The Poultry Keeper

CP · Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2007 4:21 pm Post subject: Electric fencing

I know there's been threads on this subject before, but we're getting so confused with everything that's out there!

We currently have a run with 6' wooden fence panels topped with wire - in some places it's weldmesh, in others it's more substantial wire grids that have been 'aquired' & I think was originally the sort of stuff that re-inforces concrete.(really heavy duty) In a couple of places chicken wire is down to the ground.

There's a lot of foliage both at ground level & higher, that will obviously need to be clear of the wires.

AR wants to run 2 or 3 strands of electric wire round the top of the fence, in line with the existing wire but away from it.
We've found brackets that screw into wooden posts but nothing that attaches to the wire itself (obviously insulated). Is there such a thing?

Also, as part of the run is actually the house wall, will we need an insulated piece of wire to run across there, as I believe you have to have a complete circuit to make the connection.

Is there a safety issue regarding close proximity of a plastic domestic oil tank?

Most websites seem geared up for netting, which is useless for our needs.

Also confused over 'lead out' wire, energisers (which one??) & how many volts etc to see off a fox!?

Can anyone explain in simple words, please (preferably of one syllable! Laughing

) if there's anything that will suit our situation. Mains electric is not a problem.

debcat · Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2007 4:48 pm Post subject:

if you got a horse sized energiser that should sort out a fox, you can get mains, battery and solar ones
don't know about the oiltank, but wouldn't of thought it would be a problem
it doesn't need to be a complete round to make a circuit, if you run the wire round then double back to the beginning so you have two wires a few (or more) inches apart but all in one piece so it makes a loop, (knot it where it joins)
could you screw 2 small peices of wood together either side of the wire and put the fittings onto those?

HTH

greentree · Joined: 08 Jun 2007 Posts: 152 Location: Wicklow - Ireland

I have a couple of strands around a movable pen at 6'' and 12'' off the ground. The idea being that a fox wont be able to dig under as he'll be continuously getting shocks. This way I can keep the pen moveable and dont
need to dig wire into the ground. Here is what I bought : www.electricfence-online.co.uk/ishop/1047/shopscr16.html

I'm not sure if running a few strands around the top will work. As far as I know the fox needs to be touching the ground and the wire to complete the circuit and get a shock. Just like birds dont get shocks when they stand on electric fences.www.electricfence-online.co.uk/ishop/1047/shopscr16.html

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1325 Location: Leicestershire

Yep - it won't work - the current has to go to ground through the body to get a shock so if the body isn't touching the ground then it won't get a shock.

You can use speaker wire or similar to continue the current round something that doesn't need to be fenced, but as somebody else said it doesn't have to be a circuit. Use insulated croccodile clips to connect. You can buy insulated wire or tape holders to nail to wooden posts but 6' off the ground is no use

A single strand 6" off the ground and 6 - 12" away from your existing fence would deter from digging but I don't know the distances to deter from jumping.

Itsybitsy

CP · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2007 4:33 pm Post subject:

There's no way we can get the wire down at ground level for most of the fence. It's the boundary & therefore would be in the neighbours garden.

We can fix wires on the fencing down to the ground so in effect the fox will be touching 'earth' & the wire at the same time. We've seen suitable fixings on some websites already that will do this.

Think we may have sussed it with wires around the top & this will be the only way we can do it.

CP · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2007 5:06 pm Post subject:

Which one of these energisers is best?
http://www.countrystoredirect.com/acatalog/info_SS10E.html
or
http://www.countrystoredirect.com/acatalog/info_XP2E.html

There's quite a difference in price but if it's what's needed, power-wise then that's what we'll have to get.

The area we need to cover is nowhere near 2km, but of course there may be the possiblility of expansion in the future. Rolling Eyes

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1325 Location: Leicestershire

Are you planning on expanding to 2kms? Laughing

The smallest will do - or the cheapest, animals are more sensitive to electric shock than we are, so it doesn't need as much as you think and a mains one is nastier than battery which is nasty enough.

I thought about your fence when I was shutting up and you're right as long as your fence is wire and down to the ground then foxy will get a shock at the top. I used speaker wire to carry on the current in places I didn't need it - round the backs of sheds etc. if you were getting a mains unit then perhaps 12volt wire would be better.

Itsybitsy