| Author |
A Farm of My Own:  Electric mesh fencing for chickens?  |
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 19 2011 : 7:13:09 PM
|
| I saw an ad in the current issue of Hobby Farm magazine for a 100-foot-long electric mesh fence powered by a solar panel. I asked them to send their catalog, but probably won't get it for a while. The setup is lightweight and portable -- you just pull up the built-in stakes and reposition them as needed. I was thinking this would be a nice alternative to a "chicken tractor" but I don't know anyone using them. I thought I'd toss it out to my Farmgirl sisters. Any experiences, ladies? |
|
|
Melina
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Melina
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2011 : 12:53:41 PM
|
I was hoping you would get a few replies from farmgirls who have used this fencing. I am also looking at the ads and wondering if it would work. I've lost a small flock to a fox and don't want it to happen again. The fact that the lowest runner isn't electrified would make it easier to keep from shorting, but I wonder if the height is enough to keep a fox or coyote from jumping over.
The morning breeze has secrets to tell you. Do not go back to sleep.
Rumi |
 |
|
|
kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2011 : 3:40:21 PM
|
I had gotten some of that type fencing from Premier Fencing. It was really reasonable. I never did hook it up to a charger but did use it for some sheep. It kept them in. It was very easy to move around too. I sold it to a friend for her chickens. It worked for her. She had trouble with skunks getting hers and this stopped them. But I just don't really see how it would keep a chicken in. Mine would just fly over.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
|
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2011 : 5:10:08 PM
|
| Kris, I don't like the idea of clipping chickens' wings -- seems to me as cruel as de-clawing a cat -- but maybe that would be the answer. What's your take on wing-clipping? |
|
|
|
kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2011 : 05:57:16 AM
|
I have done it alot. You really just need to clip one of the wings. And ya don't clip the wing, just the feathers. And you're supposed to get the bigger flight feathers. Clipping just one side is supposed to keep them off balance and unable to fly. But it never really stopped any of mine too much. If they wanted out, they got out. All mine are free ranging right now. I have electric fence in the back but they go under or over that. Can't keep these guys in.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
|
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2011 : 07:06:25 AM
|
| Wow, Kristin, sounds like I should save my money! I only want a couple of hens, and I was thinking of having their coop take over the semi-shady corner of my 20x24-foot vegetable garden where the compost bin is now. The whole garden is enclosed by an 8-foot tall fence made of chicken wire stapled to good sturdy fence posts at 6-foot intervals, with a nice big latched door. I'm thinking that space might be big enough, and safe enough, for the hens to roam and peck. Also helpful in controlling bugs. (I'm totally organic, by the way.) Your thoughts? |
|
|
|
kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2011 : 5:27:38 PM
|
Chickens are great in the garden. When there is nothing growing! I have had a hard time with mine eating all my ripe tomatoes. Really other than that they are not too bad. But they love those big ripe red tomatoes a little too much. I think that if they were contained in one area that you could move around where you wanted them to be that would be better. They do give good manure and they do scratch around and eat bugs. So it sounds like a good idea. The fencing I bought was just $100.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
|
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2011 : 6:21:34 PM
|
| Yikes! Hens can't have my tomatoes! No way, nohow. Mine grow in a 4 x 8 raised bed, which I could "wrap" with floating row cover, but I'll bet you'll tell me the chickens would just bop over that and dig into the goodies. So I may want to think harder about the fencing. The outfit I saw required a solar battery thing, which is pretty pricey. I do have an outdoor electrical outlet in the back of the house. Maybe I could just plug the thing into the 100-yard cord I use for the little electric lawn mower I use for trimming around the house where the bush hog won't go. Or did your deal include some kind of battery? Sorry to be such a pest! |
|
|
|
kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2011 : 6:44:30 PM
|
Mine did not come with the box. That's why I never actually hooked it up to be used as it should be. I had to wrap my raised beds up from top to bottom. Those darn birds will get into anything. And just the other day there were all 5 of my baby chicks in one of the raised beds that I didn't cover the top of. They found a little place where they all got in from the bottom. I used metal t posts and the black plastic stuff that looks like chicken wire. I do seem to have something to say so far about all your ideas, don't I? But it is just me doing this. If I had help it might get done alot better and actually keep an animal out. Please do not take what I say as the whole picture. I am sure you can do a much better job. So just go for it. It's all trial and error anyway, right? You learn as you go, as Sherrye always says.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
|
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2011 : 6:56:17 PM
|
| Thanks for the encouragement, Kristen. I mostly don't want to do anything that will harm the chickens, though I realize some problems are inevitable. I guess you could say I'm "chicken" LOL |
|
|
|
dprovence
True Blue Farmgirl
55 Posts
Debbie
Little Rock
AR
USA
55 Posts |
Posted - Feb 25 2011 : 10:59:31 AM
|
I bought a dog kennel and purchased an extra panel to put over the top of mine to keep them from flying out. We spread chicken wire out on the ground and sat the kennel on top of it and wrapped the excess up the sides to keep things from digging under. Then we took chicken wire and wrapped the rest of the sides so nothing could get in that way. Seems like a lot of work but I was tired of loosing my chickens! haven't lost one in my new contraption! LOL So I guess it works.
Huggs and Smyles,
Debbie
Farmgirl Sister #2636 |
|
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Feb 25 2011 : 11:35:28 AM
|
| Debbie, the think I could adapt your solution,, though maybe not as effectively, by situating the coop inside the 20' x 24' fenced kitchen vegetable garden. (It's made of chicken wire 8' tall attached to strong fence posts, and the wire goes underground a bit, maybe 10"). While I'm working in there, they could roam out if they wanted to, and I could keep an eye out for predators. I dunno. Maybe if I clip a flying feather or two? |
|
|
|
nubidane
True Blue Farmgirl
2894 Posts
Lisa
Georgetown
OH
2894 Posts |
Posted - Feb 25 2011 : 3:18:44 PM
|
Mara
I think My friend Linda (wooliespinner here) uses that fencing around her coop area, but I am not sure if it is solar charged or not.
She really likes it. |
|
|
| |
A Farm of My Own: Electric mesh fencing for chickens? |
|
Electric mesh fencing for chickens?
