[hughesy]

Until a few months ago none of our pigs had ever escaped through electric fencing. They had all been introduced to it behind stock fencing so that escape was not possible. They were then penned out in fields using just the electric fence with no problems.
We have a litter of nine that we've kept on for meat. They were born in an electric fenced enclosure but with no solid fence behind the wire, and have not been "trained" like the other pigs. They're a clever lot and have realised that if they chuck some turf onto the fence and earth it out they can just walk through it. They've been penned with a couple of older sows who won't cross the line despite the fence being ineffective or even buried in the mud.
My theory is that the initial training with the stock fencing is important if you don't want disrespectful porkers, and from now on that is what will happen.
 

[Tamsaddle]

I've often thought some of my pigs understood physics too, this fascination with building up the earth all around the perimeter so that it earths out and becomes ineffective.    They never cease to amaze me.   Fortunately, most of mine behave like your sows and won't cross the line whether it's on or off, but it's usually the young ones who seem to have these razor sharp brains and are keenest on exploring the other side.    As of yet they haven't gone very far!    Tamsaddle

[HappyHippy]

They are super clever and will watch and learn what to do 
Initial training, then just hope they never spot the weakness  (or boost it to a mains one for ultimate respect if they do  )

[Mrs Snoodles]

Was there a really good strong current going through your fence?  We used only 1/3rd of our energisers capability and it has worked a treat. 
Having said this, we discovered the downside of electric semi permanent fencing yesterday.....the ground is now too soft in some area (mainly between paddocks) and the posts are not staying in.  We had two escapees on Wednesday.

[hughesy]

Mrs S I check it twice a day to make sure it's working properly. Trouble is once they've thrown a few clumps of grass and soil on to the wire it goes to earth the easiest way it can, ie through the soil and not through any animal that touches it. I'm convinced that this litter, having not had the initial training behind stock fencing, have no respect for the electric fence. They never go far usually just root up the grass the other side of the wire, but it's bloody annoying .

[Mrs Snoodles]

 Oh well, what else can you do?  Little whatsits.  The grass is always greener....... . 

I have actually noticed that mine have had a serious root this morning but I have laid dummy wires on the bottom two levels.

Fingers crossed my growers recent escapades are a one off  - the Market Gardener has his crops adjacent to me  .   scary!!

[hughesy]

It is a bit worrying but they can't get out of our boundary so they'll only wreck stuff that's ours. Monty, our boar has to be put into a trailer to move him at all because he just won't step over the line where the fence was even when it's been taken away. The sows can usually be enticed across the line with a bucket and once they've crossed it they'll follow anyone that's in possesion of food!.

[ppd]

I have just electric fenced off an area outwith the pigs field, but they still can't get anywhere too bad if they were to go through the fence (only on to bits that I don't want them churning up!) and I thought that when I took the tape away from the gate area that they might need enticed out with food. But no Matilda was staight out followed by the 3 KKs and they really respect the electic fence.
Mine must not have read the bit in the books that says they will often not cross where a fence has been

[hughesy]

Having got utterly fed up of the little b*****ds getting out I decided to move them to a stock fenced pen that was empty but I didn't really want to use as I'd sown some wheat in there in the autumn as a bit of an experiment. The last couple of nights have been very relaxing knowing that the porkers would still be where I left them when I got up the next morning. Well damn me, this morning they've started chewing the fence posts, found one that was a bit rotten and snapped it off, and are trying to dig out under the barbed wire at the bottom of the fence! So I've repaired the fence and installed an electric wire inside to try to keep them from chewing the posts or digging out. AAAAAAARRRRGGGHHHHHH I'll be so glad to see them all as sausages.,

[HappyHippy]

AAAAAAARRRRGGGHHHHHH I'll be so glad to see them all as sausages.,

Sounds like they've gotten quite used to running riot 
Have they got long to go ?

[hughesy]

Thankfully the first ones will be going in two weeks.

[Berkshire Boy]

They do say that once they have escaped it is harder to keep them in.

[HappyHippy]

Yup, I agree 
Once they've learned how to escape, it becomes a bit of a game to them.

[Hassle]

I've often thought some of my pigs understood physics too, this fascination with building up the earth all around the perimeter so that it earths out and becomes ineffective.   

As the earth builds up i tend to disconnect the 1st 5 cm high one and replace it with a higher one on the top, but i do every so often kick the earth back when i'm bored and it's not 

[hughesy]

It's part of my daily routine to go round and check the electric fences for sods. It's not a problem with adult pigs as the wire can be high enough off the ground so that even if they roll over a huge clod of turf it won't catch the wire. It's young pigs that are the problem due to the wire having to be low down.