Electric Fence Question

[LoneOakGoats]

We are planning to install pipe fence with a solar charger and poly wire top & bottom around our property.
Now for the dumb question.......if a bird lands on the poly, will it shock the bird? Obviously, I know nothing about electric fencing. Thanks!

 

[Bossroo]

Short answer ... nope !

 

[bonbean01]

We don't have poly wire...but with three strands of electric wire on the outside of our home paddock...so far have taken off...one dead owl, two dead cardinals, one blue bird, and three squirrels. Our electric wires are on the outside and only for keeping predators out, so does not do that off and on thing...it is continuous which may change things?

 

[Goat Whisperer]

We have poly wire, poly tape, and the normal wire. Our chargers are also pulsed. We have never had an animal of any kind die of the shock... I believe they would have to be grounded to get shocked. So if a bird lands on the wire and is not grounded, it shouldn't even get shocked. We have had some chickens get shocked trying to get thru the fence, but they were grounded. Occasionally they may let out a squawk but nothing serous, the dogs on the other hand act like something is killing them!

So I think the birds will be okay if they aren't grounded. Hope this helps

 

[Goat Whisperer]

@bonbean01 What charger do you use?

 

[LoneOakGoats]

Thanks! We have purple martins during the spring/summer and I didn't want anything hurting them! Love my martins!

 

[bonbean01]

Sheepgirl...not sure the brand and it's dark and raining right now. Everytime we've had anything dead on the wire, it has been during a rain...not sure if that has anything to do with it. Because the three wires are only 3 inches apart, I'm not sure if they get tangled while shocked or what? The owl and squirrel had to be pryed off the wire...talons and the paws gripping it tightly.

I would get the pulse type if using it keep sheep in, but these are on the outside only for keeping predators out. We had upgraded our fencing when the pulse one fried in an thunderstorm, then moved all wires out and got the steady non pulse charger.

 

[babsbag]

I didn't know that the non pulse chargers were even legal anymore.

We have had a lizard get fried when it went over the bottom wire and at the same time touched the ground and fence. Also a few toads, but goat whisperer is right, they have to be grounded to get shocked or killed, the birds will be fine; just like the ones sitting on the power lines, provided they don't touch two wires at once. That is why power companies have started installing wires farther apart, to make them raptor safe.

 

[bonbean01]

Ahhh...because our 3 wires are that close together and also close to the fencing, bet they touched wire fencing when landing on the hot wire? That would make sense. And our wires zap the strongest when wet, which could be why we've only had this happen after rains?
Hope our fencer isn't illegal...they still sell them here. We are over run with squirrels here, but was sorry to see the dead owl, cardinals and blue bird. When this one needs replacing, will go to a pulse charger.

 

[babsbag]

We use a Zareba 12v charger that is supposed to do 25 miles of fencing. That thing down right hurts when you touch it. It is rated at 1 joule and I have seen some that are listed at 6 joules. Wowwy zowwy, I can't even begin to imagine that punch that charger puts out. It might very well kill a bird if it touches it and the fence. My DH grounded our fence too, so you don't have to touch the ground and the wire, just the fence and the wire will do it. The chickens that do touch both always seem to have a way off so they are ok