[graham-j]

Hi,has anyone got experience of using electric poultry netting in the snow.I am worried about the snow building up and shorting it out.
What do you think.

Graham.

[funkyfish]

Have dug out the snow around ours (almost calf deep in places), but the battery is dead and the netting has icicles on it! Letting the ladies out supervised, then shutting them in as def not fox proof at the moment! We have a solar panelled energiser which is doing nothing due to being covered in ice and snow all the time. put a new battery on and its dead within 24 hours !

[graham-j]

Hi,thats not good,its not something were used to facing down here in the south east.Hopefully we will only get a couple of inches.I haven't got the option of shutting my geese away.

Graham.

[chrismahon]

I think the geese won't realise the net is inactive Graham-j, just like sheep. Nets will short out in rain, ice and snow anyway. Best just switch it off and shake the snow off so it remains visible. Unfortunately foxes can sense when electric fences are off. I have heard of several instances when a fox has struck with a fence switched off or broken/ flat battery. Worth thinking of a better long -term option like permanent mesh protected with electric lines near the ground and at the top. The mesh is the earth circuit.

[supplies for smallholders]

Regardless of is there is ice / snow against the netting that should not cause your battery to be dead within 24 hours.

The energiser will only put out a set amount of pulses at a set amount of power and is oblivious to if your netting is shorted out or not (unless it is one of the types that adjusts pulse strength as conditions on the line change) - so the battery should last the same in ideal conditions as in conditions where the net is badly shorted.

I would suggest checking that your battery is holding full capacity and that the acid concentration is sufficient for the cold weather, and that there are no shorts to earth at the energiser / battery connections.

Thanks

[ZacB]

Haven't been brave enough to check ours but.......we did have a visit from Mr Foxy 
We were also very lucky because he must have been caught in the net 
Net pulled down lots of footprints then prints off to the other side of the enclosure and out 
As luck would have it I put a newly charged battery on just that evening....I feel really sorry for him being caught up, hope he didn't get too many pulse's  That will teach the little bugger (hopefully)

[graham-j]

Hi,thanks for the replies.I went over yesterday afternoon.Tested the voltage and found it to be down to about 4000v from over 6000as high as the meter goes.
I disconnected any non essential nets and dug round the rest,the voltage went back up.My biggest fear was the battery would be dragged down,I feel better now that you have explained SfS.
You are totally correct Chris when you say I should come up with a better long term solution as you have suggested and something I would like in the future.I am trying to buy the land but currently only rent it.

Graham.