Can we talk about fencing?

We've built a lot of fences around here over the last four years, using both cross ties and utility poles for corners and pull posts. The utility poles made it easier to stretch the wire, and I believe they will hold up longer. We used metal T posts in between, and they are holding up fine so far.

__________________
"Luck is the residue of design" - Branch Rickey

Oh, it's way over, just the best I can do for now, as my car only goes down to .1 mile increments. I only have 5.77 acres, and the 2112 came from .1 mile squared, which is almost 6.5 acres. The first time I ran it on Google Earth, though, i got 2111. Today tho, I *think* i have a better picture (an older one on there) that I can better see where the property line should be, and I come up with about 1650'.

I found "YellaWood" brand fence posts today (2.5-3" by 6.5') for $3 today, at a farm store about an hour away. Would those be appropriate for a 7 wire electric perimeter fence? I realize the corner posts and braces would need to be larger, but for the line posts?

On relatively flat ground (according to Google Earth, my property ranges from 137-143 in elevation), how far apart should the fence posts be?

I would prefer not to use t-posts, if I can get away cheaper with wood, unless they have some benefit I'm unaware of. (Yeah, I know, easy to install)

My dad has a gas powered auger and an auger that hooks on his tractor I can use, so the easy install isn't really an issue. (We do have lots of deer, for the person that brought that up) For movable fencing, I will use step-in posts, this fence is intended to be permanent.

I will check into the utility poles, and I'm about 150 miles from Tifton, GA.

Now, a silly question. Could I use my 150'-ish chain link fence as a ground for my fence charger? (Figure I will use the goats to start clearing the fenceline, but i detest putting in ground rods and then pulling them back out)

Sorry folks but I don't see electric keeping any of the predators out....specially man.
Once again I recommend 8 feet of woven wire fence with a 2x4 mesh. with 2 hot wires on top and one hot wire down low on the outside on a separate charger.
Steel posts will be fine EXCEPT at the corners.

Ground rods need to be deep enough so they are in moist soil all the time.

I go 50 ft between posts on flat ground, and you can add more at elevation changes if needed.

Stretch the wire just enough so it doesn't sag too much.

If you use utility poles ( 8-10" minimum) as corners and set them at least 4 ft deep, you won't need extra bracing

__________________
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

No fence will keep humans out if they want in badly enough.

It WILL keep other predators out

Suggesting an 8 ft fence is overkill unless you're trying to contain deer

__________________
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

seriously?? 8' tall fence?? I have never even seen a fence that tall. Man will get in if he wants to, no fence will keep a determined human out. Humans can use wire cutters. For livestock, a 4' tall woven wire fence with hot wire on top and a second hot strand on the outside will keep out all but the most detemined predators. A good livestock guardian dog is a great idea too if predators are a big problem. I have very sucessfully kept goats in electric wire in the past too, and had no predator problems.

Certainly your view.

We have an electric HT fence and the only predator that has ever breached it ( a coyote) came across a large, frozen snow drift, that had buried much of the fence. Our ownd dogs won't even go near it.

The fence you are describing seems like something that you'd see around a minimum security prison. Unpleasant to both the pocketbook and the eye.

I don't doubt that it would be effective, though.

I'm not interested in keeping man out, as that's nearly impossible anyway. The local PD likes to set a speed trap in front of my property, so man is the least of my concerns. I'm mostly worried about keeping my animals IN and AWAY from the highway. Keeping predators out in my 2nd concern, and once this fence is up, I will get a couple of LGDs. Right now my pigs are in a fairly predator proof pen, my chicken coops are predator proof, and my goats and geese stay in 6' chain link at night, which is unfortunately right outside the master bedroom window, or we'd have an LGD already. Hubby is a light sleeper, though, and 1) he'd hear anything trying to bother the goats and 2) my LGD of choice is a Pyr and they bark a lot, which would keep hubby awake.

My greywater runs onto several of the chain link fence's posts, so I would think that would keep them damp? I only want to use it for a ground for a week or two while the goats clear the fenceline near it, it wouldn't be my ground for the permanent fence. I think I figured out how to get power/ground to that area without moving the charger, though, so I may not need to worry about that.

This sounds more viable by the day, thank you SO much for the info about spacing. Obviously i will likely drive you guys nuts when I actually start stringing wire, because I'm confused about the bracing and strainers and whatnot. (I'm going to see if I can find some utility poles for the corner!)

I've found a couple of styles of strainers.

One requires a special wrench, and the other can use a normal 1/2" ratchet wrench or a large adjustable wrench.

I prefer the latter



http://www.livewireproducts.com/prod...-clip-strainer

The line posts don't need to be large at all, since all they are really doing is maintaining the wire spacing rather than carrying any load.

I use 6' 6" line posts set 30 inches deep for a 4 ft fence

__________________
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

LOL yes adding a LGD to the mix helps tons its a sorta belt and suspenders approach. when you have both neither needs to be as good that's for sure.
I cant see a 4 foot woven wire fence even slowing down a Dog ,coyote, wolf or bear.
In the Human arena That 8 foot fence WILL make a lot of difference. Sure a human with wire cutters can get in BUT they wont be able to claim they didn't see it or that they thought it was OK to climb over it. Its sorta like a lock on a Door a human can get around it to get in the house but when they do they move from a casual thing to a determined crook.