# fence height



## jas (Aug 10, 2010)

Our goat pen is made out of 5' tall fencing. Right now we only have Fainting goats. Their not big jumpers so their fine in it. We were thinking of getting Dwarfs/Pygmy's this year. Is 5' fencing tall enough to keep them in? There's nothing near the fence for them to jump onto to assist them in an escape.


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## glenolam (Aug 10, 2010)

They are escape artists, but 5' should be fine in keeping them from jumping over....under on the other hand....have you made sure there's no places where they can do that?  I used garden fencing (the bendable green kind) and tied it to the bottom of the fencing and used garden stakes to hold it to the earth wherever I had holes.

Of course, good old electric at the bottom and top would defer them too.


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## jas (Aug 10, 2010)

There are a few spots along the bottom of the fence that might need some attention. Nothing bad though. I like the idea of putting an electric fence along the bottom. Thanks. 
That's the easy part. Now I need to find some more goats!


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## treeclimber233 (Aug 18, 2010)

electric fence does not stop one of my does.  it is about 3-4 inches from the ground and maybe that far from the fence.  she just lunges toward the fence and slides under quick as a wink.  in the process she is making the electric wire contact the fence and it grounds out I think.  Must fasten the bottom to the ground.


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## Ariel301 (Aug 19, 2010)

That's tall enough. I use 6 foot for my LaManchas (big girls) and there's no way they could jump more than 4 feet. Your biggest issue will be whether or not they can climb through or under it.


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## lilhill (Aug 19, 2010)

We use the 2x4" 5' tall welded wire and in 5 years, none of my Nigis have escaped.  If you have a big enough area and they are happy where they are, why would they want to leave?


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## patandchickens (Aug 19, 2010)

jas said:
			
		

> I like the idea of putting an electric fence along the bottom.


I notice you live in Connecticut -- I would suggest not *relying* on a low electric wire to keep them in, as you will not be able to use it during snowy times of year. In a perfect world, the base of your fence will be frozen into the ground tightly enough that a lack of electric will be ok, but often that is not the case in real life, especially for the earlier snowfalls of the year. So you may want to regard a low electric wire as merely extra insurance for an otherwise physically-impenetrable fence bottom.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat


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## MrsCountryChick (Aug 19, 2010)

I personally LOVE the 16 ft tough thick welded cattle panels. Stands up well to them 'standing' on the fence :/ & is easy to add electric to since it's stiff design won't bend & buckle like rolled fencing. & they're so versatile, when giving medication or vaccinations I can just use an extra unused panel to curve & section off one animal at a time using lantern hooks or cabeeners to attach & unattach the panel quickly.  

ETA: Have you ever seen the Beekman Boys reality show? They have a barn full of dairy goats & use cattle panels to section off the inside pens of the barn with them & they also use the same lantern hooks as I do on mine too.... that way they use panels as opening gates for milking time.


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## glenolam (Aug 20, 2010)

patandchickens said:
			
		

> I notice you live in Connecticut -- I would suggest not *relying* on a low electric wire to keep them in, as you will not be able to use it during snowy times of year.


IMO, it's actually quite the contrary.  I agree that you shouldn't *rely* on the low wire in the winter, but you can't really rely on any type of fencing for that matter.  Granted, I've only had my electric up for 1 winter season, but last year's summer was VERY wet, then we had quite a bit of snow over the winter and into the spring.  It was very cold and icy too - Never once did I have a problem with the low wire icing up or getting caught in the snow.  I'm not saying that it _can't_ happen, I'm merely stating that I don't think it's as big of an issue as your presuming.  It all depends on how well you manage the area around the wire.

My low wire runs through wetlands and a stream, and I have it connected to trees and T posts.  In some places, such as over the stream, it definitely isn't 4" above the stream - it's more like a foot, but that's because either side of the stream is higher than the actual stream itself.  The goat pen is very rocky and lush with vegetation; the only problem I've had _so far_ is the vegetation growing and interfering with the low wire.  However, the growth never once stopped the electrical current from running through the wire - it just burned the crap out of the leaves.  In the winter I'd just walk along the fence line after a snow fall and make sure it was free and clear.  I never saw any icicles dropping from the wire and it wasnt buried in the snow  most likely because its located more in woodlands so the trees protect the fence a bit.

I did put garden fencing under/around the open bottom parts to deter little kids from sneaking under the wire and getting out, which has helped as well, but the low wire is what is really doing the trick.

FWIW, the goats didn't care to go out into the pen this past winter very much, so even if there was a problem with the wire, they wouldn't have noticed.


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## patandchickens (Aug 20, 2010)

glenolam said:
			
		

> we had quite a bit of snow over the winter and into the spring.  It was very cold and icy too - Never once did I have a problem with the low wire icing up or getting caught in the snow.  I'm not saying that it _can't_ happen, I'm merely stating that I don't think it's as big of an issue as your presuming.


I'm not really presuming, so much as *reporting* what happens when snow covers an electric wire, which tends to ground the fence out. Especially if it is wet snow or has been there a while. 

If you test your fence daily and it is still running at a good voltage even when the bottom hotwire is snow covered, that's great, probably you have a substantial-sized plug-in charger and not excessively long fence for it to charge. This is not the case for everyone, though, which is why I am mentioning it here. (E.t.a. -- wait, I reread your post and you say your low wire is never snowcovered b/c it's in a woodland. So that would explain it   Again, it is very much NOT true for everyone's situation, and I think it's important for people to know what to expect)

IN GENERAL electric fences often become unreliable when part of them is covered by wet or consolidated snow. (Of course you can detach that wire for the duration of the snowy weather -- I do that on parts of my fences -- but while that preserves charge on the higher parts of the fence, obviously it means that you no longer have your low hotwire functional, til the snow melts and you can hook it up again)

Just sayin',

Pat


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## hazelwood (Oct 12, 2010)

I am also curious about fence height. I am getting two nigerian dwarves. I found fence panels that are 42 in. Is that tall enough?

thanks in advance. I am having trouble finding advice for dwarves in particular.


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## lupinfarm (Oct 13, 2010)

Our two pygmy's are fine with a 4ft fence sans electric.


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## Aspen (Oct 13, 2010)

mostly it is 5 but you should go for 6 . as there is no harm in going for 6 but a possible harm if they jump out from 5 .


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