wood to a tpost...so I was thinking of putting a top and bottom hot wire and put some simple type of fence in-between but the only simple fence material I can think of is chicken wire. Hardware cloth would too expensive, to use for 1 1/2 acres of fencing.

 

[ColoradoPip]

Animals like foxes, coyotes, etc. will (most times) get very close to the fence then jump almost straight up and over.

I would recommend one strand 6 inches up (as suggested) and an offset top wire, preferably both a positive and negative wire, so if the animal jumps they get shocked.

 

[hayley3]

If they jump over it how do they get shocked?

 

[Mtnboomer]

Animals like foxes, coyotes, etc. will (most times) get very close to the fence then jump almost straight up and over.

I would recommend one strand 6 inches up (as suggested) and an offset top wire, preferably both a positive and negative wire, so if the animal jumps they get shocked.

A red fox can jump vertically over 6ft. Unless you have a secure "roof" and subgrade anchors, a determined fox will find a way in eventually. So make it difficult enough to make the fox not want to put in the effort. If using fencing alone without a roof I would electrify a style like this to increase the horizontal distance the fox must clear. But not as tall.

 

[Mtnboomer]

If they jump over it how do they get shocked?

They dont account for the "offset" wire. They may clear the aligned strands but catch the offset wire and.....ZAP!