What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[juliepops148]

Hi there, my first omlet posting - looking for some advice or reassurance please!

 

I've had my two hens since new year's even 2009, and have been looking at the best way to keep them safe in the garden - we have a regular fox visiting - evident during the snowy weeks with footprints on top of the henhouse.

 

Have invested in the chicken netting and energizer from omlet , which after a few false starts is now working fine. My now rather daft concern is that while the fence will give the fox a belt, it is also (obviously) shocking the chickens too!

 

'I've seen each of them get a shock now, and there's been so much commotion. flapping and noise that I've turned the fence off! Will they learn pretty quickly not to touch it? Am I being a softie if really this is what keeps them safe from the fox? I guess I want to protect them but I don't want to be the one responsible for hurting or scaring them! (I can just imagine the farmers face I bought them from now !)

 

What do you guys think?

Thanks in advance

[tom123]

Welcome to the forum

 

 

they'll learn don't worry

[Chucky1]

Welcome to the forum. Agree with Tom.

 

Have you seen any being stung more than once?

[Surfnirvana]

Welcome!

 

Mine only touched it once or twice - with a lot of comotion, then they just stay clear of it. We've had the chooks and the fencing for 2 years now and it's been the best thing to keep Mr Fox out. I keep our fence on all the time - even at night, so that if Mr Fox does come near, he'll get a sharp crack and get the message! No fox tracks near it when it snowed, so would definately reccommend it to anyone who has chooks.

 

Good luck!

[Minnie&Moose]

As others have said your hens will learn about the fence. I found that our first hens, who had 6 months experience of the fence before it was electrified, took longer to work out it was the fence 'biting' them than have subsequent hens who experienced it as electrified from day one. To begin with they also were a bit worried about coming out of their electrified area into the rest of the garden, and would cluck and squawk as they scuttled through the open gate. However, now they are completely unphased by it all, cluster around the gate area (without actually touching the fence) when they see you coming, and have worked out that it's safe to treat similar fencing around the veg patch with the distain they think it deserves, and will try to cram themselves through the gaps in the netting to do a bit of pruning

[juliepops148]

Thanks everyone - it's really reassuring. I will switch the fence back on, and just not look till they get used to it!!

 

Just need to clip their wings now and then all should be secure (well, without hiring a SWAT team or bringing them inside!)

 

Cheers

[LittleOwl]

Julieposp, thanks for asking this question - I have just ordered electric netting for my lot after hearing a fox next to the house a few nights ago. They are so used to free franging and I have been really worried about whether they will be hurt on the fence So these answers have been very helpful to me too.

 

They can fly over the optional netting run they have now, so if that continues I also may have to clip their wings, and I'm so soft that will probably upset me too

[Stevie]

All farm animals soon learn to stay away from electric fencing!

[juliepops148]

Quick update - all OK now. Hens really happy scratting about in the bigger run, and are staying away from the fence. Thanks everyone for the supporting posts - it really does make a difference to your confidence levels!!

 

[Surfnirvana]

Great news! Really pleased it is all working out ok. X

[juliepops148]

Hi all,

So far so good with the netting now, and clipped wings. Does anyone have any advice on how to stop the fence scorching the grass? Does that mean it will be shorting out and therefore less effective? I am wondering if some additional poles would help as the scorched areas have 2 rows of the netting touching the floor where it sags a bit.

 

Thoughts welcome !

Thank you

J

[Chucky1]

Hi all,

So far so good with the netting now, and clipped wings. Does anyone have any advice on how to stop the fence scorching the grass? Does that mean it will be shorting out and therefore less effective?

 

Yes Julie it certainly sounds like it does. You could check how less effective with a fence meter thing

 

http://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Electric_Fence_Testers.html

 

 

I am wondering if some additional poles would help as the scorched areas have 2 rows of the netting touching the floor where it sags a bit.

 

That doesn't sound right I'm afraid. Some extra poles might help. You could stop the grass growing up to the fence by using rolls of damp proof course (DPC) under the wire. Also your supplier might have some ideas about how to get over particular problems.

 

Best of luck

[Eggasperated]

We had to put in 10 extra poles in a 50m run of electric fencing to stop sagging although we still find we need to tighten everything up every three weeks or so. As regards the grass I trim under the fence to keep the grass clear as it will certainly cause a drop in voltage if the fence touches a lot of grass - unfortunately with the warmer weather it looks like this might be a weekly job so the damp proof course stuff could be a good idea.

 

The fence testers are a good idea but we've tried three different ones and they all give different readings so I'm not sure how accurate they are. But as I accidently grabbed hold of the fence last week I know its working pretty well at the moment .

 

Having said all that the electric fence is the best thing we've done for our chickens as it gives them lots of space to roam safely in and I love watching them busying themselves in the garden.

[juliepops148]

thank you - it's certainly worth the effort to have the netting I agree - they are so happy in there!

Thanks for the advice!

J

[..lay a little egg for me]

We had to put in 10 extra poles in a 50m run of electric fencing to stop sagging although we still find we need to tighten everything up every three weeks or so. As regards the grass I trim under the fence to keep the grass clear as it will certainly cause a drop in voltage if the fence touches a lot of grass - unfortunately with the warmer weather it looks like this might be a weekly job so the damp proof course stuff could be a good idea.

 

The fence testers are a good idea but we've tried three different ones and they all give different readings so I'm not sure how accurate they are. But as I accidentally grabbed hold of the fence last week I know its working pretty well at the moment .

 

Having said all that the electric fence is the best thing we've done for our chickens as it gives them lots of space to roam safely in and I love watching them busying themselves in the garden.

 

We also had to buy extra poles and have to trim the grass every week in the summer. Re testing the fence, try picking a blade of grass and holding that against the wire. You will feel a mild shock if it is working. There is enough water in the grass to transmit some current but not enough to give you a big jolt. Cheaper than buying a fence tester!

[chicken bark]

Re testing the fence, try picking a blade of grass and holding that against the wire. You will feel a mild shock if it is working. There is enough water in the grass to transmit some current but not enough to give you a big jolt. Cheaper than buying a fence tester!

 

If only I knew that trick yesterday - it would have stopped me buying a tester!