Anyone use an electric fence to keep critters out?
Suzy
11 years ago
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gumby_ct
11 years agoRelated Discussions
What height fence to keep coyotes out?
Comments (15)I just played the sounds and my lab mutt shot up in full alert. The cats hid. We've got a lot here. I hear them sing nightly. They have learned to watch out for my dog and donkey. Rarely come into the fenced area. I lost a small dog to coyotes. People using beagles for hunting here run a big hound with them because the coyotes do take them. Electric fence around chainlink is about the safest. Some sort of cover on the top. I haven't seen any wild canine/domestic canine crosses but we do have coyote/wolf crosses here and wolves now too. I worry about my goats a bit. I have seen a domestic dog wander through with no interest in the livestock at times and the goats head immediately to a horse or donkey. The horses have all learned the donkey's doggy smushing routine now too. Not as much finesse as the donkey but definately would put a world of hurt on a canine. Leads me to believe the goats have been threatened before. Should my 19 hand draft horse ever connect I suspect all I'd find is a fur splotch in the pasture. Donkey is actually amazing to watch. He toys with the young coyotes. I've actually seen him stalk then intentionally drive the pup into the electric fence. No doubt the donk is smiling as the pup goes screaming into the woods with no idea what hit him. The adult coyotes give donk and fence wide berth. They learned as pups. Works well because I enjoy the night sounds and really don't like warring with mother nature. Sometimes I just have to protect my livestock though....See More1/2 inch conduit for fence posts for keeping out deer?
Comments (6)jimster - I thought I read somewhere that deer will push a weak fence over. That was my main concern, since I'm using a different strategy to discourage them from jumping. And this is only a temporary fence, so I'd be happy if it survived one season. I'm only going to loosely hang chicken wire, or some lightweight welded wire I already have. I won't be stretching it, so I don't think it would get pulled over by tension, unless something ran into it. And the only thing likely to do that here, is a deer. The problem with the 1/2 inch conduit seems to be it's diameter. It's easy to push over because it slices through the soil, whereas a t-post is wider, and has that spade thing attached to it. I'd need to reinforce it at the soil line I think, to keep it from falling over. If deer wouldn't run into it, and bend the pipe, it might work for my purpose. But I was also thinking about using my posts to anchor some trellis lines, and conduit posts wouldn't work for that. So I probably won't use them. I was just trying to find something cheaper than t-posts. bluebirdie - This is only a lightweight temporary fence, so whatever I use will just be pounded into the ground. Your right about them not holding up, if they're just stuck in the ground. I tried it, and realized pretty quickly it wouldn't work without some kind of reinforcement. lantanascape - When I read one of your posts, it gave me the idea it might work. I knew you had supports at the base. I had just never thought of using them for fence posts. They seem sturdy enough to hold up 4 foot tall chicken wire. And if they were secured at the base, and deer didn't try to bend them over, I think it could work. But I'm probably better off looking for a deal on t-posts. I just haven't seen one yet....See MoreKeeping Critters out of veggies...
Comments (1)We have gardened here in the deep woods for many, many years and actually tomatoes and peppers aren't bothered that much by mammal-type pests because the plants are poisonous. But they do love the ripe fruit. Early picking for indoor ripening usually solves that problem. ;) Most all of them prefer the crops like corn, beans, peas, carrots and we have armadillos who love to root up the potato patch for us. Deer, raccoons, skunks, and possums can be controlled somewhat with fencing of course. And there are all sorts of pest control products on the market. It is a common question here so there are tons of discussions here about them and problems with various pests that a search will pull up for you. Mostly we just plant more and plan to share. ;) Dave...See MoreWhat kind of fence keeps out the most varmints?
Comments (19)I know this is an outdated post, but I thought I would share my experience with these pests! Over here in Wisconsin we run into rabbits all the time and I have had trouble finding a fence that is visually appealing, maintenance free, easy to install, and affordable. A few years ago we decided to create 17 raised beds in our garden, and the original idea was to place chicken wire directly around each raised bed, but based on past experience I knew that having the fencing so close to the garden area makes working in the garden difficult and inefficient. Based on this I decided to enclose the entire garden area with a rabbit fence, leaving a 24â walkway between the beds and the fence allowing for greater mobility when working in the garden. I did some research to try to find a fence that would fit into the visual aesthetic of our garden, and chicken wire was just too unsightly. Picket fences are visually appealing, but I was turned off by the substantial maintenance season after season. I decided to create my own fence that provided the qualities I was looking for: attractive, maintenance free, lightweight, easy to install and affordable. After doing much research I decided to use copper tubing (to avoid rusting and to match other lawn decorations). I also used polypropylene mesh netting that was designed for rabbit fencing. I created 30 panels that were of two different sizes (4âÂÂx2â or 2âÂÂx2âÂÂ). Creating these panels did not take too long and cost much less than what I had anticipated. From there I used rebar poles to easily install the panels around the garden, including the creation of a swing-gate that made accessing the garden easy! Installing the fence took me an afternoon and that included the trial and error of determining the best way to do it. Because the fence has exceeded all my expectations, I want to share it with others! I have decided to make and sell the fence panels. Below is a link to the website I have created, and I would love to answer any questions you may have! http://www.deluxerabbitfence.com/ Here is a link that might be useful: Preassembled Rabbit Garden Fence...See Moreharveyhorses
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