# Any ideas for keeping my goats off of the barn siding?



## dianneS (Oct 26, 2010)

My goats chew and rub their horns on the outside walls of my antique bank barn.  Its really starting to tick me off!    We're trying to preserve this barn and we even built a new garage out of T111 siding and stained it to match the barn, because we have no intention of ever siding our barn in metal.

However, I have to do something to protect the one back wall and a small section of one side.  The goats just won't leave it alone!  They will even pull off whole ten foot sections of batton strips for some reason!

I was going to wrap the sections that they have access to with poultry netting in the meantime.  I may still try that, but completing the job by myself wasn't really working.  Actually, I wasn't alone.   I had ten goats walking on and under the chicken wire I was trying to stretch, eating my hair and my clothes.  Why is it when I have any work to do in the goat pasture or pen, I end up with many more "helpers" than I would ever possibly need?  No amount of "shooing" them away does one bit of good.  

Anyway, I was just wondering if someone might have some suggestions.  I was even thinking of just tacking up some sheet metal for the time being, or even plywood until the day comes when we get around to restoring this old barn.  

Once the barn is restored, I'll still have to come up with a way of keeping the goats from destroying it in the long-run!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 26, 2010)

I think the sheet metal or plywood would be your best bet. Unless you can come up with something that they will like to rub on better. What about putting up dog kennel fence panels over that area. Or can you get one of those brushes that the street sweepers use and put that up for them to rub on.


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## freemotion (Oct 26, 2010)

They will shred chicken wire with their horns and pointy little evil feet!   I'd worry that putting something like plywood or metal directly on the barn will encourage rot underneath.  How about a small section of sturdy fencing set a foot or so away to keep them away from it?  Actually, the brushes may work, but if they already have a habit of rubbing and scratching and hanging out there, you'll probably have to take more expensive and annoying action.


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## Roll farms (Oct 26, 2010)

Cattle panels and hot pepper spray....?

Our first "Fort Chicken" was built to withstand attacks by predators on both land and air....and did just that.....but went to hades in a handbasket w/ the addition of goats to our farm.  They 'rubbed' it to pieces....literally.

SO....the new one has netting for the birds, then a cattle panel put over it to keep the goats from destroying the netting...again.

2 yrs into it and so far, so good....no goatie damage.


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## elevan (Oct 26, 2010)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> Our first "Fort Chicken" was built to withstand attacks by predators on both land and air....and did just that.....but went to hades in a handbasket w/ the addition of goats to our farm.  They 'rubbed' it to pieces....literally.
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> SO....the new one has netting for the birds, then a cattle panel put over it to keep the goats from destroying the netting...again.


I may have to try that for my coop/ run.  Our "big guloot" the boer x, tries to tear down the coop/ run whenever I'm inside taking care of the chickens.  Crazy goat thinks he has to be with you everywhere you go!

I've put wooden privacy panels up but he's destroyed them.  Thanks for the idea Roll Farms!


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## dianneS (Oct 27, 2010)

I could try cattle panels, that might work.  I tried hot pepper spray.  Didn't phase them.  I even tried that "Bitterlicks" spray for horses that is supposed to cure cribbing.  It may stop a wood chewing horse, but not a cribber.  It had no effect on wood chewing goats either.


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## aggieterpkatie (Oct 27, 2010)

Run a hot wire or two a little ways out from the barn so they can't touch it.


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## dianneS (Oct 27, 2010)

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> Run a hot wire or two a little ways out from the barn so they can't touch it.


I would love to and might do that.  I would get so much pleasure from watching them get zapped!  Little buggers.


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## cmjust0 (Oct 27, 2010)

dianneS said:
			
		

> aggieterpkatie said:
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RC Cola.  Moon pie.  5+kV fence.  Goats.

That's a Saturday night just waiting to happen.


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## freemotion (Oct 27, 2010)




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## Ariel301 (Oct 27, 2010)

cmjust0 said:
			
		

> dianneS said:
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Sounds good to me!


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