# wondering about how to set up fence...



## ohiogoatgirl (Sep 18, 2012)

electric wire netting that i can move?
OR electric strand wire? how many strands? what type of posts? 
OR regular welded wire fence? how high?

i was thinking having a few smaller pastures set up that i could rotationally graze. and a permanent ram pasture or slightly smaller 2 part pasture so i could switch him back and forth make sure he doesnt overgraze and then not have anything to eat and a mud-pasture.

i do not have any sheep i am just throwing around things in my head and on paper so i can hopefully start saving up.
when i get sheep though i am going to be getting shetlands or soay. smaller breed that shed their wool (no shearing charges yay).

i live in hilly farm area. i have goats and after having bulldozer and reindeer flying goats i WILL NOT put up with escapee animals! so i would love everyones opinions on fencing types, heights, posts, everything!!! 

any sheep tips or info will be much appreciated  thanks


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## ohiogoatgirl (Sep 18, 2012)

looking at this electric-net fence http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=401&cat_id=53

and thinkin about winter... since we get almost no snow some years and feet deep some years that probably having a decent size pasture fenced with regular square fencing and tposts then using the movable electricnet fence the rest of the year.


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## ksalvagno (Sep 18, 2012)

I would definitely feel better about having the perimeter in normal fencing. My personal preference is the woven wire no climb horse fence. The welded wire definitely rusts faster. My woven wire is 7 years old and no sign of rust.

As far as the electric fencing from Premier, that is very good fencing. I would consider putting up enough permanent fence that it is easy to move around the electric fencing to make smaller pastures.


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## ohiogoatgirl (Sep 18, 2012)

my bad, i meant woven wire, not welded wire. was just over at a rabbit forum  hahaha

yes i've read some very good things from people about that type electric net fence so thats why i looked that one up. seems to have better price then the first one i looked at as well i believe.

that is a good idea about doing a perimiter. though i was hoping to not spend tons on fence :/ but i sure will spend as much as is needed if it means i wont be chasing sheep around. though you wouldbt believe the compliments i get for how good i am catching goats....


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## ohiogoatgirl (Sep 18, 2012)

reading now about rams being housed/pastured alone being mean... so now i'm thinking have a ram/wether pasture(s) and then an ewe/lambs pasture(s). so i will have perfectly good reason for keeping those adorable wether lambs  other then more wool for selling/spinning.


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## EllieMay (Sep 19, 2012)

We are currently installing woven wire field fencing (high-tensile, fixed-knot) and have three pasture areas completed.
I make sure the fence guys install the fence close to the ground so my LGD's don't look for opportunities to escape.

I also have the electric netting from Premier that I keep my ram enclosed in (two rolls of netting to make a larger pasture area).
He is in an area next to the ewes pasture.  He has two LGD's keeping him company.

I love the electric netting for its ease in moving around; I just don't enjoy pulling it up all the time to mow the grass underneath it.
But it's really not that big of a hassle.


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## bocephus (Sep 19, 2012)

Just looking at the TSC website, what's the difference between these fences? They have high tensile field fence at .39 per foot, general purpose .45, goat fence .88. I assume the goat fencing is preferred because of the smaller spacing? Why is the cheap one labeled high tensile, what does that do for you?


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## ohiogoatgirl (Sep 19, 2012)

:/ i hate fence prices.....

one roll 330ft goat fence $289.99

t posts $4.29 each need 66 post per roll of fence (one post every 5 ft) makes it $283.14 just for posts for one roll of fence.

fence clips are $4.99 for a pack of 50, though last time i bought fence and posts they gave me a couple bags. so i might only end up buying ones to be extra. though after having stupid goats and $#^%&)(&%*^ fencing i might just do 4 clips per post just to be on the safe side...

and a 4ft gate is $55.99

SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME IT AINT SO!!! D:


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## gruberguy (Sep 20, 2012)

Every time I buy T-Post the clips come free, usually 5 per post. And, I've never put T-post every 5', usually I space 15' or so....  Of course I put the t-posts closer where I have small dips or hills....


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## ohiogoatgirl (Sep 20, 2012)

really? only every 15ft?
after having goats i'm kinda scared to use less then every 5ft a post. with goats even 5ft can be an issue  

i live in a very hilly area. even the "flat" fields are wavy and dippy... :/


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## gruberguy (Sep 20, 2012)

Back when I had goats, they would jump and bulldoze any fence it seems.... My hair sheep now don't seem to even WANT to get out.... Even when my kids left the gate wide open for 1 1/2 days they never even got out!! My land is relatively flat except a few little "gopher hill sized" dips here and there. I don't over graze my pasture a bit. Currently have only 15 sheep, with enough pasture for triple that probably. We are constantly mowing even in this drought.

 I agree with what my grandpa once said..... An animal born on your ranch is happy there. He raised/still raises cattle all his life, and has only bought cattle from a salebarn 3-4 times. Most of his fence is 40 years old, patchwork here and there. A lot of places he has 3 sometimes 2 strands of barb wire, but has never had a cow get out. He runs 40 head now, but has enough pasture to easily run 70 or so.

  I see my neighbors animals constantly getting out, but their pasture looks like carpet! Then they wonder why they are constantly having to put them in!!!


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## ohiogoatgirl (Sep 20, 2012)

wise words.

i have three goats (2 saanen does and 1 nigerian/pygmy buck) in a ~5acre pasture. open feild and wooded. creek runs through it.
they get out frequently enough... the fence is 5ft tall in a few areas but its 7-8ft tall most everywhere. the grass is varied and more then plenty of it. biggest catch is that about 30% of the fence is from when my grandpa had cows on the farm (so ~20 yrs old) and about 60% has been used and patched up, moved and patched again and used, and moved and used again. you can only do so much patching before you no longer have fence but wire/stick/twine/board something along some posts :/ the other about 10% was new like 4yrs ago and has been chopped up to use as patches...
needless to say i'm also saving up money for REAL ACTUAL FENCE for the goats. and i wont be putting it up the same way that fence was put up and not the same pasture even.... i could  about that for hours though hahahha


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## Southdown (Sep 22, 2012)

I would like to save up for the no climb horse fence with the wooden posts along my perimeter.  Is there anything on the internet or a good book that teaches (simply) how to install fence?


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## EllieMay (Sep 22, 2012)

There are lots of videos on YouTube showing how to install fencing.
That's how we learned.
We did a one-acre pasture (took down old barbed wire and installed field fencing).
We dug the holes by hand since we did not have an auger or pole driver.
We pulled the fencing with come-alongs.
It was a LOT of work.
We did an awesome job; especially for folks who have never done such a thing before.
Good luck!


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## marlowmanor (Sep 22, 2012)

Our very own BYH memeber Straw Hat Kikos posted a tutorial on putting up a fence. Here is the link to his thread. http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=21439


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## Cornish Heritage (Sep 27, 2012)

Putting up Hi-Tensile is actually pretty easy & you only need to support it (apart from the corner & gate posts) where the land goes up or down. SO when you have your corners in, run your bottom wire & then put the T-Posts in where you need to. Internally we use 5 strands with the first one being at 8 inches. 

For external/perimeter fence we run one strand at 8 inches & then use the Hi-Tensile woven above that. That allows you to switch off that bottom wire if needed keeping the woven live at all times. 

As for goats - I'm not sure what will keep them  They are banned from here!

Liz


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