Will hotwire work for a low fence or will more need to be done?

[Moochie]

Basically this fence is very short... The land is about 2.2 acres and from what others have told me there will be lots of predators such as raccoons, skunks, foxes, coyotes, bears, hawks, not what I'm used too. Seems like I might have to invest in getting a rifle or some type of gun too. Or a large farm dog.
The fence looks like those metal fences that line huge properties with acreage, just without the barbed wire and the "no trespassing" signs. It has what looks like hardware cloth instead of the chain link design. I'm used to my 6 ft wooden backyard fence so this is totally new to me. The fence looks like it's only 4 feet high so any critter can easily get through it. Would hot wire stop most animals? Where I live currently there are no wilderness animals like raccoons, a neighbor's dog is as worse as a predator can get. We're gonna have to do a lot of work on making predator proof pens and coops, but I'd like at least something to maybe deter predators.
I don't think a lot of people have poultry out where the property is, or maybe not as many as I do, so I think it would be visited quite a bit by predators because it's new to them.
Any info/advice would be appreciated.

 

[ailurophile23]

A hotwire would help but with the fence only at four feet, one low wire probably won't stop predators for long. One low and one mid-fence might do better - might help prevent climbing over. Moveable electric poultry netting might also be a good option until you can sort out the existing fencing and reinforce/improve it.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

If the wire is small enough to stop most predators coming THROUGH it, then I'd only worry about climbers and jumpers.

I'd run one hot wire just below the top, and use some long T-posts to add a few of wires ABOVE it to make it appear closer to 6 ft tall.

If you have good solid ends to attach your wires, you can space posts 50-60 ft apart

I'd use either Aluminum wire or "Polywire" since both are easier to work with than steel

 

[Moochie]

Mm, what about electric fencing meant for cattle?
Actually now that I think about it the fence was lower than 4 feet, I stand at 5' 7" and I couldn't rest my arms on the fence at the property. It only comes up to my waist while my front yard fence comes up to my chest. The front yard of the place seems to have pretty sturdy fence and that one is feet but the backyard one looks like it hasn't been touched in a while... Except by the weather. I'm going back up to Tehachapi Friday, maybe I can look at the house again. *There's still people living in it, I don't want to be a weirdo and invade their privacy lol.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: Electric fence is identical for most species.
The only real difference is how many wires you need.

http://www.afence.com/Electric_Fence/how_to_elecfence/elecinstall.htm

http://www.fishock.com/advice/all-about/fence-wire