Electric fence?

[Digger-07]

I know that there will be grapes that have experience of using electric fencing for chickens. What are the pros and cons please?

[RichmondHens]

In a nutshell:

Pros: Easy to erect and move about, Keeps chickens in and foxes out. We have used elecric netting for 5 years and not had a fox attack. We think once the foxes had a shock or two they left it alone and we now use it unelectrified as a general fence.

Cons: Not cheap but if you shop around you can get some good deals. If you have it permanently on then you run the risk of zapping wildlife. We found it killed hedgehogs at night (and the screams were just ghastly) so took to turning it off at night when hens were shut up. You will also need to clip hens wings to stop flighty ones flying over.

I also recommend buying extra uprights as I never think the fences come with enough, and they can sag in places.

[Nicos]

wouldn't- sorry couldn't - be without mine. 5 foxes in the field behind last spring- so far a full head count with our chooks which free range during the day within the fencing.!

We've frazzled a few frogs unfortunately which is why I want to create a pond
well away from the chooks.

Upright posts? -yup agree with RH- we needed about 8 more, but our land is very uneven.

Ours has fine mesh- so it's supposed to keep rats out too.

[Suechooks]

I put narrow (6" wide)damp-proof membrane under mine. Helps stop it earthing and keeps the grass down. Also have extra posts - horse fence ones are better.

[Digger-07]

Thanks everyone, I knew there would be some experience on the vine.

My reason for considering it is so that I can move the "pen" round the garden to rest the area. Take the advise about the hedgehogs and frogs so I will turn it off at night when the hens are away. Read somewhere about the DPC to keep the grass down so I'm glad to here it works.

Thanks again.

[Scarlet]

We have always used an electric fence and the one time we forgot to turn it back on in the morning the fox had taken more than a dozen while we were out during the day - I never turn it off now.

[frias]

The only time I turn mine off is when I go in with the girls. We have fried 2 frogs but it was probably a quicker death than they would have had if got by the chooks anyway. I like the fence on at night so if foxy pays a visit during the night he'll get a shock and not try during the day.

[Glutton4...]

Wot they said!

Pros - all the above.
Cons - it hurts!!!!!!

[Nicos]

I too leave my fence on at night..the foxes will always asume there is no window of opportunity!
..and seeing as foxes are mostly nocturnal- isn't that when they are most likely to explore??

I have to say though - that the electrified hedgehog is a very sad thing to hear about

[petal]

I intend to put our electric fencing within the existing chicken wire fence as an extra precaution. Don't think hedgehogs can get in there then.
cheapest place to get fencing anyone?

[RichmondHens]

I too leave my fence on at night..the foxes will always asume there is no window of opportunity!
..and seeing as foxes are mostly nocturnal- isn't that when they are most likely to explore??

I have to say though - that the electrified hedgehog is a very sad thing to hear about

It's not just finding them dead in the morning, but hearing them screaming at night when they get caught. They don't all scream, but the ones that do sound like stuck pigs, and the first time it happened we really wondered what it was for a few minutes. The ones we heard we rushed out of bed for and rescued them, but there were quite a number that had got their spines caught, had repeated shocks and died.

As we always shut our hens in, and our houses are fox proof, we decided there was no point in having the fence on at night anyway, and felt happier knowing we weren't decimating the local hedgehog population.

[Nicos]

cheapest place to get fencing anyone?

some of us have bought from here.....

Electric netting

[frias]

It's not just finding them dead in the morning, but hearing them screaming at night when they get caught. They don't all scream, but the ones that do sound like stuck pigs, and the first time it happened we really wondered what it was for a few minutes. The ones we heard we rushed out of bed for and rescued them, but there were quite a number that had got their spines caught, had repeated shocks and died.

As we always shut our hens in, and our houses are fox proof, we decided there was no point in having the fence on at night anyway, and felt happier knowing we weren't decimating the local hedgehog population.

That does sound horrible. We don't get any hedgehogs in our garden. The perimeter fences are over 6 feet high and they can't get underneath either. I know the fox might though.

[Twinkle]

is there any way to add electric netting to my permanent run as a kind of "run extender"

Hard to describe but the hens are housed in their house in a covered permanent run - I'd like them to use that at night, but from what I can see, the LX fence will only work if it's in a complete loop. Rather than the "horseshoe" design that'd let them go a bit into the field.

Anyone help ?? Thanks in advance

[Bramble-Poultry]

with regards to shorting out on long grass, the "approved" method by the RSPCA, DEFRA and uncle tom cobbly n all, when making a free range unit is to spray a 50cm wide strip under the netting with a broad spectrum herbicide that kills all the vegetation underneath. That way the grass wont grow up and short on the fence for several months.

The con to this is obviously the heavy chemical residue, but a disadvantage i can see from here with DPC (never used it so correct if i am wrong) is that being naturally water resistant, the rain could puddle on it and act as a conductor, or is your fencing fixed high enough away from the DPC??

Dont know i am afraid, have never used electric fencing but looked into it a lot last week when i thought i was having a 30 acre field to play with!!