Anyone have exp with high tensile electric fence

[BamaSpek]

I have been researching high tensile electric fence for my place as it seems to be the best bet for goats to stay in and coyotes out.

I was trying to get some specifics on fencing 5 strand on wood posts on half the property and want to later come in and add the other adjoining acres as money allows....would you just jump the hot wires?

It seems with gates you run hot wires underground....Are there quick connections or splices on the hot wires on one side of the end post going under the gate to the other side attaching to the wire. also if the wire is attached to the starting pole but there are a few gates...where is oyur starting point? Is it best to attach the gates in a corner if possible or have that "extra section post the corner before the gate.

I am sure this is confusing...I have confused myself

[Alice In TX/MO]

We put taller posts at the gate posts and ran our wire UP and over instead of underground. Worked great, no digging.

Spend some time on this website. Lots of how-to info.

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

[sheepish]

We had good high tensile electric fencing. It kept sheep in and local dogs out. But when the coyotes arrived, they were hungy enough that they went through it to grab lambs.

Now we just corral them close with a donkey and 2 llamas at night and haven't lost another one in the last 3 years.

[Jalopy]

The majority of the fence we build is 6 strand high tensile fence. We only have cattle and horses though. We electrify the top, middle, and second from the bottom. It also contains our dog in out yard. I do not know whether it would deter coyotes or not but if it is "hot" enough I would assume it would.

As for gate we do it two ways one is to lay an insulated wire across the gateway on the ground and just drive over it after opening the gate. The second way is just run a wire across at height of middle electrified wire with an insulated gate handle on it. Again we only have large animals so I am not sure how or if that would work for sheep or goats, and it definitely would not deter coyotes.

[Razorback21]

We raise cattle and just hot wire strands two, three and four on a five strand fence. Where needed, we also use gate handles on our openings. We probably aren't the most secure for coyotes, as we have a cattle guard on our road to go in and out.

[chris30523]

We have a 5 strand high tensile fence.All strands are hot.We got the parmak 4 charger and there were instructions with it.We ran our wires underground under the gate.We have coyotes and so far has kept them out. I also have dogs outside the fence to help deter the coyotes. I don't have dogs in with the goats which would help also.There has been a black bear in the area and so far she has not challenged the fence. The only thing I have had get in was a large barn owl. He or she was terrorizing the goats at night and they would all pile up in one area and keep the kids close. We lost one to an animal and the DNR guy thought it was probably a bobcat.

[plowjockey]

Originally Posted by BamaSpek

I have been researching high tensile electric fence for my place as it seems to be the best bet for goats to stay in and coyotes out.

I was trying to get some specifics on fencing 5 strand on wood posts on half the property and want to later come in and add the other adjoining acres as money allows....would you just jump the hot wires?

It seems with gates you run hot wires underground....Are there quick connections or splices on the hot wires on one side of the end post going under the gate to the other side attaching to the wire. also if the wire is attached to the starting pole but there are a few gates...where is oyur starting point? Is it best to attach the gates in a corner if possible or have that "extra section post the corner before the gate.

I am sure this is confusing...I have confused myself

Connect the hot wires closest to where the charger will be. Use the same crimp-connectors, with an insulated wire to the charger.

Place the gate(s) where you think they will most convenient for you. If you only use one gate, the fence charge will circle the perimeter, so you won't need to cross the gate. It is a good idea to put a hot wire across the gate, for total protection. I would not place a gate, on a post that is not supported longways, with the 3 posts and twisted wire setup . Unless it is a small walk-though gate, It will sag for sure.

Any time you want to add wire, just crimp the new hot wires together and run one wire to the existing fence hot wire.

Putting the lowest hot wire about 6" off of the ground, will help keep out the nasties.

Don't skimp on the charger. Bigger is always better when it comes to putting out a predator shock.

Good luck.

[BamaSpek]

thanks for all the advise. I think I am a little clearer on how to wire the fence now and am glad to hear several people use it with success. Since I can probably only afford to fence half the property...5 acres...I will have a fence at the top entrance and at the bottom (that meets the other 5 acres)..so I can get the the other property.. Later I will fence that section in and have seperate pastures. All I will need is to add the posts around the other area and run lines and add jumper hot wires? Correct. I was thinking of a 9 joules a/c charger.

[BamaSpek]

If I use 4x4 posts 8 feet long with 5-6 strand. What is the max distance I can go between posts? I have read everything from 10' to 200'. Also most illistrations show spacer rods in between. Does anyone have pics of their fence?

[Buttermilk]

I have 33 acres fenced, the line post are 30 feet apart. I attached a pvc pipe to each side of the gate post.and run copper wire thru the pvc pipe and over the top of the gate.Under ground is always a problem with shorts. My fence is 5 strands with the second from the top grounded. I drive a ground rod about every 500 feet and attach it to the ground wire. I also use a 9 Joule fence charger. Jay in N.C.

[plowjockey]

Originally Posted by BamaSpek

If I use 4x4 posts 8 feet long with 5-6 strand. What is the max distance I can go between posts? I have read everything from 10' to 200'. Also most illistrations show spacer rods in between. Does anyone have pics of their fence?

If you want to save $$ and labor on your fence, Use good, used metal "T" posts, for the line posts and wood posts for corners. Mine are 16' apart. Pound 'em in, attach wires using fence clips, or quality snap-on insulators, for the hot wires.

Eventually, I will paint the steel posts a dark enamel "wood" color.
I purchased 100 steel posts used for about .50 each.

No regrets whatsoever on this setup.

The wires in the image are a little slack, which I will tighten after the corner posts set in for a year or two

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ence-small.jpg

[Jalopy]

Bama--I use6" top 8' long corners and (2) 5" top brace posts in an "H" patern then I use 4" top by 8' line posts spaced at 25 ' apart. With 6 strands of wire I figure this costs me about$.90 per lineal foot. but keep the strands tight and hot and you probably will not need spacers in between we don't have spacers.

[bill not in oh]

Fencing is not that simple. it depends on terrain, livestock, predators and soil conditions. Goats can be generically contained with 5 strand 1 (6"). 3(24").5(48"). hot and 2(12"),4 (36"), grounded high tensile electric fence if you have average soil conditions. If you can fence goats, you have fenced all predators and other livestock - goats are the most difficult. HT fence is by far the least expensive and most effective barrier you can construct. Good chargers and construction, excellent grounding and proper training of the livestock are all integral parts of your system.

Low impedance charger
12 ga. wire w/ proper tentioners
battery backup
Big dog (Pyrenees or Anatolian that have bonded with the herd)

You'll be just fine with your goats...
(so long as they have plenty of food on their side of the fence..)