Bobcat vs Electric Fence HELP

[RossAcres]

I am a little worried after talking to a neighbor yesterday. I finally moved all of my birds to the new property. Note: I do not live on the same property as my birds. If you want an explanation on that, please view my other threads. Anyway, I was pulling in to the driveway, when the neighbor drove up and chatted with me. He was telling me that there have been multiple bobcat sightings in the area. I wasn't too worried at first, because I put up a 6/7 strand electric fence 1.5 Joules. When I told him that, he said that the bobcat will just crawl underneath it. The first strand of the fence is only 4-5 inches off the ground, so I feel like it will get shocked if it crawls underneath. He told me that something literally ripped through his pen and killed some of his birds. But he didn't have an electric fence.

Should I be worried? I mean, I'll always be worried, but should I be worrying more? Is the electric fence enough? All of my birds are in enlcosed pens, off of the ground. I only have a few birds that free-roam inside the electric fence. I also set up a trail camera just in case.

 

[RossAcres]

I'm thinking about adding more wire. I have it out in horizontal strands, but maybe I should tie verticle strands to make a grid or "net"?

 

[RossAcres]

Anyone?

 

[ChicNmom]

I have all the items for an electric fence but haven't used it yet. I bought it to keep deer away from my fruit trees.
I would probably run another line lower to the ground. If your coop is really sturdy a bobcat shouldn't be able to get in.

Is the electric fence the only thing between predators and the free roaming birds or are they also in some kind of pen?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I’m kind of laughing at your neighbor comparing a non-electric fence to a regular fence. No a bobcat should not crawl under that. I have a 17lb dog that tried to climb under my horse fence. The bottom wire is 9” off of the ground….yeah that sent him screaming and howling. I think our fence is set at 2 joules? We keep it set lower in power because it’s 5’ tall 5 wire fence. We only electrified the bottom wire to keep critters out and the top wire to keep the horses from leaning on the fence then the middle ones are not electrified. However, even a shock from those 2 joules makes my 1,000lb draft horses yearlings take off running. Based off of the trail cams the coyotes don’t like it either

 

[kathy32]

In my opinion 4" off the ground you should be fine. Just be sure to keep grass from growing up and touching the wire which would lessen the shock. I'm assuming you have the chickens in a pen inside the wire? If no one around you has loose dogs you can also bait the wire if you believe there is a predator tending to hang around. That's recommended for bears in our area - you hang a piece of meat or something to lure them to the wire so they learn ( the idea being a shock to the nose is more deterrent than say, if they touch it with their furry back).

 

[kathy32]

Not sure if I am remembering your past posts... do you have a solar charged fence? Do you have a tester? When I put up our fence I had a lot of people recommending against solar ones, but if I'm remembering your situation correctly that was the only option? I would just test the fence fairly frequently, keep it mowed, and I think you are fine.

 

[ChicNmom]

In my opinion 4" off the ground you should be fine. Just be sure to keep grass from growing up and touching the wire which would lessen the shock. I'm assuming you have the chickens in a pen inside the wire? If no one around you has loose dogs you can also bait the wire if you believe there is a predator tending to hang around. That's recommended for bears in our area - you hang a piece of meat or something to lure them to the wire so they learn ( the idea being a shock to the nose is more deterrent than say, if they touch it with their furry back).

There is an aggressive bear the next town over from me that keeps busting into coops and killing chickens. Fish and Game put up an electric fence at one house the bear has visited a few times. They baited it with peanut butter hoping to teach the bear that going after chickens is painful.

 

[kathy32]

One other quick thing -
Do you have any trees nearby? Bears, and so I imagine bobcats too, can climb nearby trees and jump down into the run. That could be an issue.

 

[RossAcres]

I have all the items for an electric fence but haven't used it yet. I bought it to keep deer away from my fruit trees.
I would probably run another line lower to the ground. If your coop is really sturdy a bobcat shouldn't be able to get in.

Is the electric fence the only thing between predators and the free roaming birds or are they also in some kind of pen?

Most of my birds are in completely enclosed pens, but I have some birds that free roam inside the electric fence.