I am able to reduce rabbit damage to blueberry shrubs by putting out 1/2 cup of shelled corn every evening. This is a commodity product, that can be bought locally in 50 lb bags, for about 10 or 12 dollars. The rabbits tend to chew on the blueberry stems during the winter months, and they can do a lot of damage. However, they prefer corn kernels to blueberry stems, and a 50 lb bag will last through a typical winter, so that is an inexpensive way to protect the shrubs. I do not think this method will prevent rabbits from grazing on fresh green plants growing in the garden, however.

I will be very curious to hear how this works for you. Keep us posted. Sounds very promising. Northwoodswis

ericwi:

My orchard is enclosed and this year is the first year that I expect (hope) to have enough fruit to protect. I need to protect against potential squirrel and raccoon raids during the summer. The squirrels and raccoon could climb up the chain link fence. I know I mentioned rabbits in my post but I don't rabbits climb the fence.

Northwoodswis4: Will do

Mike

You most likely know, electric fence only works when the critter bridges the "hot" wires to ground. So for any small critters the lower fencing will be plenty.

But if they jump up on it to climb they will reicve no shock..I could see this being a real deal breaker the way squirrels move about. As they usually leap up as they climb.

I've seen these in 48 inch height. How high can a squirrel jump?

But I can use narrower widths because to avoid the net being shorted by wet grass growing up around it, I wa thinkig of runnig chicken wire net on the lower 2 feet and the electric net as the next layer up.

If they climb up the chicken wire fence they then meet up with the electrified section.

Mike

Duplicate deleted

This post was edited by mes111 on Fri, Mar 7, 14 at 19:50

Let us know what works best for you to attach the posts. It sounds like one can just step the built-in posts into the ground, but I don't know how one would attach it to taller posts with chicken wire below. One style of electric had the return wire above ground. Maybe that would be more effective on squirrels. As I said, let us know how it works. It sounds like someone was using their brain when they designed this. Northwoodswis

Just remember when you put in the fence, don't let the netting touch the chicken wire or the chain link fence or you will ground it out and torpedo your efforts.

The fence you linked to has alternating hot and ground wires, so if the squirrels try to climb the fence, they will get zapped when they bridge two wires.

Squirrels are smart and if they is any way to go over the fence and drop in, such as on an overhanging tree branch, they will figure that out. Coons aren't nearly as ingenious and it is pretty easy to have a couple low, alternating hot-ground wires and they will leave you alone.

There are "offset insulators" that can be installed on the chain link to keep the net a couple of inches off the chain link fence. My fence is coated so it may offer a bit more protection against being shorted out. And, yes, I plan on using the netting that has the hot and cold built into the net itself

Someone told me that the openings in a standard size chain link fence are too small for a squirrel. If that is tru I may be able to do away with the chicken wire fence altogether.

So much to learn so little time

Mike