How to best electrify my chicken run fencing?

[BuckeyeFoodie]

So, most of my birds are free-range egg-layers and manage to take pretty good care of themselves as far as predators go, but I am at my wits end trying to protect my Silkies (and Ayam Cemani's, but they aren't as vulnerable) without having to confine them strictly to the "Fort Knox" half of my coop the five days a week I'm at work (or more, if weather prevents my letting them out). I do not live on the farm, I get all my horse and chicken work done in the morning before I leave for work at 11, so going back out there after work at night is usually the last thing I want to do after a full shift dealing with the worst of humanity.

That side of the coop was originally built for our peacocks, and has a 15x15 run that can be completely segregated from the others that is made from recycled 6ft tall chain-link fencing topped with barbed wire to 7ft. Obviously, this does not keep out raccoons, which is what I'm 99% sure has been killing my Silkies.

I would like to electrify it. I just don't know if the most effective way would be to circle the fencing with electrified netting? or find a way to electrify the chain-link itself? Is the netting even effective at keeping raccoons away? If it is, can I just circle the whole perimeter of my coop/garden to the height of the net, or would I also need to wrap the Silkie run up like a Christmas present?

I'm including a plan of my coop, run, and garden, so you can have an idea of what I'm working with.

 

[azygous]

I caution you against trying to charge a metal fence. You run the very real risk of electrocuting your chickens if they should come into contact with it, not to mention the extremely painful shock you would get should you forget and touch it yourself. Don't even go there.

Running a strand of wire around the outside of the fence, held just out of contact with the fence with insulators and baited with peanut butter or bacon or something equally irresistible i

s the best way to run a hot wire.

 

[Howard E]

Assuming the only way in is for coons to go up and over, rather than using netting, you can electrify just the barbed wire on top.....or run horizontal bands along the top as azygous shows. Assumption is they will be clinging to the chain link pen when they encounter the hot wire.

In that scenario, it would help if you also tie your "ground" wire directly to the chain link fence.

But could they also go up and over on top of the chicken house? If so you have an opening they can still use.The circle of protection must be unbroken......not gaps.

Photos in addition to the nice sketch you drew?

 

[BuckeyeFoodie]

Assuming the only way in is for coons to go up and over, rather than using netting, you can electrify just the barbed wire on top.....or run horizontal bands along the top as azygous shows. Assumption is they will be clinging to the chain link pen when they encounter the hot wire.

In that scenario, it would help if you also tie your "ground" wire directly to the chain link fence.

But could they also go up and over on top of the chicken house? If so you have an opening they can still use.The circle of protection must be unbroken......not gaps.

Photos in addition to the nice sketch you drew?

They could get in over the coop, which is why is was thinking about running a line along the roofline on that side to complete the circuit. This video is the best thing I have showing the run itself, although I'm including a few pictures of the gardens that wrap around it (Most of the second picture has now been enclosed as part of the chicken run). I was thinking of using the electrified netting to set the peremeter at the garden's edge, which would have the dual purpose of keeping critters out of my tomatoes too -

 

[azygous]

The objective is to entice the predator to contact the hot wire somehow. This is where a baited hot wire is very helpful. It elicits an automatic response to food and short circuits (pun intended) the thought process involved in how to get past or over the fence.

I've watched bears waddle up to my hot wire, sample the peanut butter on the wire, make a very graceful 180 pirouette, and race off at a swift gallop, never to return.

It doesn't really matter where you place the hot wire as long as it's between the predator and the chickens and the predator can't lope over, around, or under it without touching it.

 

[BuckeyeFoodie]

It doesn't really matter where you place the hot wire as long as it's between the predator and the chickens and the predator can't lope over, around, or under it without touching it.

But heavy foliage contact can make it lose effectiveness, correct? If I wire the chain-link itself I'm concerned that my garden plants will render it useless for a good portion of the year. I could attach a wire to my existing garden fence when I replace it this winter/spring, which I hadn't thought of before...

 

[azygous]

That's correct. Anything, including wet grass or heavy plant growth, being grounded by virtue of being rooted in the soil, will draw the current into the ground. The current will also fry the leaves so you will probably notice this happening.

You will need to constantly check to be sure the wire hasn't slipped off an insulator, contacting the metal fence, which will make the metal fence "hot". Notice in one of my photos the metal fence and yellow insulators. I've received very nasty shocks when that wire slipped and contacted the fence. It felt like being slammed with a 2 x 4 and hurt for half an hour afterward. I even felt it in my teeth. This fence charger current won't kill you, but boy is it ever unpleasant.

 

[BuckeyeFoodie]

What

It felt like being slammed with a 2 x 4 and hurt for half an hour afterward. I even felt it in my teeth. This fence charger current won't kill you, but boy is it ever unpleasant.

What type of charger are you using? I'm getting swamped trying to choose!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

As was discussed, contact of the energized portion with soil or vegetation will diminish or render the electrification useless.
That is why it is impossible to electrify the chain link fencing because every metal post will shunt the power directly to soil. The only way that could be done is to replace the posts with fiberglass or wood with the fencing mounted to the wood with insulators all around.
Looking at your setup, I think your easiest and best bet is an electric poultry netting fence around the entire complex. Most chargers can power the whole thing. You want to keep predators away from everything.
While it is possible to electrify one or more of the barbed wires across the top, The wires will all have to be remounted on insulators. And I wouldn't want raccoons or other predators that close to the grand prize.
What I haven't seen discussed is aerial predation of the hawk bites (silkies). If you keep all ground predators away and yet they are open to the sky, you will still lose some to hawks and if not closed up at night - to owls.
Both power line AC and solar DC powered chargers work well. If you have reliable electric power, I would probably do that. If not reliable, go with solar. The latter systems require a battery bank.
I've used the mesh fencing and straight wire (non barbed) electric fencing with one, two or three strands. The former was for protection from chicken predators. The latter wasn't for predation, it was to keep hogs, cattle and horses retained.

 

[Howard E]

Felt it in your teeth? I like that!

Now imagine you got the jolt by either licking it (I triple dog dare you) or on your wet nose.....as a predator would do.

That is why they don't come back. On guard 24/7......highly effective and once you get it setup, requires nothing more than maintaining it. With dogs.....no calls to animal control or arguments with the neighbors......not shots fired......no nothing except quiet enjoyment.

And I agree on an open topped run. The most secure run......and best on a year round basis.....has a roof over it. Sheds rain and snow......offers shade......good light in winter.......and if you also include a cement floor, fully encloses the box to offer the greatest level of security you can have. A really well built one is as secure as the coop itself.