On electric fences

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British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
The electric fence is a fantastic device for the homesteader. A great deterrent to predators in a non lethal way allowing poultry to co exist with the UKs larger mammalian carnivores in relative safety.

If you've ever wanted to understand how to set up an electric fence, this weekends video explains the electrical theory, components and installation of electric fences

 
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British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
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Chupacabras yes, but drop beats are an issue! Foxes, badgers & loose damned dogs, definitely!
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
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Florida
Chupacabras yes, but drop beats are an issue! Foxes, badgers & loose damned dogs, definitely!
I put one round the backyard fence to contain my wolf/malamute (she was a digger) it worked for a while but she learned she could just dig deeper and go under it altogether.

That said, she had gotten the idea and knew I wanted her to stay on the yard so she just quit bothering after a while.
 

Nomad64

Full Member
Nov 21, 2015
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UK
Thanks for taking the tine to make and post the video - really enjoying the series as we have a similar lifestyle albeit in a somewhat harsher climate in the Welsh hills.

I bought a similar fence set up earlier this year after a young fox which clearly hadn’t got the memo about not coming round during the day cleared out half our hens which had been enjoying a pretty idyllic free ranging lifestyle after deciding that the 4’ mesh fence we had put round them was no barrier.

I’ve taken things a stage further by mounting the fence on semi-permanent wooden fence-posts with an additional 18” of alternate live and earthed single strand wires above the netting to deter anything that tries jumping.

One word of caution is that they can be a hazard to hedgehogs (which we have been actively encouraging) who seem to like using the short grass around the base as a thoroughfare. After finding one stuck under the netting, we turn our fence off at night and do a daily perimeter check before turning it on. I had preferred the idea of keeping it on 24 hours to make sure that any predators visiting at night didn’t get mixed messages about the fence.

Keep the vids coming! :)
 
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sunndog

Full Member
May 23, 2014
3,561
477
derbyshire
Done the wet glove thing a few times. The fence round a field of Hampshire buffalo nearly sat me down on the ground.

One did put me on the ground once.
I was sorting through some scrap steel stock in a field one summer and my t shirt rode up and the fence got me right in the small of my back lol
I straightened up so quick in shock I just launched meself forward into the scrap pile :D
 
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Nomad64

Full Member
Nov 21, 2015
1,072
593
UK
My pigs used to challenge the electric fence regularly. They'd also heap soil up on to the lower wire, earthing it to some degree, either by accident or design, I was never sure which! Still, they never did actually get out.

My chooks do that with moss!
 

sunndog

Full Member
May 23, 2014
3,561
477
derbyshire
Is it possible to borrow the electricity from an electric fence for other purposes?

How would you give it back when you were done? :biggrin:

Are you thinking pull up in a lay by and hook your caravan up to it maybe lol
Ooh or stealth camp with a three bar fire and telly inside the bivvy bag
 

Woody girl

Full Member
Mar 31, 2018
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Exmoor
Once had a rather dozy friend (not a boyfriend ) who on a walk one day decided to take a call of nature up against a fence..... yup ! It was electrified. .. :) :) I nearly died laughing, but I guess you guys are all curled up in a ball going Oooh nooo!. Sorry but it still makes laugh. Reason? I told him it was an electric fence but he didn't believe me.
Goodness doesn't time fly.
Just realised that was about 30 yrs ago. It's only my sense of humour that hasn't aged.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Thanks for taking the tine to make and post the video - really enjoying the series as we have a similar lifestyle albeit in a somewhat harsher climate in the Welsh hills.

I bought a similar fence set up earlier this year after a young fox which clearly hadn’t got the memo about not coming round during the day cleared out half our hens which had been enjoying a pretty idyllic free ranging lifestyle after deciding that the 4’ mesh fence we had put round them was no barrier.

I’ve taken things a stage further by mounting the fence on semi-permanent wooden fence-posts with an additional 18” of alternate live and earthed single strand wires above the netting to deter anything that tries jumping.

One word of caution is that they can be a hazard to hedgehogs (which we have been actively encouraging) who seem to like using the short grass around the base as a thoroughfare. After finding one stuck under the netting, we turn our fence off at night and do a daily perimeter check before turning it on. I had preferred the idea of keeping it on 24 hours to make sure that any predators visiting at night didn’t get mixed messages about the fence.

Keep the vids coming! :)
Thank you. Hedgehogs can be an issue, we found one curled on a live strand poor wee thing. We released it unharmed thankfully. I found a dlug getting zapped yesterday!
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
One did put me on the ground once.
I was sorting through some scrap steel stock in a field one summer and my t shirt rode up and the fence got me right in the small of my back lol
I straightened up so quick in shock I just launched meself forward into the scrap pile :D
Touched a 2.4Joule live strand kneeling in a puddle. That curled me into a ball.
 
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British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
My pigs used to challenge the electric fence regularly. They'd also heap soil up on to the lower wire, earthing it to some degree, either by accident or design, I was never sure which! Still, they never did actually get out.
Its s known issue, pigs are clever. Electified strained eire can be needed as they break tape.
 

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