# Gates need advice..



## jjaazzy (Dec 9, 2014)

I am looking to purchase gates, since I hope to one day get small sheep (babydolls) and goats, Pygmy or Nigerians (small) I want to use the gates with the 2 x 4 field fencing already welded in.  The max they come is 16'  Is one large gate or two smaller better for use as a driveway gate?  Is it faster to get a car through one over the other?  I should mention that I want to put Auto openers on them in the future.

I have some odd sizes. 18' 1/2", a 20' 1/4" and 17' 1/2" 

With the 20' I guess I could use 2 10' gates that's fairly easy but what about the others?  Should I special order an 18' is that crazy too big?  If not that -  what?  Use a 8' and 10', will that look dumb?  Should I special order two 9''?  Same with the 17'  what should I use?  Special order 8' 1/2"?  go with an odd mix?  ugggh !!! What to do?


----------



## SheepGirl (Dec 9, 2014)

I have Babydoll mixes, they don't get through the regular pipe gates without the wire. Well, lambs do, up to about a month old or so, but after that, they stay in. You need at least 10' for cars/trucks to go through. Remember, you will have to take off probably around 6" from each opening to account for the space on either side of the gate. It won't be flush with the posts. For example, look at this photo of our 10' gate...




 

Is there a way you can make the openings smaller? Or is there a reason why the openings where you want to put the gates is so big?


----------



## Southern by choice (Dec 10, 2014)

why the odd sizes?


----------



## jjaazzy (Dec 10, 2014)

Thanks sheepgirl, I am investigating your type of gate now.  I like the look of it I think better.  Oh heck, I don't know I need to see things in person.  No stores around me sell gates.  I guess I have to take a drive.  How about baby goats,how do you think your gate would work for them?  Goats like to get out right? 
Southern, I have no clue how they came up with these size openings.  I like em cause I can maneuver in and out very easy.  To each side of the driveway is a 5 ft high 2 ft square brick clad pillar.  They are not going any where.  I think it's just the 17 that's a problem now.


----------



## babsbag (Dec 11, 2014)

The goats will get out of those gates, even as adults. They are really Houdini in disguise.


----------



## jjaazzy (Dec 11, 2014)

Well then it's back to wire filled!  Lol....


----------



## babsbag (Dec 11, 2014)

I only use wire filled. It keeps the goats in, the chickens in, the LGDs in, and every other critter out.


----------



## jjaazzy (Dec 11, 2014)

Thanks babsbad.  May i ask is it the 2" x 4" opening that you use or the hog type that is tight at the bottom then gets a little bigger as it goes up Also how high are your fences for the goats ? I was thinking of smaller types pygmys and nigerians but if the opportunity struck i might go bigger.


----------



## OneFineAcre (Dec 12, 2014)

Why don't you just build wooden gates?  They can be built to size.
This is double 5 ft gates for a 10 ft opening.


----------



## jjaazzy (Dec 12, 2014)

I love wood, love the look, don't like the weight, I really like the hog wire that gets framed out in wood.  It looks really contemporary. But what I really don't like is we built a deck well it's been 6-7 years now but we way over built it.  Wanted it to last forever and be strong.  Well at 4 years I was finding rot and replacing parts of the deck.  Everywhere I had a fastener it made a huge hole of rot.  There was a reaction between the wood and the nails and screws.  So altho I like wood a lot........ I am in no rush to do another wood project.   It maybe what we get down here in the south.  I hear they are pushing wood to grow faster and it is not as hard now..... either way I'm disappointed in wood right now.


----------



## mysunwolf (Dec 12, 2014)

Today I saw someone using gates that overlapped to fit their needs. As far as I've seen, the 8' and 10' together that meet in the middle doesn't look that bad. The overlapping doesn't look bad either. Metal gates have a decent resale value too if you change your mind later.


----------



## OneFineAcre (Dec 12, 2014)

jjaazzy said:


> I love wood, love the look, don't like the weight, I really like the hog wire that gets framed out in wood.  It looks really contemporary. But what I really don't like is we built a deck well it's been 6-7 years now but we way over built it.  Wanted it to last forever and be strong.  Well at 4 years I was finding rot and replacing parts of the deck.  Everywhere I had a fastener it made a huge hole of rot.  There was a reaction between the wood and the nails and screws.  So altho I like wood a lot........ I am in no rush to do another wood project.   It maybe what we get down here in the south.  I hear they are pushing wood to grow faster and it is not as hard now..... either way I'm disappointed in wood right now.


Ok woods out. What kind of fence and fence posts do you have ?
I honestly am not familiar with the gates you describe with the 2 x4 fencing welded in do you have pictures?
You have odd sizes but I'm sure that can be overcome with enough. $$
I'm sure there is a welder out there who can build you anything you want


----------



## babsbag (Dec 13, 2014)

I buy my gates at Tractor Supply. They are tubular steel and have 2x4 wire welded to them. They are 4 feet tall and the bottom 3' has wire. I have never had a goat go through the top opening, but my dogs do. The gates I don't want them to go through have extra stock panel or 2x4 no climb wired to them. I use the gates between pastures so the dogs have actually been taught to go through the top part of the gates.






I take that back, I do have 2 goats that have gone through those gates, I forgot about that.


----------



## babsbag (Dec 13, 2014)

I think I would be tempted to close in the opening evenly on both sides with fencing and then put gates in that don't overlap.


----------



## Gerard Dawn (Dec 13, 2014)

Hey babsbag I like your fence structure and design, my neighbor uses that some plan and it works well for him in managing the livestock and keeping out predators.


----------



## greybeard (Dec 14, 2014)

Buy the nearest size tube gate you can find, that is slightly larger than the opening you have. Either cut it down to the correct size and reweld it, or find a local welder to do it for you. I've done several--it is not difficult. Those openings tho, are pretty wide, and can cause problems due to gate sag--that is, having the full 17' hanging off one set of hinges.  You will want a wheel to absorb some of the load.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 15, 2014)

I had a 2 gate set up and hated it. I now have  1 gate and like that much better. With 2 gates, one swings back open while I am closing the other one.


----------



## secuono (Dec 15, 2014)

The goats will find a way out, its what they do!
The Babydolls, other than lambs, will stay put, mine do. 
You might need Hot wire on the inside hooked up so it swings with the gates. Fairly easy to do. It will stop lambs from going through, as for the goats, most will stay, but some goats don't care how hot that fence is, nothing will stop them from their pointless missions to get to the other side!


----------

