4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[tidygirlsuk]

Has anyone lost a chicken to a fox with Electrified netting thats on all the time ?

[..lay a little egg for me]

I hardly dare say this as it will tempt fate, but from 1 year with electric netting, no losses or foxes seen. The kids spotted a dead fox in the wood near our house at the weekend, and I heard a fox calling the other night, so they are around. The neighbour's jack russell terrier who was the cause of us getting the netting in the first place has not been seen in the garden for a year either.

 

Our local farm shop has a large flock of free range chooks protected by electric fencing and he has not had any losses in 3 years. He reckons the fox visits several times nightly though just to check the fence is on.

[Gamebird]

My girls have been behind electric fencing for nearly a year now and so far they have been safe. **touches wood**.

 

I have seen several foxes near the enclosure and there is a vixen with cubs in the woods behind but they don't go near it. Being stung by an electric fence is not pleasant - I should know I have done it several times.

 

I decided not to lock them in their house at night so they can get up and go to bed when they please. So far it has been a great success.

 

However, I always have the system turned on and I make sure the grass is kept short under the fencing.

 

[tidygirlsuk]

Thank very much for the replies. That was the news i was hoping to hear.

 

My parents, other relatives and friends are asking me for eggs and i don't have enough to give them, so i'm thinking of getting a couple more large fowl. I only have 3 large chickens and only 1 of which are laying yet (the other 6 are bantams), so it is early days.

[katieadams]

Gamebird I'm so that tree is fantastic I wish we had more land!

[..lay a little egg for me]

Just to add, we do shut them in the attached run at night (but leave the pophole open). Belt and braces approach here.

[tidygirlsuk]

Thank you. i was still planning on shutting them in a night. Their current run is on concrete and it's a nice reasurence. How long to your batteries last and how much to replace them ? I'm just weighing up the cost.

[Gamebird]

I bought two of deep cycle leisure batteries. Ordinary car batteries are fine but don't keep their charge for as long.

 

Each of my batteries lasts for about 6 to 7 weeks on 50m of electric fencing before I have to re-charge them. I have one on the fencing and one on charge so I am never without a charged battery.

 

If you search around, a 85amp battery is about £60 to £70.

 

There have been a few threads on electric fencing. Try this one and this one for more information.

[Guest]

Big electric fence fan as far as I am aware its the only thing that will keep them away...remember farmers use it for sheep etc & one zap and you would give up..it blooming hurts but so easy to turn off.

 

Love electric fencing

indie

[BarbaraJ]

I'd love some but i think the parents of the 3 toddlers i care for might complain lol

[eggs]

Have used electric netting for nearly a year with no losses.

 

I use a 12v energiser and also have two leisure batteries so whilst one is being used the other is being charged.

 

It is best to cover the battery with something like a plastic crate to keep the wet off it and also to keep the grass under the net short so that the fence does not wear the battery as much.

[..lay a little egg for me]

We use old car batteries, which as Gamebird says, don't last as long, but we find they last a month before needing recharging so we're fine with that. I recently had to have a new car battery so put the old one on fence duty and it seems fine.

[poachedegg]

I'd love some but i think the parents of the 3 toddlers i care for might complain lol

 

Slight variation of the naughty step?!

[sandyhas3chucks]

I'd love some but i think the parents of the 3 toddlers i care for might complain lol

nah they will only touch it the once. keep the kids nice & safe bigger than a play pen... tee hee