# How have you fenced your goats?  Need ideas.



## ChickenPotPie (Jun 11, 2009)

We are very new to goats.  My son has only had his two dairy goats and doeling for about 2 months.  They've stayed at the 4H farm - one in her own pen with baby and the other in a with the individually owned herd (large pen).  We have not had to worry about fencing.

Now, we may be renting a home in the country (yay!).  There is a 2-3 acre pasture we could use for extra $ but it has horse/cattle fencing - goats would get out.  We were told we could use the orchard to keep the goats.  No charge, we'd just have to have make our own pen there.  I don't think we can afford the expensive "Fort Knox" pens they have at the 4H farm.  Those are built to hold just about any type of large animal from lamb to hog to beef cattle.

What sort of economical  but good goat fencing is out there?  I need something that is easy to set up, sturdy and large enough for 3 - 6 goats/kids, and safe for children (not keen on the electric fence idea).  I'm a city slicker and not feeling sure of where to even start.

Please share what you are doing with your set up, what works, what doesn't, anything you recommend?  Any thoughts are appreciated.

Edited for clarity.


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## mully (Jun 11, 2009)

I use 6 wire steel fencing. I keep all 6 wires hot and make sure that the output voltage is 5,000 or better.  That sure helped when a pack of dogs came around last year, they all yelped and ran off.  My fencer went out once and the goats noticed and got out. If I had to do it over again I would do it the same way as it works great.  Buy at least a 100 mile fencer. I know you are not keen on electric but a fence strong enough to contain goats will cost you


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## ChickenPotPie (Jun 11, 2009)

Oh, I hadn't even thought about dogs.  I should have with all the stories my rural friends tell me about neighbors' dogs killing their animals and all the grief that causes.    I'll have to look into it and consider the same for my rabbitry.  They'd be easy pickin's for all kinds of creatures.

Where does one get this type of fencing.  Yes, I'm that clueless.  :/


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## alba (Jun 11, 2009)

http://www.farmsupplystore.com/departments/electricfencesupplies
if you email them your questions they will help you with a system just for you.


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## mully (Jun 11, 2009)

To get some good knowledge go here: http://fishock.com/
They will have lots of good info for you and since they are the Mfg they can lead you to a retail supplier As far as fencers go I like Zareba and you can find them at www.zarebasystems.com They are also a Mfg and have good info.


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## freemotion (Jun 11, 2009)

I have bragged many times about how goat-proof my fence is.  It is 4' Red Brand horse fencing, cost a small fortune, and has one strand of electric tape on top.....boy, is it fun to watch a fence-climbing dog hit that with all four paws thoroughly grounded on the horse fencing!!!   YIPE-YIPE-YIPE!!!!! 

Today I let the does out into the woods for an hour to munch while I worked in the garden nearby.  When they were hanging out by the gate to come in, I walked over to let them back into the pasture.  I heard a noise behind me and turned just in time to see one of my fat pygmy-cross girls picking herself up off the ground after squeezing UNDER the fence!  Two posts from where I was standing, opening the gate!

GOATS!!!


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## Rence (Jun 11, 2009)

I have a couple different areas.

My biggest area is fenced in with seven strands of electric. The area is partitioned (bucks separated from does), and that partition is five strands of electric. It works really really well. But you have to make sure that it's low enough for them not to inadvertantly eat their way out of it, while making sure you do your weed eating to make sure the foliage around it doesn't ground out your fence. 

One of my areas is cattle panel on one side and field fencing on the other side (the field fencing was already there).  If I had to do it again, I'd go with goat panel instead of cattle panel because babies can run right through the 6"x6" squares, and both my dogs and my goats can stick their heads in through the fence. So I wound up having to reinforce my cattle panel with 2"x4" welded wire, which in the long run, cost as much as just using goat panels. Another potential problem is the wire you use to attach panel to panel. Don't bother using those little wires. If the goats rub on the fence, they'll pop them off. So attach panels to each other with wire going up and down the fence. It's more durable.

If you have wandering dogs, I'd put a strand of electric over the top of the panels and one in the middle. That way unmanageable dogs can't climb up the fence as if it were a ladder.


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## freemotion (Jun 12, 2009)

OK, I have redeemed myself and my fence is again goat-proof, and I am back to loving it.  It turns out that she didn't go under the fence, but a staple had failed on one corner and when she rubbed her body on the fence to scratch an itch, she FELL INTO the pasture!  I saw her do it tonight, it was a one-way only glitch in the fence, and since I just put the gate up so they can be let into the woods, the one-way door back into the pasture was just discovered.  And fixed.  Before she figured out how to make it into a two-way door to freedom!

GOATS!


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## TxMom (Jun 18, 2009)

I have 2" x 4" welded wire fencing on T posts (spaced 8 ft apart). I was surprised at how fast and easy it was for my husband and I to put it up.  I sure hope it works...I'm getting two 4-month-old boer wethers in a week and a half.


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## lilhill (Jun 19, 2009)

For our herd of Nigies, we used 5' tall 2x4 welded wire fencing with electric wire around the outside bottom to keep preditors out.  It's been up now for going on 5 years with not one escape.  If you have horned goats, they can tear it up pretty quickly.  Hot wire is also put on the inside of the buck pens to keep them off of it.  Worked for us.  Boar goats are much bigger than Nigerians, so you might need a stronger fence for them.


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## freemotion (Jun 19, 2009)

TxMom said:
			
		

> I have 2" x 4" welded wire fencing on T posts (spaced 8 ft apart). I was surprised at how fast and easy it was for my husband and I to put it up.  I sure hope it works...I'm getting two 4-month-old boer wethers in a week and a half.


It depends....I had a bit of welded wire that contained my compost pile, and my goats climbed it to reach overhanging branches, and they ripped that fence apart in a couple of days with their pointy little feet.

You might want to run an electric wire down low inside to keep them off it, especially big Boer boys.  Or see what happens, but be ready to get that wire up quickly if they start to pop the welded fence apart.

I had to replace the compost pile fence with woven wire.


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## goatdude95 (Jun 19, 2009)

I use 5 foot high cattle fencing works great with electric strand at the top and barb wire at the bottom


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## TxMom (Jun 19, 2009)

freemotion said:
			
		

> TxMom said:
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Hmmmm....OK.  We actually bought electric fence supplies for our chicken coop but never put it up.  If the goats start tearing up the fence, we'll put up the electric fence on the inside ASAP.  I've never had goats, so I have no idea how much trouble to expect....


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## ohiofarmgirl (Jun 19, 2009)

my very irritating and useless mini-mancha will do whatever it takes include leap over a 4 - 5 ft field fence to get wherever she is going. the electric fence helps and keeps our dairy gals from trying to climb over field fence. we went electric when my best dairy gal as basically hanging by her udder (all 4's up off the ground). 

dang goats....


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## TxMom (Jun 19, 2009)

Yikes....y'all are scaring me...I sure hope I don't regret getting goats!

I also have my chicken coop and run in the same area we'll be keeping the goats...I worry about them tearing up the run too.  I guess I'll cross that bridge when we get to it...


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## norcal (Jun 19, 2009)

Does anyone want to share pics of their fences.  Or maybe have a link to some?  I don't know what welded wire is?  

I'm thinking we may put electric wire along the outer perimeter (the property line).   Will have to mega research it though, since I don't know what I'm doing.


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## norcal (Jun 19, 2009)

I figured out what you mean by welded wire.    
Duh!   

Mine is NOT welded wire, it's like hogwire, smaller on the bottom, bigger up top.  I'm guessing I may need at least one electric strand on the perimeter fence.   ??   I CANNOT afford to re-fence the place - I paid too much for it to begin with.


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## sweetshoplady (Jun 20, 2009)

You might keep your eyes open for sales on Craigslists - often times chain link fence is on there for pretty good prices.  yes, fencing is pricy.  Chainlink has worked pretty well for me as well as those stock panels.  Even if you get them one at a time, 2 at a time, til you get the area you want enclosed/replaced.  

My hog/cattle wire fencing did not hold up to my horses/goats wear and tear on it.  I have a lot of fence repair ahead of me (still) and am needing to do it little by little, as my budget doesn't have that much spare room in there.  

TxMom, just be careful about not letting the goats eat chicken food, its not good for them.


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## millhoff (Jun 20, 2009)

I just got done putting up a 6 wire 12 1/2 ga. high tensile fence. I made the bottom, 3rd, and top wire hot. I made the others ground wires. The spacing on the fence was 6in, 6in, 6in, 8in, 10in, 12in. This has worked well at keeping my two pygmies inside when we let them roam. Normally they are in a 2x4 by 6ft tall welded wire enclosure with my turkeys. On my nights off, I let them out to run around and play with the kids. The fence cost me $89.00 for a 4,000 ft roll (needed 2) the strainers were only $3.50 each. My advice is if you go, this route buy the crimpers for the splicing sleeves. I started by renting a pair and I needed them so much plus I thought about the future doing repairs or adding on that I just bought them ($52.00). The prices were from TSC, but when I talked with my local feed store he gave me the same price so I went with them (like to keep my money local). If you are interested in this go to a TSC and they have a free video and installation book you can get that will help you. It is not that hard and only you do a couple parts it "just clicks. Also make sure you get a fencer big enough to push the fence, I think someone else mentioned this too. If you have any questions, just ask I will help where I can. I did my homework and this was the cheapest route for the size, plus it is a really nice and strong fence.


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## lilhill (Jun 20, 2009)

Wow!  Where did you get your fence from?  I had to pay $69 per roll for 100 foot of 5' tall 2x4" welded wire and that was a couple of years ago.  Ahhhhh, I reread your post.  Sorry.  You weren't talking about the welded wire fence costing $89 for 4,000 ft. roll.  I almost had a heart attack!


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## freemotion (Jun 20, 2009)

Millhoff, sounds like a fortress!


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## nightshade (Jun 20, 2009)

we have chain link and then we also have 4 ft cattle fence both on wooden post that are on 8 ft centers. That way if we have to we can put boards on the bottom to keep them from pushing out, or on the top if we have sagging problems. So far so good.


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