[chickerun]

I bought some electric fencing from Mole Valley Farmers yesterday. It's a 50m poultry kit with everything included for set -up.
 
I asked if the fence could be shortened and was told yes- I only need about 25-30m and after opening the whole kit up last night can't see any way of shortening the length.

Is it ok to - a) wrap the fencing around twice
                 or b) bundle the excess
 
Instructions in the kit are useless and only give brief directions on how to set-up.

Any ideas welcome!!

 

[iowrooster]

 I had to buy extra poles, found that the kit did not supply enough( think I bought another 10, that was for a 25 m kit). We do double ours up- and have it in zig zag in some areas to shorten the amount!! One hint is to make sure you knock the conductor rod quite far into the ground, and make sure you don`t snag the first strand of the electric wire into the ground- electric go`s straight into the ground and will reduce the strength.  In this wet weather have been putting slug pellets down, around the outside perimeter, as slugs will get caught in them, and make a loud clicking noise( also emit a nice blue spark in the dark!!) Also we store the car battery in an old rabbit hutch( doubles up as treat store).  Have used a couple of garden canes in areas where the  fence needed a little more strength( needed one extra pole, but the cane has worked fine). 
 Hope this helps? and good luck, is much easier than fitting auto pop hole opener!

Cheers
Lee

[Foxy]

It might be easier taking it back getting a refund and just buying 25m fencing. What make do you have? and do you have green or black netting?

[ehs284]

You can just cut it. It won't fall apart. If wanted longer in future can be rejoined.

[hillfooter]

You can double the fence or configure it in any way you like as long as the horizontal wires don't touch the ground or anything else which touches the ground other than an insulated post.  You can reposition the poles along the net as you wish to place the corners in the position you want, taking care not to break any of the thin stainless steel conducting wires woven into the conducting strands.  You will find the corners stand up much better if you tension them to tree stakes driven firmly into the ground.  Just tie the corner insulated net posts to the stake at two points.  Stand the stakes off from the net post by using a insulated cord such as a nylon cord (or bailer twine is ideal) tensioned between the post and net pole.  Using guy ropes on the insulated posts doesn't work well as the posts bend causing the net to sag.

You can easily shorten the net by snipping the horizontal strands at the length you require.  Tie each loose horizontal conductor end round an insulated post such that a vertical (non-conducting) lies alongside the post so you can tape the vertical to the post using insulating tape which helps keeping the net tensioned.  You should connect each conductor together and this is most easily done by stripping an old twin and earth mains cable and removing the solid copper earth conductor.  You need a length about 20cms longer than the height of the net.  Twist this tightly round the top strand of the net (about 5 times) adjacent to the last post and then down to the next strand twist it round that and continue down the net until all the conducting strands have been connected.  Note don't connect the bottom strand which is an insulated non conducting cord.  Snip off the excess copper wire.  If in future you need to extend the net again do the same to the cut end and link the two sections with copper wire by twisting round the vertical copper conducting wire you have added.  A short wire with crock clips can be used as a neater connecting link.

To protect your battery just place an old plastic bucket over it (without a metal wire handle as you don't want to short it out).  Car batteries are useless to power electric fences as they don't stand up to the deep discharges you will get.  Their cells warp and short out after a few charges.  Use a leisure battery for this purpose which is designed with reinforced cells.

Regards

[North Devon Dumpling]

Can you get problems with shorting with the poultry fences?  We (or our friends) have had lots of fun with the electric stock fence they use to keep the pigs in.  If the pigs push soil over the lines they short the fence and the pigs discovered this and had a fine time escaping.  It was better when they were a bit older and the lower line could be moved up a tiny bit.  I wonder if you can have the same problems with poultry electic fencing (not with teh hens digging soil over it you understand), but if the grass gets too long can this short it etc?  We have to sort out containment issues out (long story won't go into) and I think an electric fence is the only way to go but OH is not convinced, mainly because of any problems with it shorting.

(Why can't I write short posts ) 

[hillfooter]

Electric fences work by applying a very high voltage pulse between the fence conductors and earth (sometimes more accurately described as a ground plane).  Shorting the net to earth with a good conductor will reduce the voltage significantly making the net ineffective.  Grass when dry is a poor conductor so even when there is a lot of grass touching the net the voltage won't be significantly effected however wet grass can be a problem if there is a lot touching the net.  A more powerful energiser will fair better than a weeker one (check the joule rating of the energiser).  The energiser will tend to kill the grass and dry it so will burn it off to some extent but the real solution is to keep the grass down by mowing, or spraying a weed killer or pegging down an insulator like a dampproof plastic membrain or similar plastic sheet to stop the grass growing.  Grass shorting is more a problem with very long stranded fences rather than 50 m chicken nets.  Nets are very effective generally if you keep them maintained and periodically inspect them for shorting and preferably test them.

Regards

[North Devon Dumpling]

Hi Chicken run, hope the fence is working well.  Did you get the battery from MV aswell or are you running it off the mains.  I ask as we want some fencing and I think I may go with MV as we have membership but they don't seem to do the 12v batteries you need for it.

Thanks

NDD

[Sassy]

You can get a 12v battery from camping and caravan places if your agricultural supplier doesn't stock them. They are the same.

[North Devon Dumpling]

Sorry forgot to say thanks.  Yes Mole Valley doesn't do them so will have to find a Halfords or such like when we get round to doing the fence etc.

[Chookster]

ive been pulling my hair out over the same fencing!! Last week some friends of mine finally came to my rescue.  I only needed 21 meters but ended up with 50m too cos availability and only a tenner in the price difference apparently.

Anyway, my ground is on a bumpy hill!!! SO you can imagine how much hair i've got left after the stress.  My friend's husband cut it to size (just literally).  Where it sagged he used cable ties.  I had to strim and level the land so that no grass touched the first live wire.  A lot of work but now it works brilliantly.

I have to say though - you're not alone, the instructions were pretty pants as they disappear into a vague 'diagram' at the most crucial point!

HOWEVER - the helpline number bloke was brilliant and i didn't need to phone him back due to the help from my friends.

NOW though - I'm told by someone else at the same land that it is shorting half way round as you can hear the pulse crack there.

More AAAARGH

anyway, no sign of mr fox and the chickens have learnt and remembered NOT to touch th fence already - result! My biggest problem is to know if the cat can still get through the holes as he did on the first day! We wait to see........

[Chookster]

I bought some electric fencing from Mole Valley Farmers yesterday. It's a 50m poultry kit with everything included for set -up.
 
I asked if the fence could be shortened and was told yes- I only need about 25-30m and after opening the whole kit up last night can't see any way of shortening the length.

Is it ok to - a) wrap the fencing around twice
                 or b) bundle the excess
 
Instructions in the kit are useless and only give brief directions on how to set-up.

Any ideas welcome!!

How is it now Chickenrun?? 

[Sassy]

Electric fencing is tricky when you are not used to it or not very practical - just like me and my husband!!! It is worth persevering with though. If you look where it is cracking you will probably see some grass or hedge or similar touching the the fence - this will cause it to short. Just cut it back. If the fence is left shorting and you have a battery it will drain the battery very quickly.

[pushrod]

If you haven't done what Hillfooter mentioned ie putting damp-proof membrane strip under the fence it is worth doing as it will stop the grass growing up, touching the fence and shorting it out. You just push your spike posts through it to hold it in place. Builders' merchants (even B&Q) supply it. Go for the widest strip  you can find. If not - on a  winters morning when the grass is long and damp and mr fox is particularly hungry - you might regret it

Edit : oh and if you want to advertise your  the effectiveness of your fence to local foxes, unwanted cats, just tie a few tiny strips of bacon on to it - very effective at getting the message across.

[Foxy]

Make sure that your cat gets a shock,and is then wary and familiar with the shock while your around, then you can be confident your cat will avoid, this prevents the cat investigating while your not around.