Need fencing advice at new property - Suggestions please!!

[The Coastal Garden]

We have recently purchased a property in the country and we bring on 3 chickens sometimes. I have had the chicken fencing thing to a science in the city where we live. But at our new place I need suggestions please.

We currently use hardware cloth top, bottom, everywhere, with an automatic gate that closes (at our current home). This has worked beautifully. But we are in a location where they are way more in the open and we have ALL the preadators possible. I got an electric poultry fencing and there coop has hardware cloth, but I don't feel like the electric fence is sufficient enough to deter coyotes, raccoons, etc. I'm just not feeling confident in the system and checking them at all hours of the night.

I have a lot more room so hardware cloth would be a small fortune and I have them in a spot I cant dig posts very deep. Any suggestions for these city chickens, trying to live in the country??

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

Are you talking about a chicken run design or a pasture setting?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Set up your electric netting. Make sure you are wearing flip flops or tennis shoes. Turn it on.

Grab the fence.

(You didn't mention a heart condition).

It it doesn't throw your arm back/make it jerk like you just touched live 110v household current, you either have a bad ground, or an underpowered charger. Or both.

If it is more than mildly annoying, it will adequately deter canines and trash panda which come into contact with it. It will not deter larger ursines or porcine creatures - both have thick hides, significant body fat, and are stubborn enough to go thru netting before their pea brains register that they are being shocked.

 

[The Coastal Garden]

Thank you!!

OK I realized I defiently need a stronger energizer. I think we are going to do the run in chicken wire and the coop in hardware cloth. Plus the electric wire all around the outside. Hoping that keeps them safe and my fears down.

I'm honestly felling guilty about having them around more predators. My other option is to rehome them. Which I don't want to do, but I will if that is the best option for them.

 

[Shadrach]

If a fence like this is put up properly it will keep most of the larger predators out. It keeps a charging ram in.
The problem is you say you can't dig deep holes. These posts are 700mm in the ground.
Lots of creatures will go right through an electrice fence especially if they are pulse fences.
Constant high voltage fences are illegal in many places.

 

[Folly's place]

Get a good fence charger, and make sure it's grounded properly. Then have it on all the time, not intermittently. Also get a voltmeter, digital is best.
premier1 supplies.com has the best stuff and advice. Get their catalog!

Mary

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

Chicken wire doesn't keep anything (as far as predators or even mice.) out. It only keeps chickens in.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Chicken wire doesn't keep anything (as far as predators or even mice.) out. It only keeps chickens in.

Sometimes.

Mine will actually fly at it, grab it with their claws, and continue flapping, so they can walk right up the chicken wire wall. I've seen them clear 5' that way, but most fail before making it 6' up. Most.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

Sometimes.

Mine will actually fly at it, grab it with their claws, and continue flapping, so they can walk right up the chicken wire wall. I've seen them clear 5' that way, but most fail before making it 6' up. Most.

OK, it will keep "most" chickens in. If they aren't crazy and don't like to climb. LOL

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Sometimes.

Mine will actually fly at it, grab it with their claws, and continue flapping, so they can walk right up the chicken wire wall. I've seen them clear 5' that way, but most fail before making it 6' up. Most.

You have no idea how frustrating it is. Yesterday I added 2' of height in chicken wire to a 4' tall livestock fence to keep the birds from going over the top and stealing food from the bunnies and the hatchlings in the grow out pen. I wasn't done weaving the top of the one fence and the bottom of the other together before the first chicken managed to scale the new 6' height!