Electric fence to deter digging vermints.
- Thread starter Rickba
- Start date
The wire has to be pretty low to stopped diggers. The problem with that is grass and weeds grow up and ground the wire lowering voltage.
We use electric poultry netting for summer. It's moved enough and lawn mower prior to move it keeps it from loosing so much voltage as to be ineffective. If you've a stationary run your probably better off laying welded wire fencing the ground out from run 18 inches and letting grass grow through it so you can mow or lift sod and lay welded wire flat under it. Otherwise your using a weed whacker to cut the grass as to not ground out a bottom hot wire. Careful not to weed whack the wire. I'd not want anymore than 4 inches from ground to stop diggers. Another wire mid way or near top of fence to stop climbers. Normal nail on plastic insulators to stand wire off from fence work well.
Depending on your run set up there are all sorts of insultors that could work better but here is what I use around bee hives, package of 25 with nails to quickly attach to run timber:
http://www.zarebasystems.com/red-snapr-wood-post-extension-insulators-iw5xnb-rsc
We use electric poultry netting for summer. It's moved enough and lawn mower prior to move it keeps it from loosing so much voltage as to be ineffective. If you've a stationary run your probably better off laying welded wire fencing the ground out from run 18 inches and letting grass grow through it so you can mow or lift sod and lay welded wire flat under it. Otherwise your using a weed whacker to cut the grass as to not ground out a bottom hot wire. Careful not to weed whack the wire. I'd not want anymore than 4 inches from ground to stop diggers. Another wire mid way or near top of fence to stop climbers. Normal nail on plastic insulators to stand wire off from fence work well.
Depending on your run set up there are all sorts of insultors that could work better but here is what I use around bee hives, package of 25 with nails to quickly attach to run timber:
http://www.zarebasystems.com/red-snapr-wood-post-extension-insulators-iw5xnb-rsc
I tried a hot wire about 4" off the ground one year around my coop and run, and killed a couple of nice frogs. Never again! A buried hardware cloth skirt is easier to maintain, and isn't going to kill harmless wildlife. Mary
I concur on the apron to deter diggers. An apron looks like this:
That is 1" x 2" 14 gauge welded wire. The part next to the coop / run is bent upright into a short vertical L. I nailed the short part to the side of the runners with heavy fencing staples. This coop is portable, so to move it, all I would have to do is fold the aprons up and go. As is, the grass has grown up through them and I mow over it. But it is still there......doing it's job.
Theory of the apron is varmint wanting to dig in will start his dig at the corner........the junction between vertical and horizontal. He immediately hits the wire and is defeated. He may cast up and down the line, trying new places, but always the same result. They never realize they have to move back a couple feet and start their tunnel operation way out there. They are clever......but not that clever.
So if you have and apron, and still want a hot fence, place for that would be at the top of an uncovered run. Or better yet, move it out away from the coop and make a new perimeter way out there. That opens the zone of protection to allow for some yard time during the day. Apron still on duty to protect at ground zero during the night?
That is 1" x 2" 14 gauge welded wire. The part next to the coop / run is bent upright into a short vertical L. I nailed the short part to the side of the runners with heavy fencing staples. This coop is portable, so to move it, all I would have to do is fold the aprons up and go. As is, the grass has grown up through them and I mow over it. But it is still there......doing it's job.
Theory of the apron is varmint wanting to dig in will start his dig at the corner........the junction between vertical and horizontal. He immediately hits the wire and is defeated. He may cast up and down the line, trying new places, but always the same result. They never realize they have to move back a couple feet and start their tunnel operation way out there. They are clever......but not that clever.
So if you have and apron, and still want a hot fence, place for that would be at the top of an uncovered run. Or better yet, move it out away from the coop and make a new perimeter way out there. That opens the zone of protection to allow for some yard time during the day. Apron still on duty to protect at ground zero during the night?
Red5
In the Brooder
- Apr 8, 2017
- 138
- 12
- 38
I have an armadillo tearing the hell out of my yard. The beast has started digging grub holes around my coop. Will he be phased by an electric fence or will the armor it has deter the shock?
I have no experience with dillos. We see some dead ones now and then, but I've never seen a live one.
Anyway, this guys says they work on dillos and shows you how:
If you want to trap a dillo, this guy shows you how:
Most references say NO bait works on them. Nearly 100 of what they eat is live bugs and insects they dig up and eat fresh. But they are nocturnal and nearly blind, so they follow established trails. Most live traps are put in their path of travel and they walk right in. Some do like shown and create some type of fence to funnel them into the trap.
Do heed his advice at the end. If you are willing to trap it, be willing to kill it.
Most references say NO bait works on them. Nearly 100 of what they eat is live bugs and insects they dig up and eat fresh. But they are nocturnal and nearly blind, so they follow established trails. Most live traps are put in their path of travel and they walk right in. Some do like shown and create some type of fence to funnel them into the trap.
Do heed his advice at the end. If you are willing to trap it, be willing to kill it.
what type of animal is it, where i live we don't have armadillos but i do have badgers, not sure what you do to stop them (there maybe 500m from the coop) so hoping that's far enough away(to keep the chickens safe) but then there in the horse pasture meaning i have to get rid of them. so am trying to use a special live trap for them. with no luck so far.
- Thread starter
- #9
Quote: Thanks for all your replies. I planned on the hardware cloth around the pen but thought the hot wire would be added protection. Here in the mountains of NW Pa. Fox, Coyote, Raccoon and Opossum are the main predators. I don't mind 'em coming in, I sell the pelts and make jerky out of the meat. Coyote makes great jerky. So, perhaps I'll run the low wire half way up then one on top. That should stop climbers and the cloth the diggers. Also, I'll continue to put my traps around the pen, I always snag a couple that way to keep my jerky jar full. I recon I'll figger it out. Again, thanks for all the replies.
God Bless,
Rick
God Bless,
Rick
Last edited:
Red5
In the Brooder
- Apr 8, 2017
- 138
- 12
- 38
Quote:
Once again Howard E, Thank You. Sound advice as always.
Once again Howard E, Thank You. Sound advice as always.
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