Electric fencing

Next steps

Maja 27Jun17 - relax for the summer

Maja 26Jun17

• see if the rolls system will be better, if so - re-assemble everything using those
• add two additonal grounding posts so we can use simple connection system with higher voltage (4 grounding posts if necessary)
• test again and this time with the emergency rope system, taking sheep one by one and forcing them to touch the fence if necessary.

Maja 20Aprl17

• buy longer posts
• learn about training the sheep for the fencing
• assemble it and test again

Maja 29March17

• attach wire to the posts properly
• sheep shearing party
• test again
• prepare trees protections (I'm thinking - cylinders of firm netting)

What is going well

Maja 27Jun17 - The reel system works quite well. And with additional grounding we can even have the system where they have to touch only one line.

Also - the fields are finished anyway, so now I get to rest from moving the ropes AND electric fencing for the whole summer.

Maja 26Jun17

I have longer posts, if everything works, we can even put shading on top!

I also got additional grounding posts and even though the soil is not deep enough for them - I think they will be of use.

For some reason I was sure that I have to position the posts along the wire line permanently and move it like that, but after spending so much time today on untangling them and getting utterly frustrated with them getting un-tensed so easily, maybe it will be actually better to construct some rolls. Will try.

I still got some determination left and ideas on how to make it work.

Maja 20Aprl17

I did another test. I attached the wire to posts properly, so I got that covered. We sheared the sheep. I tested it first with only Gaffita. She got shocked twice and escaped jumping out. As I thought - posts are too short.

Maja 29March17

We got all the bits of electric fencing necessary. I managed to make it work and now only work and tests divide us from having sheep in the electric fencing system. I feel great about it! I have something interesting to work on and to figure out. Despite few difficulties I had already, I'm still full of enthusiasm and faith. Each difficulty brings me closer to setting this up perfectly.

I'm very excited to have our sheep regain their herd instinct :)

What is difficult

Maja 27Jun17 - I tried again. The sheep are able to jump through the fencing in this very short time in between electric pulses. What can be done about that?! I don't know, I give up for now.

Additionally - the extra grounding rods went quite deep into the ground and worked but now I am unable to take them out.

Moving the whole thing would take at least one hour and I would have to move it every day or every other day in good places.

Maja 26Jun17

I was waiting for the long posts 2 months!

The second trial was a failure.

First, moving the fencing turned out to be more difficult than I thought - everything just got tangled and I spent 3 hours untangling it and testing my patience. It took so long, that I decided to not care so much about setting up the ropes us an emergency, so when the fencing failed, I got really frustrated that either I will get it work now or I will have problem with the sheep for this day.

And it failed. The thing is, that there are two ways of plugging in the whole thing - one is simple but requiers soil will good conductivity and ours is not that, so I am using the Ground Wire Return system (more in that in the research section), which requiers the sheep to touch two wires at once. They do sometimes and get proper shock, but more of the times they don't - or through their thick wool, so it doesn't work. (I don't want to shear them now because it's summer and it insulates them from heat).

So I left it at the beginning on the simple system, where they only have to touch one wire. The tester shows 6000V, but obviously it is not enough - no reaction from them.

So my grounding is not enough and next to moving the damn thing - this is the biggest difficulty.

Also - today I got really fed up with all the sheep business. I don't want to see them anymore, I don't want to take care of them. So the emotional part is difficult as well. I didn't think I can get this burn out that everyone is talking about with the sheep, with my lovely sheep. But looks like I can and I am getting close. Changing the ropes everyday, checking them every two hours every day and failing miserably with the electric fencing is just too much for my patience.

Maja 20Aprl17

It's more difficult than I thought to watch them being shocked. After all I got some too and it was unpleasant but not THAT painful. Gaffita was jumping and running as if it was really horrible.

The posts are too short - she just jumped out after the second shock.

I'm worried about the reaction they get on the shock - jump and run. Once Gaffita jumped up not back and almost landed on the fencing, I was afraid she would get tangled and that would be a very painful experience for her. I don't want to let that happen.

After jumping she runs. If there will be 8 other sheep inside and they will see one of them panicking like that, they will all start running like crazy and then they will either run trough the fence or get tangled in it. Now I understand the importance of training the sheep before leaving them on the field with the fence. (Although I've just read that sheep never learn...)

Maja 29March17

The poles are too short - 65cm above ground. It says in the internet that that is enough, but I'm sceptical. We will try to work with it, if it doesn't work, I will buy longer ones.

I tried to put the sheep in the fencing today - they just went through it, with their head high up, not touching the fence at all, so that they were only touching it with wool. My conclusions are - cut their wool. I will spend this weekend on it with the volunteers, next we will see.

Next week I am going to Barcelona. In the middle of introducing the fencing, such a shame! I would love to have it ready before going, but that is doubtful.

After putting down the fencing and putting it up again the wires were all tangled and I had to spend another hours of putting them in place again. I have to figure out a good way to attach wires to the poles, so that they don't move when the fencing is down. I will work on it on the following days, I do have an idea.

The battery is heavy. I think I will carry it in a backpack, but I don't think I will be able to run with it while taking the sheep up and down, but we will see.

I am still to figure out the best way to walk with them into the fenced area (the time will come to practice some stockmanship!)

And I have to prepare proper trees protections.

Big vision

Maja 29March17

We have a great electric fencing system - easy to move and set up. Our sheep will be happier cuddling on the fields, our slopes will be happier, being protected form erosion, and our fields will be happier being grazed evenly. And we will be happier because of all of above AND it will be less work for us.

Having the sheep regaining their herd instinct, I will practice stockmanship and handling them will be a nice and easy walk, which everyone will be able to do after short time of training.