Will electric fencing work?

[henaynei]

What I have fly circles around leghorns, yet proper wing clipping can keep them grounded.

using your profile pic as a reference.... I clipped all secondaries and left primaries
Guess I should have clipped the primaries instead.

 

[centrarchid]

using your profile pic as a reference.... I clipped all secondaries and left primaries
Guess I should have clipped the primaries instead.

With leghorns, do both primaries and secondaries.

 

[henaynei]

With leghorns, do both primaries and secondaries.

Will do!
Thank you

 

[wild chick]

Insight? Yes! A willingness to accept suggestions? That's up to you.

I think most folks understanding of how electric fences work to confine and repel animals is lacking. An effective fence is not a physical fence at all. It's a mental one.

Case in point being chickens........would you believe this simple fence keeps my birds off the patio?

View attachment 1640870

The same birds that will fly onto or over a nearly 4' high chain link fence will not cross this dinky little hot wire that is only 5 inches or so high. Will not do it. They paid no mind whatsoever to a 2' high plastic fence......but respect this. So what gives?

They were trained early on that the simple little white thing (it is a single strand of 1/2" poly electric fence tape) dishes out the most painful experience they have had to date, and to avoid similar pain, they avoid the tape. Will approach it....to within a foot or so, but do not cross it. When being trained, most will step on it and get zapped on the bottom of their foot. They launch, go outside, strut around trying to find a way to get back in, and most just simply hop over it to get back in. They could just as easily hop back out, but don't. Probably the fear that when they come back down, they will get another dose of whatever it was they got the first time. So again, a mental barrier.

This is the setup they were trained on......

View attachment 1640874 View attachment 1640876

That is what keeps my birds in. It also keeps predators out and for the same reason. Predators trying to cross and enhanced (3 or 4 wire low fence) will invariably get zapped and want no more part of that, so simply stay away. Same issue.....what awaits them on the other side? If more of the same of what they got last time, why risk that? Again, not physical barrier at all.....strictly a mental one.

When they are being trained, they will step on that tape, or not, and if not, will step over it to get out. Don't be discouraged. They all have to get it once, sometimes twice before the fear of another jolt makes it not worth the risk of trying. The fence shown was the only thing used to confine those birds within that garden area and it did so for about 4 months.......from brooder until they started laying.

Once trained, the birds stay in. To then use the same fence to keep predators out, I up that to 3 or 4 wires. Highest about 20 inches off the deck. Electric netting would work to, but is more work and more expense. I prefer the poly tape or wire fences.

I'm amazed at this. I'm a big fan of electrics - I think it raises IQ's of anything that touches it. But I was of the opinion that a chicken would never feel it due to all the feathers. I was assuming they would lean over it to get something or just see the tape and hop over. I will definitely try this. Does it make any difference if they are older birds? Mine are 7 months to 3 years. Free range on several acres. I just want to keep them out of my yard!

 

[Palogal]

using your profile pic as a reference.... I clipped all secondaries and left primaries
Guess I should have clipped the primaries instead.

Your first post mentioned clipping both wings. We just do one wing. I have a Legjorn, Eastereggers, Golden Laced Wyandott, Buff Orpington, Black Sex Link, Asian, Australorps, and Golden Comets. Mine are easily confined with electric net fencing.

 

[henaynei]

Your first post mentioned clipping both wings. We just do one wing. I have a Legjorn, Eastereggers, Golden Laced Wyandott, Buff Orpington, Black Sex Link, Asian, Australorps, and Golden Comets. Mine are easily confined with electric net fencing.

G-d willing I’m getting electric net fence next week! Hurray!