# Electric Fence Aroun Barn



## ForestryGuy (Mar 16, 2013)

This spring I am going to be building fence, woven wire with a high tensile electric single top. The question I have is that a portion of the fence dead ends at the front of my shed and then picks up again after going around the shed and around a portion of the chicken run. I have attached a picture to better explain. The big brown square is my shed, the red line is my fence, the green are going to be gates. The brown hollow square is my chicken run. What I need to do is know what my best way to get the electric from the gate at the front of the shed to the corner where the back of the shed and the chicken run meet. I have thought about insulated wire buried in conduit but that seems like it could get pretty pricey. I don't really want to hang the wire on the shed due to putting holes in the metal and the risk of shorting out. The other thing I have thought of is run the insulated electric line from the charger, which will be in the front corner of the shed by the gate, to the fence at the gate and then through the barn and to the chicken run fence where I will start the electric again as I don't trust the chicken run fence to keep any livestock out without electric.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Just run it around the shed using either regular or stand-off insulators attached to the framing.

If it's pulled tight there will be no shorts, and you can get by with very few insulators.

If you're dead set against attaching it to the shed, set a couple of posts close to the shed and pull the wire tight to span the distance.

Also, "High-Tensile" is a special type of hardened steel wire which is meant to be a physical barrier. 

All you need is normal electric fence wire. I prefer 12.5 GA Aluminum because it will never rust, it will carry more current with less resistance, and it's much easier to work with. (And it's cheaper)

If the fence makes a loop in the portions that aren't visible, you don't even need to connect the ends together. 

It's fine for it to dead end as long as it's connected at some point.


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

I like the fence posts set at barn corners and run HT electric wire between the posts. I read long ago about not connecting to buildings and it was easy enough not to, so I don't. I don't know the reason.

Sometimes I hold on to secrets so good that I do not know them.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I read long ago about not connecting to buildings


The only thing I've ever heard about electric fencing and "buildings" is to not connect a fence ground to the same *ground* as the buildings wiring. That could cause a backfeed of line voltage to the fence. 

Attaching a few insulators to a structure has no effect at all.


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## ForestryGuy (Mar 16, 2013)

The only concern I have with running it around the barn on posts is that I have a set of doors that faces the bottom of the picture. Currently I back my bush hog in there for storage out of the weather, but long term I plan on making a small stall in there to use as a run in shelter during crappy weather, so would need to put a gate or some other way of being able to go through it.


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Near and far...we are the same...and so are our barns and situations. You can put up poly electric wires and tie/untie as you need. Very effective and low cost until you see the permanent situation. Which you will change repeatedly, if we are really the same.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

ForestryGuy said:


> The only concern I have with running it around the barn on posts is that I have a set of doors that faces the bottom of the picture. Currently I back my bush hog in there for storage out of the weather, but long term I plan on making a small stall in there to use as a run in shelter during crappy weather, so would need to put a gate or some other way of being able to go through it.


Run the wire up as close to the roof as you can, or at least high enough to clear all doors.
It just means adding a few more insulators and a little more wire.


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