Electric Net Fencing

[Tara Brown]

Hi All,

We are in the process of setting up our homestead and have been looking into fencing.

I have come across the electric netting style of fence and it seems appealing.

We have only been on the property for 2 months so don't know it too well. We want to fence for sheep and chickens in an area that is 200x200'

The netting seems good as it will let us play with where the fence goes as well as rotating where the chickens and sheep are.

What, if any, are your experiences with this type of fencing?

Likes/dislikes?

Thanks!

[Minelson]

My experience is good My goats and chickens free range so I have used it to keep them out of stuff...like my strawberry patch. I got mine from Premier1 I think I got this one...
http://www.premier1supplies.com/fenc...l&fence_id=103

[Bearfootfarm]

Get a STRONG charger if you want to power that much netting

[HilltopDaisy]

I've had bad results. All it takes is ONE brave goat to blast through and then they all blast through.

[Pony]

Aren't sheep less daring (bull-headed) than goats?

We're actually looking at portable electric fencing for our goats, but they're not the sort of goats who generally charge a fence. Climb it? Oh, sure. But actually go over it? Nah, they know where their bread is buttered.

[Bearfootfarm]

Aren't sheep less daring (bull-headed) than goats?

Yes and no.

If the wool is very thick, and they ever once learn they can slide UNDER a fence without getting shocked, it's tough to keep them in.

It only takes one sheep, because the others will follow.

I had problems for a while until I was able to figure out which one always went FIRST.

I got rid of her, and the problems went away too!

[Fae]

I use mine for my chickens and have no problems. I ordered mine from Kencove. I have buff orphington chickens and they don't fly so I don't even have a charger on mine.

[Alice In TX/MO]

The Premier 1 fencing is a bit heavier duty than the Kencove brand. I've used both with great success with my goats.

[Caitedid]

We use Premier for sheep, cattle, hogs, and poultry. Highly recommend the more expensive Electro-net with the vertical struts and double step-in spikes if you're using it on any terrain or with larger animals. Holds tension a lot better than the cheaper stuff. We have run hogs on the sheep fence, but switched to the specialty hog fence this year as they tend to toss dirt on the bottom wires and ground them out.

We're running the solar charger that they sell that looks like a metal suitcase with two batteries inside- very easy to handle and move, easily runs 5 lengths of 164' sheep fence.

Premier also has FANTASTIC customer service, they've been great help! Our animals are happier than they've ever been, and our pastures are starting to look really good.

[FarmerRob]

Ditto on Premier1--recommend their PermaNet. Get their free catalog--it is educational.

http://www.premier1supplies.com/

[foxtrapper]

If you have beautiful pastures with nice soft grasses, and you mow them religiously, and you move the fencing every two or three days, it works pretty well.

But if you've got weeds, or let things grow up into the fencing, attempting to move it becomes a horrible job. It gets caught and tied up in everything.

I am not fanatical enough, and my pasture land isn't smooth and pretty enough for portable fencing to be very workable. Had it and gave up on it.

[Tara Brown]

Thanks for the info everyone. This idea seems promising so far...

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Get premier to send you a catalog and read it cover to cover, they really believe in education, follow their suggestions and you should have good luck. We bought ours to keep the foxes out of the chickens, worked great for the foxes but did nothing for the Hawks! So we built the electrified chicken dome.
Little hard to move and the snow storm caved it in a little (but fixable). No predator problems since.