How to Locate Electric Fence Wires

Electric fences provide an inexpensive fencing system for veteran farmers and newbie homesteaders to contain a range of animals, including cows, horses, sheep and goats. Deciding how to locate the electric fence wires in your electric fence can be a difficult process, especially if your electric fence will need to contain a variety of different animal species. A short, stout pig obviously requires fence wires located at different heights than a stately thoroughbred horse. According to Carol Ekarius, author of "Small-scale Livestock Farming," you'll need at least two strands of wire in your electric fences to contain a mix of animal species, including both pigs and horses.

Things You'll Need

  • Electric fence wire
  • Tape measure
  • Plastic clip-on insulators
  • Plastic nail-in insulators
  • Hammer
  • Nails
  • Offset insulators
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Instructions

    • 1

      Locate the bottom wire in a permanent electric fence approximately 6 to 8 inches from the ground. Run the electric wire through a set of plastic insulators to keep it from grounding out on your fence posts. Wrap additional clip-on plastic insulators around your steel posts and hammer nail-in insulators on your wooden posts every 6 to 5 inches along the height of the posts for additional electric fence wires until your fence reaches your desired height. As a general rule of thumb, a 48-inch-tall electric fence with seven or eight strands of electric wire works well for a permanent electric fence.

    • 2

      Install the bottom wire for a temporary electric fence approximately 10 to 12 inches from the ground. Locate the second wire for your temporary electric fence 12 to 18 inches above the bottom wire. Use this type of electric fence for short-term fencing needs, such as rotational grazing pastures. Avoid using temporary electric fences on animals that are unfamiliar with electric fences, since they'll typically charge right through them when they get shocked.

    • 3

      Strengthen an existing nonelectric fence by positioning offset electric fence wires along the inside edge of the fence. Use two wires for your offset electric fence, locating the bottom wire approximately 8 inches above the ground. Position the top wire in your offset electric fence at a height that equals 2/3 of the height of the animal species within your fence. For example, if you have sheep in your pasture that are approximately 36 inches tall at the shoulder, then you'll need the top wire in your offset electric fence to be located approximately 24 inches from the ground. Remember to use off-set insulators that are minimally 6 inches long to hold the off-set electric wires far enough away from the non-electrified fence to keep it from grounding out on the non-electric wires.

    • 4

      Position anti-predator electric fence wires along the outside of an existing nonelectric fence to discourage predators, such as coyotes and wild dogs, from entering your pasture and harassing your livestock. Use two electric fence wires for your anti-predator fence, locating them 6 to 8 inches from the top and bottom of your nonelectric fence.