Electric Garden Fence Questions

[leeave96 487]

Anyone using an electric fence around their garden to keep deer and other critters out?

What is you fence construction like and what kind of charger are you using?

Any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Bill

Edited January 21, 2013 by leeave96

[Fun Engineer 859]

I'm going to follow this one.

At work we have a 2 acre community garden. After years of using 4 foot farm fence with chicken wire along the bottom 2 foot and an additional 4 foot of plastic deer fence along the top, we installed 6 foot horse fence with a 2 x 4 spacing. So far so good. The 4 foot of plastic deer fence kept getting knocked down from snow and the occasional deer that tried to clear it.

At home I want to use some electric charged fencing so this should be an interesting topic. My garden space is very limited so I can't afford to feed the wildlife.

I've noticed a solar powered unit at Tractor Supply. I wonder how they would work.

[rydogg 186]

My dog kept going in the garden and helping herself to my tomatoes so I put up single strand of wire with a solar powered electric fencer (Gallagher S17) to keep her out...we don't have a problem with rabbits since my .22 and the dogs have taken care of them and I have oats planted in my hay meadow so the deer tend to stay in them. I only had to use the fencer for a day once she realized what happened when she tried to get near the garden she stayed out of it...I have 3 separate pastures for the kids horses so the solar powered fencer works the best so I don't have to power up all of the fencing I can just move the fencer to whatever pasture they are in. If I needed to keep other critters out of the garden I would probably use the electric fence netting since it goes up easily and is typically used for sheep so it should keep most animals out of the garden.

[leeave96 487]

I noticed some fence chargers are marked - not for deer. Wonder why that would matter? I should think if a charger would keep a cow in a fence, it would also keep a deer out?

[6wheeler 641]

Maybe its because Deer can jump over. I would bet some customers called the company and complained so they put a disclaimer on. On that note, when we had cattle in the old pasture. The solar fence would keep the cows in just fine(even a 2200# bull). But, when it came to the calves in the spring? NOT! They would just go through or under the "Hot" wires. So the convicts inside stood there and watched the escapees enjoy the young tree and garden snacks they were having. . The netting rydogg mentioned would work for smaller stuff, but I think the deer are still going to hop over the top.

[SousaKerry 502]

I know this much when you lay on a metal barn roof and try to play one like a guitar string between the pulses it hurts like hell....

and we never did it again. :angry-nono:

Edited January 21, 2013 by Sousakerry2

[Terry M-(Moderator) 2,177]

I'm going to follow this one too. I'm planning on doing a small garden this year . No tomato eating dogs here but there are Rabbits , Gophers, racoons and other small rodents everywhere that have liked to feast on my hard work in years past. Maybe just some chicken wire fence will work. we'll see.

[persof 14]

I used a Zebra B5 to keep woodchucks out and it works pretty well.  I will post pics of that old setup and what I am building for this spring.  My furry helpers did not do much work but at least they kept me company and didn't complain about the cold. 

 

Thanks

Francis

[Don1977 604]

The main reason electric fence chargers don't work for deer is they jump and are not grounded like a cow when they hit the wire. Adding grounded wires in the fence might help if they hit them. I saw a deer clear a 10 ft. high fence approximately 15 ft. away from a standing start. I have been using a little Irish Spring Soap in a plastic bowl  with water and a plastic top with holes punched in it. They think humans are around if they smell soap and stay away. Deers love the eat my peas but haven't been back with the soap out there. I first set the bowls on the ground but the rain splashed up mud into them. I built some stands out of scrap plywood nailed to two stakes to hold the bowls and it worked to keep the mud out.  I used 6 bowls around this garden. I kept the deer out , but the racoons destroyed the corn.

 

 

I sawed a hole in the plywood to hold the bowl.

 

[tech270154 8]

hi my wife and i have a garden aprox . 65 x 75  and we fill  it  completely of veggies .naturelly it comes with problems of nights visitor or midnight shopping.

since  many years we use an electric fence for a part of the garden .

 i use 3/8  30 inch post every 15 feets complete with 3 set of row wires .the first one is at 6 inch from the ground then 12 inch  from the ground ,those two are for the raccoons that i use to have in quantity. then the last one is 30 in from the ground for higher critter .

i f you  want you can use ose at 48 inch  to help   for the deer ,and use t-post  seven feet.

what you have to do is to connect each wires together at  a couple of place to live all your wires together 

 

i use a cattle 120volts transformer,that is the cheapest from the CO-OP STORES it is a bits expensives but it last for ever .

naturelly to get set up ,it is a bit expensive but after you arer done ..

 

follow the instruction of the manufacturer for the transfo.

also warn your kids because it really snap .

we never see raccoons any more ,we use it just at night for the corn stalk

 

we are proud  of the  result otherwise to much damage occur

 

good luck

 

 

[tech270154 8]

Anyone using an electric fence around their garden to keep deer and other critters out?

What is you fence construction like and what kind of charger are you using?

Any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Bill

Posted Today, 12:04 PM

 

                  HI BILL        

 my wife and i have a garden aprox . 65 x 75  and we fill  it  completely of veggies .naturelly it comes with problems of nights visitor or midnight shopping.

since  many years we use an electric fence for a part of the garden .

 i use 3/8  30 inch post every 15 feets complete with 3 set of row wires .the first one is at 6 inch from the ground then 12 inch  from the ground ,those two are for the raccoons that i use to have in quantity. then the last one is 30 in from the ground for higher critter .

i f you  want you can use ose at 48 inch  to help   for the deer ,and use t-post  seven feet.

what you have to do is to connect each wires together at  a couple of place to live all your wires together 

 

i use a cattle 120volts transformer,that is the cheapest from the CO-OP STORES it is a bits expensives but it last for ever .

naturelly to get set up ,it is a bit expensive but after you arer done ..

 

follow the instruction of the manufacturer for the transfo.

also warn your kids because it really snap .

we never see raccoons any more ,we use it just at night for the corn stalk

 

we are proud  of the  result otherwise to much damage occur

 

good luck

 

[baerpath 517]

We use Premier Brand fence for our sheep. Little more money upfront than the cheap stuff but last longer so cheaper in the long run
http://www.premier1supplies.com/c/fencing/    You can go with the smaller spacing to keep woodchucks and hares out  And when your done just roll it up and move it for plowing and planting

[wrightorchid 261]

I have a good friend that did a trip line, one at about 6 inches for the armadillos, and smaller critters, and another at about 18 inches up.  The deer can't see it, so they don't jump over.  Also he puts it on a timer, so it's not hot during the day.

[JoeM 7,874]

I purchased 1/2" rebar, cut the sticks six foot long. I drove the bar in the ground about 2 feet and spaced the bars 10 feet or so around the garden. I left a four foot opening at one corner. Per the advice of a fellow that worked for me, (farmer kid), he said, I needed to buy a fence unit that is capable of knocking back a steer. He said the hide on a deer is about as tough and the extra power is needed to repel the animal. He further said to install a hot line at four inches above the ground, run a ground that is in contact will all the rebar’s at about twelve inches, another hot at twenty four inches and another hot at forty two inches. I attached the end of the run with extension springs so I could turn off the unit and access the garden with little hassle. All worked well and no more problems.

I must say, I could have imported tomatoes from Italy cheaper!

[leeave96 487]

Thanks everyone!

Here's what I went with for this year. The charger is an old 6 volt deal - but knock on wood works pretty good.

I wasn't able to get the garden in until late, so not much there. Some of my seed is old and didn't come up. The goal this year was no canning, so most of what you see are peanuts, navy and pinto beans.

[specialwheelhorse 174]

Seems like there is always something in my garden no matter what

So my wife just got me a native American gardening book

And reading, says the Indian lady's would gather ne'er the garden and talk

And sing so my squaw says put a radio out there. Good idea

But what music should I have hard rock easy listening or what ???

[Fun Engineer 859]

I installed electric fencing at 3", 6",9" and 12". The rabbits(?) Still got in and ate 30% of my snap peas and 10% of my beets. I moved all the wires up with the highest at 48" and added 24" of welded garden fence at the bottom. No more animal problems.

[tech270154 8]

each case  could be a bit different ,you have rabbits,we don`t  but none of them like the electric fence !

[tech270154 8]

Seems like there is always something in my garden no matter what

So my wife just got me a native American gardening book

And reading, says the Indian lady's would gather ne'er the garden and talk

And sing so my squaw says put a radio out there. Good idea

But what music should I have hard rock easy listening or what ???

what about ELVIS        lol