# Fences



## mystry (Jul 20, 2015)

I aquired a 1 year old wether today. His former owner said the reason she was getting rid of him was that he was getting out and she didn't know where. She said he had been a bottle baby also.  My question is, how do I keep him from wanting to get out?   Tonight he had one time where the got out, we fixed that situation and he was fine, we went away for a couple hours, came back he was still in pen with my other wether (smaller and younger), after we got back we stood outside the fence to admire our handy work with the fencing, he came up and was bleating at us. Couple quick pets and then we were walking away and he started going nuts, getting very vocal and trying to go over the fence.  Reminded me of seperation anxiety in a dog.  Could this be his problem? If so how would I fix it?  Didn't make a lot of sense to me since he had stayed in earlier when we left. (He had kind of been pouting in a corner)  Have him on a rope now just to make sure he doesn't get out and wander off or worse while I am at work tomorrow.  He can only reach one fence if he goes over with the rope on, and has plenty so he wouldn't get hung up.  I still would prefer not to have him on it when we aren't around.  I apologize if it seems like I am rambling.


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## goats&moregoats (Jul 20, 2015)

in my humble opinion:
        1) take the rope off
        2) make sure he has plenty to eat, even if there is browse in his area make sure he has free choice hay as well also plenty of water. 
        3) spend a little time with him everyday. Short visits with short intervals in between. I am sure if it is anxiety once he sees you will be back he will settle in fine with the other weather.
       4) making sure they have a multitude of things to 'investigate" play on, this will help keep them busy. Old spools, tires, rocks piles, or a child's slide.


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## lkmartin1230 (Jul 20, 2015)

Mine, actually got out into my Mom's garden back in May, and we put up pallets fence where they kept getting out. They have never gotten out again. I also wasn't feeding hay at that point in time. All mine wanted to do was eat grass from the yard,(and corn from the garden...whoops.)


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## mystry (Jul 20, 2015)

Mine is chasing me.  The reason for the rope is because I work away from home everyday.  I would prefer that he be there when I get home.  I am unable to get hotwire until the end of the month, so I was looking for suggestions otherwise.  He is about a year old, plenty of browse and water.


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## mystry (Jul 20, 2015)

lkmartin1230 said:


> Mine, actually got out into my Mom's garden back in May, and we put up pallets fence where they kept getting out. They have never gotten out again. I also wasn't feeding hay at that point in time. All mine wanted to do was eat grass from the yard,(and corn from the garden...whoops.)


Where did you put the pallets?  My fence is about the same height as a pallet, so unless I put them on top I don't know how much it will change.


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## lkmartin1230 (Jul 20, 2015)

You put the pallets along the bottom, pretty much cover the fence up. Put the pallet in the spot and then put a t-post in front of it, take wire, or left over hay string and tie it to the original fence t-post


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## mystry (Jul 20, 2015)

Which way do the slats go? Vertical or horizontal?  Not sure if this will work with mine, he's hitting the top part when he jumps.


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## lkmartin1230 (Jul 20, 2015)

They can go either way, but put the taller side up.


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## lkmartin1230 (Jul 20, 2015)

Mine hit them all the time and they have really learned to respect it.


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## lkmartin1230 (Jul 20, 2015)

Usually the pallet has a taller  side and a shorter side, I looked at mime and they are on the taller side, but you have to put them closer together.


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## mystry (Jul 20, 2015)

Well, I guess I know what I am doing after work today...more work!!


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## lkmartin1230 (Jul 20, 2015)

Haha. Well good luck. If you have anymore questions just ask!!


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## goats&moregoats (Jul 20, 2015)

Picture of my pallet fence. This is one we are in the process of working on, enclosing about 1/2 an acre total. They are currently in a smaller pallet fence area now. I do have hot wire up, but it is for the dogs not the goats. None of my goats have ever jumped this including a buck I had that was 1/2 Oberhasli and 1/2 Pygmy. His picture is below. He was much taller than my Dwarf Nigerians. don't have a clue as to why, but they just don't try to jump this.


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## nstone630 (Aug 12, 2015)

I have to add - when I told my father in law I was buying goats he laughed. I asked him what was so funny. He replied "when you can keep water in a fence, you'll keep goats in a fence".

I've heard from local goat farmers that bottle fed are horrible about this, and also ones that have been kept as a "pet" not in a fence are horrible. We had one given to us (he is no longer ours bc of this problem). He was a "pet" where he came from. He wouldn't even stay in our electric fence. But the 2 we have now came from a farm that they were raised as babies in a fence and NOT bottle fed. Knock on wood, they are 6 months old and never once attempted to get out.

Good luck!!!!


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## lkmartin1230 (Aug 12, 2015)

I use stock panels, and once I started breeding, and getting kids, they would slip through the holes, so I went a bought A LOT if chicken wire, and lined the bottom of the pen. My bucks are ruff on that stuff when they are in that pen, so I have to fix spots if the fence every so often.


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