What is poultry netting?

What is poultry netting?

It’s an electrifiable, prefabricated, portable fence that arrives at your door as a complete roll with the line posts already built into the fence’s mesh. The "mesh" is composed of vertical plastic strings "welded" to electrifiable horizontal strings. They are supported by white plastic posts—which are spaced throughout the netting. Each post has a steel spike at the base that’s inserted into the ground for support. A standard roll (164 ft) inclusive of posts weighs only 23 lbs. Electric netting is easy to install and move.

Consider a poultry netting kit if you're new to using an electric fence. Why? Because all the parts and pieces necessary are included.

How does netting work?

The horizontals are energized by a fence energizer. When the birds (and predators on the outside) touch it, they receive a shock from the very brief pulse—and learn to avoid it. The close spacing of the verticals and horizontals (2" x 3" at bird height) creates a physical and visual barrier to adult birds (not chicks)—and their 4-footed predators.

Why Premier "knows" netting so well...

• We’ve used it for over 50 years (Premier's founder first used net fencing in England during the 1960s).
• We use miles of it for poultry, goats and sheep on our 3 farms year-round, in all weather (Call us for helpful tips if you plan to use netting during winter.)
• We hear and respond to customer comments every day.
• We've been the leading US netting source for over 40 years.

Premier's innovations:

• White/black and yellow nets instead of orange to increase night visibility to humans and animals
• Better net conductivity in 2003 to reduce effect of weed contact (Premier's 38 ohms vs others' 380 ohms.)
• PermaNet® option in 2007 with much stronger, stiffer posts
• Stronger line posts in 2010
• Adding more posts per roll in 2011 (we call these Plus nets)
• FiberTuff support posts in 2013
• Drivable posts for hard soils in 2015
• PoultryNet Gates in 2017
• PoultryNet with PrimaPosts in 2022

How reliable is it?

Very reliable for adult birds that don’t fly—if it’s adequately electrified with an energizer (at least 3000 volts). How to Troubleshoot your energizer and/or fence.

Why is it so popular?

• Because it keeps in adult poultry.
• Because it keeps out 4-footed predators like dogs, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, foxes, opossums and bears.
• It’s much easier and faster than other fences to install, adjust, relocate and remove. Takes less than 10 minutes to install a roll. This can be done alone, but handling tall and long rolls is easier with 2 people.
• It’s flexible. Unlike permanent fences, netting is easy to take around corners and curves—and over dips and hills.
• No tools are needed. Plastic or fiberglass posts are enough support for corners and ends. Only hand-tension is needed—which explains why it adapts easily to curves, hills and corners.
• It endures. A roll will last 7 seasons if used with care. Its chief "enemies" are lawn mowers and ice/heavy snowfalls.
• It arrives via FedEx/SpeeDee/UPS at your door as a complete fence. All line posts (not corner posts) are pre-fitted into each roll.

What users dislike about it...

• It must be moved to mow fence line when green grass covers the lowest "live" strand. Alternative is to apply a strip of herbicide to brown off or kill weeds.
• Ice and heavy snow can flatten and thereby damage it.
• High wind can lean it over.
• Animals may become entangled in it—and die. On a % basis, entanglement is very rare, but it can and does occur.
• That you can't (or shouldn't) ever jump or step over netting when it is energized. First turn it off, always!

Most common mistakes...

• Not electrifying it. Animals escape or become entangled (and may die) which also damages the net.
• Using the wrong energizer for the animals and conditions.
• Allowing it to contact metal/wood.
• Making a simple task difficult by rolling it up like a carpet instead of first folding it by the posts. (Even though we provide pictorial instructions, 70% of returned nets have been rolled up like a carpet!)

Is electric netting safe for my kids to be around?

That depends upon their age. Toddlers should not be allowed access to electrified fence because:

• It’s not easy to explain to them why they should avoid it.
• They are less able to move away.

For older children, make sure they are aware that they will receive a shock if they touch it. It helps to hang warning signs on all electrified fences.

For safer electric fences:

• Make them visible to humans and animals. Visibility is increased by contrast (that’s why many Premier nets are black and white in color).
• Educate. Hang warning signs on all electric fences. Tell children to never touch it. Everyone should avoid head and neck contact.
• Allow space for people and animals to walk easily along or around it.
• Avoid fence energizers higher than 5 joules in output unless they include delayed pulse technology.

Note: Do not use an energizer that is labeled high impedance, continuous current, weed burner or weed chopper. We recommend only low or wide impedance energizers.

Continuous current (high impedance) energizers have a pulse type that is long (in time) but low in energy. Low impedance have pulses that are very short (in time) but higher in energy. The long duration continuous current pulses create a spark that is also long in duration—long enough for it to set fire to grass/weeds/leaves/needles that might touch the fence. In our opinion they should never be used on any fence for this reason. They must not be used on electroplastic fences (can melt the plastic). Low impedance pulses are so short (3/10,000 of a second maximum) in time that heat build up is less likely.

To Reduce Risk and Liability...

Are electric fences a serious safety risk to humans?

Because touching an electric fence is painful and the voltages are high, most assume that the risks from an energized fence must also be high. That’s a myth. Consider that millions of people throughout the world are "exposed" to millions of electric fences every day—yet they are involved in (but are not always the cause of) less than one human death or serious injury per year worldwide. Compare that to the number of annual injuries and deaths that occur from human exposure to tractors, skid loaders, ladders, PTO shafts, balers, mowers, combines, bulls, stallions, rifles, shotguns, knives, etc. This is not to suggest that there is no risk at all. There is, indeed, a small level of risk. And with risk, there is also liability to the fence’s owner.

What NOT to do!

• Never place your head or upper spine near an electrified wire. Accidental head or neck contact can occur when pushing a voltage probe into the soil. Be careful when doing so to avoid head-to-wire contact!
• Never attempt to step over or climb through an energized fence of any kind.
• Never encourage anyone to touch an electric fence.