Can someone tell me how to set up an electric fence and what I'll need???

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Can someone tell me how to set up an electric fence??? what I'll need to buy, how expensive it is? whether it works best from a solar panel or from "land line" electricity?

my two dogs keep escaping from their smaller dog fence. the little dog puts his nose through even the newest dog wire, keeps pushing until he gets his head through (a remarkable feat because this wire is STRONG) and then pushes until he gets his body through. then the larger dog follows.

I need to build a larger dog pen, I'm thinking 50 ft square in the edge of our woods so they'll have lots of shade this summer. I want to build our chicken house where the dog fence is now.

Anyway, I need to make sure they wills tay in the NEW fence once it's built. I need them to stay out of my chicken house and rabbit barn (even tho I've built (or in the case of the chicken house plan on building it) them as sturdy as I can and I hope to soon get an Angora goat or two...so I need the dogs to stay put.

So what do I need to get to have the electric fence? Is there an internet site that would explain it? I'd rather some of you tell me in brief terms what I need, about how much you think it will cost, and how complicated it is. Remember, I am a "learning" homesteader!

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), April 04, 2001

Answers

You can get an inexpensive charger at any hardware store or walmart. They have solar, battery and hardline models. Many kits have the wire, wirestands and insulators. DO NOT try using wire and a lightbulb plugged into a wall socket. I knew of a man that did that to keep dogs of his place. he killed a couple of dogs, then killed himself.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), April 04, 2001.

Suzy, It is really very easy to do. We got a solar charger because we are off grid. It cost about 150 bucks but if you have grid power you can get one to operate on regular power for much less.

We had no idea how to do it but the charger came with real basic pictures showing how to wire it. (love them pictures)

After the charger all you need are insulators, wire and posts. You can use regular wood posts, T-posts, or fiber glass posts. We like the cedar posts just cuz they are stronger, the little fiber glass posts just look too weak.

It really is easy. Good luck. Doug

-- Doug in KY (toadshutes@yahoo.com), April 04, 2001.


Get a copy of Premier1 Supplies fencing catalog (www.premier1supplies.com). They have an extensive line of electric fencing products with a great deal of narrative about how to use it, how to install it, etc. Even if you don't buy the product you get good ideas and the catalog is free. We have both a solar charger and a Sears electric charger. I like the electric one better - the solar one is not as "hot" and is very particular about the quality of your splices. I once had two black labs behind a ten food chain link fence and they learned to climb up the chain link and jump out of the pen. Good luck with you dogs.

-- Maggie's Farm (elemon@peacehealth.org), April 04, 2001.

Go to your local ALA farmers co-op or to Tractor supply co store and ask for help.An electric fence will stop a dog in a heart beat

-- Bill (wah@tnweb.com), April 04, 2001.

We kept 4 large dogs for a long time in electric fence. In fact, after they got zapped a couple times they would have stayed in string if it had the little orange stuff tied to it!! I would go to a farm supply store of some sort and just ask for help. That's what we did when we bought our first one (which also has been our last one-used the same one for over 10 years now)

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), April 04, 2001.


I've had my Parmak solar fencer for many years, so I'm sending you their info. It works on 25-30 miles of fencing.

http://www.parmak.com/Install/install.htm

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), April 05, 2001.


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