# Single Strand Electric fencing for sheep?



## Josephine Parkinson (Jul 2, 2018)

Just wondering about the usage of a single strand electric fence for a flock of sheep. They're left in the pasture all night long with a run-in shelter. Would the fence keep predators at bay?


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 2, 2018)

I'm not all that familiar with electrified fencing, but I do know that ya have to have a hot wire and a ground wire for it to work, because it takes contact with both wires to produce the desired result. Also, if it is used for protection from predators, ya would want to have a low set and a higher set....this keeps predators from digging under or climbing over the field fence being used. A single strand wouldn't do much in deterring many animals from either side of the fence from crossing it. Many that use electric have it inside and outside the fence to keep the livestock off the fence and predators out.....


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## mystang89 (Jul 2, 2018)

When I put up my fencing I made sure to keep 3" of the posts above the fence so that when I ran my electric wire I could just run 1 at the top instead of two. I agree with cntryboy77 about wanting a wire at the bottom though for deterrence. You just need to keep the weeds of it.


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## Bruce (Jul 2, 2018)

Josephine Parkinson said:


> Just wondering about the usage of a single strand electric fence for a flock of sheep. They're left in the pasture all night long with a run-in shelter. Would the fence keep predators at bay?


A single strand and that is all the fence there is??


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## greybeard (Jul 2, 2018)

CntryBoy777 said:


> but I do know that ya have to have a hot wire and a ground wire for it to work, because it takes contact with both wires to produce the desired result.



As for keeping sheep contained:
Why would it take 2 wires?
I've seen plenty of single strand electric fences (and no other fencing wire at all ) in West Texas on sheep ranches. Miles and miles of it.

As far predators,........ no, a single wire, even with a ground wire won't deter most predators that can jump. Added TO an existing non-electrified fence, the answer is...."maybe" ......depending how well the non-electric fence is constructed.


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## mysunwolf (Jul 3, 2018)

Wool sheep don't stay in single strand unless they have just been shorn, and even then they better be trained and the fence better be very hot. Hair sheep can be trained to do better, supposedly, because they are not as well insulated.

IME if your sheep are flighty types, ie Cheviots, Icelandics, Texas Dall, etc you'll have a harder time getting them to stay in wire strand if they are pressured; like if something spooks them, they will run through the wire. 

As for predators, one strand does absolutely nothing for anything. Unless you have a permanent fence structure in addition to the single wire strand, like @greybeard said.


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## mystang89 (Jul 3, 2018)

mysunwolf said:


> IME if your sheep are flighty types, ie Cheviots, Icelandics, Texas Dall, etc you'll have a harder time getting them to stay in wire strand if they are pressured; like if something spooks them, they will run through the wire.



This. We have double strands to keep our pigs in and when our Rams get spooked those double strands are nothing more than spaghetti noodles. I tried using a single to keep our sheep separated in the lean to. Once the sheep got shocked by it, they panicked and went straight through it.


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## greybeard (Jul 3, 2018)

mystang89 said:


> Once the sheep got shocked by it, they panicked and went straight through it.


Generally speaking, if an animal (or human) gets shocked or otherwise struck behind their eyes or head, they will instinctively move forward. As they move thru the wire and the shock point is moved rearwards, they will move forward at a higher rate of speed trying to get away from it. The inverse is true as well. Shocked on their nose, front of their legs, or forehead for instance, they will instinctively move backwards.


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## Bruce (Jul 3, 2018)

mystang89 said:


> Once the sheep got shocked by it, they panicked and went straight through it.


And then won't go back where they belong. My sister had that problem with a German Shepherd and an invisible fence. Dog stayed in fine except when it was full on chasing a squirrel. He would blow through the presumably painful fence line but no way would he walk back through it.


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