[wberry85]

Just ordered some of the pig quikfence from Premier One and plan on using it for my two large blacks. They are both full grown, and all of the electric fence training I have seen has been for piglets.

I plan on setting up the electric fence inside of a permanently fenced area for now so that they learn not to run through the fence if they get shocked. How long do you think it will take them to respect the fence and stay inside of it? The area I will be putting them the electric net is the only thing between them and the rest of the world so if they run through it, they might be gone for good. How long do they need to learn not to go near the fence?

 

[cooper101]

I would run the netting as close to the sturdy fence as possible, like 4 inches or so if you can, without it touching and grounding out. If they get out of the netting and then have fun in a large area before they get to the perimeter, they won't learn to stay off the netting.

I believe that larger pigs will take less time than piglets, but I would plan on at least a week to get to 80%, 3 weeks to be pretty safe with only the netting.

You'll notice when they seem to be always mindful of where the fence is. They'll start to get wary of it, but then they'll get where they know where it is all the time. You can see it. Plan on 3-4 weeks to get to be pretty bulletproof.

 

[sportweasel]

I am also planning to move two adult large blacks to an electric netted area in my front yard under a pear tree and some chestnut trees. My pigs are familiar with the electric chicken netting that I have, i.e. they know not to touch it when it's on. They're also smart enough to know that when I go through it to feed the chickens, it means it's off, so they will push up against it then.

I'm wondering if this means they are sufficiently "trained" to electric net fencing, or do I need to go through the 3-4 week electric+physical barrier training that y'all suggest?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[Philosaw]

I kept pigs in a confined pen for years with a hot wire, but as soon a that thing went down, they knew it and did their best to get out. Fortunately I've never just depended on wire, but have always had field fencing too.

 

[sportweasel]

Perhaps I should bring the chestnuts and pears to them instead of risking a breakout in an area without a backup fence. In the end, training to the electric netting and/or dealing with an escape may end up being more work than bringing the harvest to them at this point. Once they have utilized all the acorns and hickory nuts (within their current pasture); and the chestnuts and pears (outside the perimeter fence) they are going to slaughter, so any training they receive now will not save time later.

 

[gerold]

Perhaps I should bring the chestnuts and pears to them instead of risking a breakout in an area without a backup fence. In the end, training to the electric netting and/or dealing with an escape may end up being more work than bringing the harvest to them at this point. Once they have utilized all the acorns and hickory nuts (within their current pasture); and the chestnuts and pears (outside the perimeter fence) they are going to slaughter, so any training they receive now will not save time later.

I got a tight 4ft. field wire and barb wire on top. I used solar elec. for a couple years inside field wire. Never had a problem. Now i don't use the elec. fence anymore . The pigs have lots of pasture and don't even try to get out. I do have stock dogs that tend the pigs and also keeps out other animals.

 

[cooper101]

I kept pigs in a confined pen for years with a hot wire, but as soon a that thing went down, they knew it and did their best to get out. Fortunately I've never just depended on wire, but have always had field fencing too.

People say the pigs know when the charger is off, but that has not been my experience. Once trained, mine have stayed trained. Last butcher day, I went to turn off the fence and realized I never turned it back on 3 weeks prior when I fixed something. They never tested it in 3 weeks. From my experience, they can't tell when it's off.

 

[highlands]

I agree with Cooper. The pigs don't have any idea that the fence energizer is on or off. Training them to the wire is very important. Having good fencing is more important as they move into new spaces. Pigs are pretty easy to train to electric. I find the sheep are harder. The big key is having what they want inside the fenced area and the scary things outside the fence.

-Walter

 

[sportweasel]

My hogs only seem to push against the electric net around the chicken coop AFTER they've seen me go through it (carrying chicken feed, which they want desperately, of course). They don't get shocked pushing on the fence while I'm in there because I have turned it off to enter. But after I come out (and turn it back on) they don't push against it any more. I don't think they are sensing that the charger is off, I think they are making an association. Or maybe they just want my bucket of feed so badly they overcome their fear of being shocked, and is merely coincidental that the fence is off.

 

[Philosaw]

I agree with Cooper. The pigs don't have any idea that the fence energizer is on or off. Training them to the wire is very important. Having good fencing is more important as they move into new spaces. Pigs are pretty easy to train to electric. I find the sheep are harder. The big key is having what they want inside the fenced area and the scary things outside the fence.

-Walter

I'm not disagreeing with your experience, but after 10 years of raising hogs in this particular pen, I knew that they knew when the wire was down. Maybe it was the charger that they could hear, not sure, or maybe our pigs were just smarter than your pigs!

 

[highlands]

Don't breed the smart ones - waste of energy. I'm not looking for pork chops who can play chess.

Seriously though, I specifically cull pigs that are what we call Houdini pigs. A lot of behaviors are genetic and I've found I can select for and against them. Well worth it.

-Walter