[NormandyMary]

In readiness for our new babies, we are thinking of investing in some sort of electric deterrent. We have found a kit which is advised for keeping badgers and foxes out of hen runs. We have to have it battery operated, which this is and it comprises of tape which they suggest you put 6 inches above ground level.
My question is, will this deter foxes enough or do we still need to put a roof on the top. I was told by a farmer over here that if you have electric fencing, the fox will smell the current and go elsewhere.
Any advice re leccy fencing gratefully received, as we really want to get it right this time!

Thanks as always,

Mary.

[hillfooter]

I'm very surprised to read that a tape system should be recommended for foxes.  This sounds like very bad advice.  You not only need to keep foxes out but you need to keep chx in.  A tape system is only any good for larger grazing animals like horses.  A net is the usually recommended system for chickens and foxes.  They will cost a bit more than tape I'm afraid but they will work effectively.

I've always used electrified runs and never lost a bird which was in one in over 10 years however you must use an electric NET.  The best ones are 1.22 metres high and I'd recommend the Fox Buster type from Electric Fencing Direct
 http://www.electricfencing.co.uk/electricnetting.asp  

Nets are powered by an energiser.  Get a reasonable output one say 1.2 joules.  The Hotline Gemini HLC 120 one is OK at a reasonable price (as is the Force Field BM 140 one below).  Lower output ones are slightly cheaper and run for longer on a battery but are more easily shorted out by long grass/ weeds and rended ineffective.

http://www.electricfence-online.co.uk/shop/electric-fencing/energisers-mains-powered/12v-mains-hotline-hlc120-gemini-346433.html.



Shop around on ebay but buy new as they are still expensive second hand and can be damaged by misuse so a guarentee is important.

Energisers should be powered off a rechargable 12V LEISURE battery or they can be powered by a mains adapter if there's a convenient mains supply.  Beware, some use a 9V non-rechargable battery and require a special dry cell battery.  These are light weight and intended for easy carrying in fields for setting up portable enclosures.  Unless this is what you want use a 12V lead acid battery which MUST be a leisure type as car batteries are very quickly destroyed by deep discharges.  LEISURE ones are designed specifically for deep discharges (shop around on ebay and get a 60Ahr or greater one which will last 4 weeks plus on one charge.

You will also need an earth stake which you can buy though any metal rod about 600mm long will do.  On one of my nets I actually use an old broken garden fork pronges driven into the earth with a club hammer.  I clip the earth lead to the metal shaft.  Keep the earth damp around it.

Rough budget assuming new buys.
Leisure Battery £60 ( I recently bought a 65Ahr redundant stock new one for for £40 off ebay which was excellent quality)
Charger £15 - £30 (the cheap ones are rubbish generally)
50 m Net £120,  25 metre ones are a little less expensive but not half.  Don't skimp on this item the one I recommend is a little more expensive but much more robust than the cheep alternatives available.
Energiser £90.
6 tree stakes (assuming you use a "figure of 8" folded layout) £16

Consider a kit from Electric Fencing Direct which might be more cost effective though the battery & charger isn't usually included

Below is a cut and paste of previous advice and some links to electric net threads.

You can cater for the excess by folding it but make sure it's off the ground otherwise it will short.  Use tree stakes at each corner to attach the plastic insulated posts to  (they mustn't touch so guy them off with plastic/ nylon cord baler twine is fine.  Tension the net tightly and have STRAIGHT runs between corners and ensure each corner is supported with a tree stake.  The surplus can be loosly folded and helg off the ground, or insulated from it by laying it on a polythene sheet, or large poly bag, or in a plastic tub or anything which is plastic or rubber so it's insulated from vegetation and the ground.

These topics are mostly covered in the second link below.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=68573.msg784480#msg784480

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=56897.msg670192#msg670192

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=25998.msg307988#msg307988

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=32823.msg392728#msg392728

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=43809.msg514210#msg514210

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=42658.msg502557#msg502557

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=51867.msg616566#msg616566

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=59656.0

HF

[Casey76]

Hi Mary, I would also suggest a net.  Look around in your Point Vert, and you should be abel to get, if not a poultry net, then a sheep net, zhich looks like the one in HFs photo.

The only thing is, I have never seen them in such a nice green colour.  All the ones I've seen have been bright orange!

[NormandyMary]

I think Ive misled you a bit!! I dont mean JUST having the tape, the chooks will be kept in by a 5 foot high fenced run, then the electrified tape will go through pegs that are hammered into the post that support the fence, so its just on the outside of the fence. That's what I mean when I say would a fox be deterred from that or would it still try to jump over, meaning that we would need to put on a roof.

Sorry for the confusion folks. Ill direct your post to my OH Hillfooter as he is the technical one and will be doing the installation. Its all gobbledygook to me! Thanks for taking the time to help us.

Mary.

[Casey76]

If the tape is just 6ins off the ground, then the fox could easily jump over it to climb the fence sorry 

[hillfooter]

If the tape is just 6ins off the ground, then the fox could easily jump over it to climb the fence sorry 

I'd prefer a net for foxes as it's much cheaper and easier too move however a weldmesh net can be totally effective with an electrified wire but 6 foot would be the lowest I'd recommend as foxes will jump or climb a solid fence whereas they can't climb a net.  You need a high and a low wire (not a tape) I'd suggest/  the low wire can be 6 to 9inches above the ground and spaced off 9inches or so to stop digging and the high wire near the top to stop climbing (also one at the midpoint wouldn't go amiss).  The fence itself should be weldmesh in preference to chicken wire and MUST be earthed to an earth stake.  If a fox attmpsts to climb it will touch the earthed fence and high voltage guard wire and get a zap.

I've heard it said animals can sense the electric field however until they've had a zap they won't fear it so you can wrap a rasher of bacon round it ensuring it cn't be licked or pulled off without touching the wire.  Bind it with bare copper wire from an old cable.

In France you may have problems with pine martens so a close mesh fence maybe needed and the guard wire set closer or having two set at different spacings.  No roof should be required however provided there are no overhanging trees and no raptors like Harris Hawks.

HF