Can anyone help me with my fence problem?

[olywa1978]

I'm in hills of the Bonanza, Oregon area and just tried to put up a fence for my dogs, since no one here wants dogs running loose, for obvious reasons. My materials are 11-guage chicken wire and T-Posts. I quickly discovered that this is not as easy as I thought. My entire 2.3 acres has boulders the size of tv's (and bigger) that sit 3-4 inches below the soil and all the properties near me seem to be the same. I was going to put up a 200-foot perimeter fence around my RV, but as hard a time as I was having getting the posts in the ground, I was just trying to get a small enclosure constructed to secure the dogs. I attempted to drive in close to 100 posts and only ONE would go in to the top of the spade! The rest are standing with the spades still above ground. I attached the fabric, but these posts are very wobbly, since they are only in the ground 3-6 inches. I was even using one of those special, heavy post-driving contraptions with the handle on both sides, but the ground seems to be a solid, even layer of hard rock all over.
I can't get the shovel in deep enough to clear out holes by hand. This is really frustrating me, because I need somewhere for my dogs to go. They hate being put on leashes and need an enclosure to run free. I spent NINE hours yesterday on this and all I have to show for it is a wobbly, very unstable 30x15 foot "fence".

Does anyone have any suggestions for me on how to get a fence of some kind on this ground? I spent the last of my cash on these materials, so I can't buy anything else right now. I look at all these cattle fields with HUNDREDS of acres that are fenced in with these same post and I wonder how in the hell did those farmers get all that up? They have MILES of fencing up and I can't even drive in 20 posts on my property, which is pathetic lol.

[RJMAcres]

Our place here in the Ozarks is mainly rocks of varying sizes.
Some small, some big, some huge and the ground is hard.
Driving t-posts got the best of me so I went shopping.
Bought 1 of these and it works great !

http://www.rohrermfg.com/post-driver...t-post-driver/

It won't pound thru big rocks but if at all possible it will break thru rocks and
keep going. Watch the demo videos and those videos aren't lying.
You need a small air compressor and power source to run the compressor.
I use a small generator and a pancake type compressor.

How big an area you trying to fence in ?
How big are your dogs ?

[Benny b]

Hi, I know you said money I tight but what if you sold what you have and bought an electronic under ground dog fence , ran it on the ground then put a couple inches of dirt over top? Just a thought. Benny

[handymama]

May sound redneck and stupid, but could you mound dirt and rocks around the tposts to firm them up a bit?

[Echoesechos]

Originally Posted by Benny b

Hi, I know you said money I tight but what if you sold what you have and bought an electronic under ground dog fence , ran it on the ground then put a couple inches of dirt over top? Just a thought. Benny

That's a great idea. I know people who have thus and it works. Won't keep other critters out but will keep yours in. I think you can find them for about $100.00 or so.

[fordy]

Originally Posted by olywa1978

I'm in hills of the Bonanza, Oregon area and just tried to put up a fence for my dogs, since no one here wants dogs running loose, for obvious reasons. My materials are 11-guage chicken wire and T-Posts. I quickly discovered that this is not as easy as I thought. My entire 2.3 acres has boulders the size of tv's (and bigger) that sit 3-4 inches below the soil and all the properties near me seem to be the same. I was going to put up a 200-foot perimeter fence around my RV, but as hard a time as I was having getting the posts in the ground, I was just trying to get a small enclosure constructed to secure the dogs. I attempted to drive in close to 100 posts and only ONE would go in to the top of the spade! The rest are standing with the spades still above ground. I attached the fabric, but these posts are very wobbly, since they are only in the ground 3-6 inches. I was even using one of those special, heavy post-driving contraptions with the handle on both sides, but the ground seems to be a solid, even layer of hard rock all over.
I can't get the shovel in deep enough to clear out holes by hand. This is really frustrating me, because I need somewhere for my dogs to go. They hate being put on leashes and need an enclosure to run free. I spent NINE hours yesterday on this and all I have to show for it is a wobbly, very unstable 30x15 foot "fence".

Does anyone have any suggestions for me on how to get a fence of some kind on this ground? I spent the last of my cash on these materials, so I can't buy anything else right now. I look at all these cattle fields with HUNDREDS of acres that are fenced in with these same post and I wonder how in the hell did those farmers get all that up? They have MILES of fencing up and I can't even drive in 20 posts on my property, which is pathetic lol.

....................Chicken wire , won't even protect chickens ! You need to take several steel rods about 3 feet long and drive them in to mark the (4) corners of your pen ! Now , stretch a string line and connect all 4 corners to give you a perimeter of reference for the fence .
....................Next take a single steel rod with a 2lb. hammer and start test driving the rod where you want a Tpost to BE.........every hole that you hit rock mark it with a can of that bright spray paint. Choose another color to mark those holes where it seems a Tpost MAY BE DRIVEN . The purpose of the string line is to keep your Tposts , Straight . The spacing between Tposts won't be uniform due to the presence of rock , but that is just the way it will be .
....................You need atleast 2 3/8's inch steel pipe corner posts set in cement to hold Up the wire . It very well maybe that you will be forced to run several single Hot Wires along the Tposts if you can't construct a conventional wire fence . , fordy

[hawgsquatch]

How about setting up your posts in five gallon buckets full of that rocky soil?

[Shrek]

First off chicken wire is not the best choice of fence wire for dogs. 2by 4 inch small stock wire is better.

When stetting t posts in shallow topsoil an adequate approach is to drive them as deep as possible using a chisel drill and sledge when necessary to get the spade blade as far in as possible and then use concrete to better secure both the posts and fence fabric near the post.

Also something to consider if thinking of a smaller fenced area, a doubled pen allows a smaller footprint while also giving the dogs the illusion and exercise benefit of an endless round track.

I ended up with a "talladogga" double pen by accident when my original 25 by 25 foot wooden frame pen began deteriorating and instead of tearing it down I chose to leave it for shade and repaired it a little at a time after erecting a 40 by 40 foot pen around it.

The dogs now lounge in the inner pen in the shade and round track run the 15 foot wide 160 foot long track between the outer and inner pen fences until they go lay in the shade again.

The double pen configuration offers me the ability to pen the dogs inside as I mow the run track, pen them on the track while I mow the shaded inside pen or on the rare occasion separate them if they start fighting.

I built my nested pens with endless run using about 40 t posts and 300 feet of fence fabric which left me plenty to use for fence patches and dig out footings when I filled holes they started digging close to the fence.

Dogs are smart but I have yet to see a dog smart enough to start digging under a fence two feet inside the fence where the footer fence is buried instead of right up against the fence.

Electric collar invisible fences while easy to install and visually ascetic don't stop ranging wild dogs, wolves or coyotes from coming inside the invisible barrier to maul and haul off the carcass of the shock collar controlled pet as dinner for their pack.

[farminghandyman]

I have read where some use a big hammer drill to drill holes and Knockoff the stabilizing plate off the T post and put the post in the drilled hole,

[MichaelK!]

It's toward's the end of the dry season, so is it really rock, or just cemented soil? In my area, there's no rain for 9 months out of the year, and the soil becomes "cemented" as it turns bone-dry and has the characteristics of concrete. Once saturated with water though it's like digging in butter!

I suspect that is part of your problem. Try letting some water soak in for a day or two and then try again. For the bulk of your fencing though, I'd guess you'll just have to wait for the rainy season. That's when everyone around here does fencing.

[jwal10]

Use post jacks at the corners. Dig as deep as you can, set wood post (square works best), attach wire by wrapping around corner post. Put in a few line posts and attach wire loosely to keep upright, stretch wire to next corner post. Use treated 2"x s to make post jack platform, attach to posts with long deck screws and stack rocks on platforms. You can also fill gabions (rock boxes) and use as anchors outside the corner posts. #9 wire from top of post to back side of rock box with a fence ratchet to tighten....James

https://www.google.com/search?q=rock...ml%3B612%3B433

[AmericanStand]

They make stone drills that you hit with a small sledge hammer then clear the chips and hit it again etc. pretty cheep and available at mining supplies or hardware stores in mining country.
Or rent a electric jackhammer.
Drill the holes set the posts then fill with cement.

[kabic]

Originally Posted by RJMAcres

Our place here in the Ozarks is mainly rocks of varying sizes.
Some small, some big, some huge and the ground is hard.
Driving t-posts got the best of me so I went shopping.
Bought 1 of these and it works great !

http://www.rohrermfg.com/post-driver...t-post-driver/

It won't pound thru big rocks but if at all possible it will break thru rocks and
keep going. Watch the demo videos and those videos aren't lying.
You need a small air compressor and power source to run the compressor.
I use a small generator and a pancake type compressor.

How big an area you trying to fence in ?
How big are your dogs ?

maybe there is somewhere you could rent something like this.

[Terri]

Take a look at this set-up. Instead of driving the post in the ground it is anchored with a big basket of rocks. http://www.barbed-wire-fence.com/roc...structure.html

I have never done this, mind!

[Danaus29]

Our neighbor uses and underground fence for his dogs, but the line isn't buried. It's draped over an existing fence. Works great as long as the batteries in the collars aren't dead.

[where I want to]

I have some pretty good underground rocks in spots and I used a digging bar. It was a good work out but the pointed end was ok for fracturing under ground rocks. That said, there was one fence post hole that took a day and a half to dig,

Also I remember see old rooty stumps lined up for a fence, also look up jack fence. There are different kinds of tripod fencing. If you can get a base established, hot wire is great for discouraging dogs from jumping.

I wonder if you could use the chicken wire to contain gathered rocks to act to hold upright to hang some fence. Or at least a weight for a tripod fence.

My place has some assorted fencing in some places- nothing says it has all got to be the same.

If you have surface rocks, what about a dry fit rock fence? Or a modified gabion fence for a base with posts stuck in it.

I suppose that if you have access to old growth logged stumps you could simply drag them into spaced positions and use the roots as fence posts to hang wire. They should be heavy enough to contain dogs.

[Echoesechos]

I have seen the ranchers make a tube using regular fencing and then stacking rocks inside. Could have something like this I bet. The tubes are wired together and are about 2.5 feet wide at least. Good way to have post a and use of rock.

[am1too]

Originally Posted by olywa1978

I'm in hills of the Bonanza, Oregon area and just tried to put up a fence for my dogs, since no one here wants dogs running loose, for obvious reasons. My materials are 11-guage chicken wire and T-Posts. I quickly discovered that this is not as easy as I thought. My entire 2.3 acres has boulders the size of tv's (and bigger) that sit 3-4 inches below the soil and all the properties near me seem to be the same. I was going to put up a 200-foot perimeter fence around my RV, but as hard a time as I was having getting the posts in the ground, I was just trying to get a small enclosure constructed to secure the dogs. I attempted to drive in close to 100 posts and only ONE would go in to the top of the spade! The rest are standing with the spades still above ground. I attached the fabric, but these posts are very wobbly, since they are only in the ground 3-6 inches. I was even using one of those special, heavy post-driving contraptions with the handle on both sides, but the ground seems to be a solid, even layer of hard rock all over.
I can't get the shovel in deep enough to clear out holes by hand. This is really frustrating me, because I need somewhere for my dogs to go. They hate being put on leashes and need an enclosure to run free. I spent NINE hours yesterday on this and all I have to show for it is a wobbly, very unstable 30x15 foot "fence".

Does anyone have any suggestions for me on how to get a fence of some kind on this ground? I spent the last of my cash on these materials, so I can't buy anything else right now. I look at all these cattle fields with HUNDREDS of acres that are fenced in with these same post and I wonder how in the hell did those farmers get all that up? They have MILES of fencing up and I can't even drive in 20 posts on my property, which is pathetic lol.

For now my dogs are leashed. Neighbor will shoot. I walk them every day and they love it. The plus side is they get inter action and attention every day.

[jwal10]

Rock jack fencing....James
https://www.google.com/search?q=rock...h=471&dpr=1.25

Rock jack
http://therockjack.com/2011/02/21/whats-a-rockjack/
https://www.google.com/search?q=rock...ml%3B612%3B433
Gabion
https://www.google.com/search?q=gabi...w=1051&bih=453

[arcticow]

I have known folks to use old car rims filled with concrete with the post standing in the middle... This works even where there is rock that runs out on top of the ground where the fence line needs to run...