We recently purchased a real farm - 1712 farmhouse, 1800's barn +
stable, several outbuildings, and are planning to restore it and move into
it in time . The main motivation was our horse, who is boarded
elsewhere; we've been busy restoring the stables, fencing the paddocks and
putting in electric fence (which is a must for horses).

Among the buildings on the farm is an old chicken coop - it needs a
lot of work plus a fenced in area for the chickens/ducks, which we will be
doing. According to our soon-to-be-neighbors, there are foxes, raccoons
and hawks, so we will have to put in more secure fencing than the simple
garden fencing we currently have at home (a more urban area).

The electric horse fencing package states that it protects not only
livestock, but also against predators, which got us thinking. Would it be
feasible to put in electric fencing for the chickens/ducks? Overhead
would probably be just some wire cover against the hawks, but on the sides
I want to prevent foxes, racoons, maybe even dogs from thinking this is a
free chicken dinner.

The fence charger for the horses is a low impedance 2-joule 7000V
system - it cycles on and off so if the horse (or something else) touches
it, they get a very quick shock. I think it goes on once a second for a
fraction of a second, every second. The fence uses polytape, a vinyl tape
with steel filamints embedded, which delivers the shock:

http://www.safefence.com/index.html

Does this sound like something that would work? We would have to get
a second system anyway (since the chickens/ducks will be foraging away
from the horses). Do chickens and ducks respect electric fence like
horses? Are they smart enough to get a shock and stay away from it, or
are they likely to peck/bite/clamp their beaks onto it and shock
themselves to death? And more importantly, will foxes, raccoons, etc.
respect the fence?

We are more interested in keeping the predators out than keeping the
chickens in (which is an easier problem). We were thinking of surrounding
both the building and the yard with electric, otherwise something could
try to dig/chew/maneuver their way into the coop while avoiding the
electrified yard. Obviously we are going to do everything to
critter-proof the coops, but since they are pre-existent with dirt floors,
there isn't going to be an easy way to create an impervious floor as we
have at home (where we built the coops from scratch with lumber floors).
I suppose we could build a wood floor and attach it somehow, but that
might be a difficult thing and might rot since we cannot raise the
buildings for air circulation.

A big concern is the ducks - they have a pool, and love to throw
around water - water and electricity don't usually mix too nicely. I want
to make sure that this is safe for chickens, ducks, and us !

If this is feasiable, how low/high should the fence be - how big a
vertical area needs to be electrified so something does dig under it or
jump over it?

Any thoughts are most appreciated! Thank you!!

- Andrea

We have successfully used electric fences placed on 2x4 boards placed on
the ground surrounding chicken pens to keep out coons, possums, coyotes,
dogs and snakes in central Texas. The wires run on insulators about 1"
above the 2x4. The fowl became accustomed to the wires and avoided them
although, if excited, occasionally flew or jumped across. You will need
to check regularly as any twigs or debris blowing onto the barrier will
short it out. However, its "reputation" will render it somewhat effective
even if temporarily "dead."

We recently purchased a real farm - 1712 farmhouse, 1800's barn +
stable, several outbuildings, and are planning to restore it and move
into it in time

Would it be feasible to put in electric fencing for the
chickens/ducks?

Do chickens and ducks respect electric fence
like horses?

And more importantly, will foxes,
raccoons, etc. respect the fence?

A big concern is the ducks - they have a pool, and love to throw
around water - water and electricity don't usually mix too nicely. I
want to make sure that this is safe for chickens, ducks, and us !

If this is feasiable, how low/high should the fence be - how big a
vertical area needs to be electrified so something does dig under it
or jump over it?

We recently purchased a real farm - 1712 farmhouse, 1800's barn +
stable, several outbuildings, and are planning to restore it and move into
it in time . The main motivation was our horse, who is boarded
elsewhere; we've been busy restoring the stables, fencing the paddocks and
putting in electric fence (which is a must for horses).

Among the buildings on the farm is an old chicken coop - it needs a lot
of work plus a fenced in area for the chickens/ducks, which we will be
doing. According to our soon-to-be-neighbors, there are foxes, raccoons and
hawks, so we will have to put in more secure fencing than the simple garden
fencing we currently have at home (a more urban area).

The electric horse fencing package states that it protects not only
livestock, but also against predators, which got us thinking. Would it be
feasible to put in electric fencing for the chickens/ducks? Overhead would
probably be just some wire cover against the hawks, but on the sides I want
to prevent foxes, racoons, maybe even dogs from thinking this is a free
chicken dinner.

The fence charger for the horses is a low impedance 2-joule 7000V
system - it cycles on and off so if the horse (or something else) touches
it, they get a very quick shock. I think it goes on once a second for a
fraction of a second, every second. The fence uses polytape, a vinyl tape
with steel filamints embedded, which delivers the shock:

http://www.safefence.com/index.html

Does this sound like something that would work? We would have to get a
second system anyway (since the chickens/ducks will be foraging away from
the horses). Do chickens and ducks respect electric fence like horses? Are
they smart enough to get a shock and stay away from it, or are they likely
to peck/bite/clamp their beaks onto it and shock themselves to death? And
more importantly, will foxes, raccoons, etc. respect the fence?

We are more interested in keeping the predators out than keeping the
chickens in (which is an easier problem). We were thinking of surrounding
both the building and the yard with electric, otherwise something could try
to dig/chew/maneuver their way into the coop while avoiding the electrified
yard. Obviously we are going to do everything to critter-proof the coops,
but since they are pre-existent with dirt floors, there isn't going to be an
easy way to create an impervious floor as we have at home (where we built
the coops from scratch with lumber floors). I suppose we could build a wood
floor and attach it somehow, but that might be a difficult thing and might
rot since we cannot raise the buildings for air circulation.

A big concern is the ducks - they have a pool, and love to throw around
water - water and electricity don't usually mix too nicely. I want to make
sure that this is safe for chickens, ducks, and us !

If this is feasiable, how low/high should the fence be - how big a
vertical area needs to be electrified so something does dig under it or jump
over it?

Any thoughts are most appreciated! Thank you!!

- Andrea


Depending on how big the yard & how cheap you want to be (me -

I was going to use the polytape, but will look into the mesh
netting as well. We have a tester for the horse fence; that one
looks like it will be easier to maintain as we will be able to mow
under it. Chicken/duck fence is closer to the ground ... but we can
maybe put some plastic down to keep the weeds down, or maybe use some
cement blocks, we'll have to think on that one (any ideas?).

Andrea Fease wrote:

I was going to use the polytape, but will look into the mesh
netting as well. We have a tester for the horse fence; that one
looks like it will be easier to maintain as we will be able to mow
under it. Chicken/duck fence is closer to the ground ... but we can
maybe put some plastic down to keep the weeds down, or maybe use some
cement blocks, we'll have to think on that one (any ideas?).


If you can get landscaping membrane -- it lets the water through but not the
weeds
or
something like damp proofing membrane -- this is a bit narrow so you have to
be careful about vegetation growing up beside

If you have limited funds but plenty of time you get creative with strips of
empty feed bags


Better still do the newspaper thing underneath them. Wet ground, wet-through

Better still do the newspaper thing underneath them. Wet ground,
wet-through newspapers, at least 6 pages thick - thicker the better. Both
being wet the paper sticks and moulds to the ground and keeps the weeds
from coming through.

"a_l_p" <hay_hell_pea@eyehug.co.nz> wrote in message
news:en19l5$i8t$1@lust.ihug.co.nz...
Better still do the newspaper thing underneath them. Wet ground,
wet-through newspapers, at least 6 pages thick - thicker the better.
Both being wet the paper sticks and moulds to the ground and keeps the
weeds from coming through.

I gather this is not so great where the natural climate is very dry -- its
also not great here where its very wet. The paper either drys and blows
away too quickly or gets too wet and disintegrates before becoming
established as a surface. Tried it as a mulch here

"a_l_p" <hay_hell_pea@eyehug.co.nz> wrote in message
news:en19l5$i8t$1@lust.ihug.co.nz...

Better still do the newspaper thing underneath them. Wet ground,
wet-through newspapers, at least 6 pages thick - thicker the better. Both
being wet the paper sticks and moulds to the ground and keeps the weeds
from coming through.


I gather this is not so great where the natural climate is very dry -- its
also not great here where its very wet. The paper either drys and blows away
too quickly or gets too wet and disintegrates before becoming established as
a surface. Tried it as a mulch here
Hessian backed carpet can work well if you can get it
As can corn starch mulch which is used in agriculture. I have experimented
with this for a large perennial border and its working well

Many years ago when I had in the shed an ancient agitator washing machine that

Many years ago when I had in the shed an ancient agitator washing
machine that was still functioning I experimented with Synthetic Dog
Vomit - well, it started out as mashed newspaper but the result was
definitely SDV! Well-soaked newspapers agitated to shreds then
bucketed out to set solid and weed-free. I don't recall putting
anything in it to make it stick together but it did anyway. A long
slow process and suitable only for a very tiny section (which mine
isn't) or a gigantic agitator e.g. industrial cement mixer!
A L P