# PLEASE help me with fencing!



## Shootingstars (Sep 23, 2010)

I have used the search button several times and researched on the internet a ton but I am so confused when it comes to fencing.  I want to scream!

Our Nigerian goats are in a 10 x 30 pen which is not adequate since I have added two more goats. This area that I am trying to figure out fencing for is for the does and their will be kids.  The one side is completely fenced and so I will need to fence one side and end and this is where the confusion begins.  

Woven wire, welded wire, animal panels, field fencing, it is all too much for me to comprehend.  I know I can't afford the goat and sheep fencing.  I was looking at welded wire and they gentlemen assured me that could be fine, but it sure is flimsy.  However, the holes are 2" by 4" which is the size I need.  The woven wire is nice and in my price range being $150 for 330' that is 48" tall but the holes are 6 x 8 which I am assuming is too big for kids.  Then there is field fencing which is $136 for 48' by 330' with the holes gradually getting bigger as it gets taller.  The biggest holes being 6" by 8" at top and 2" by 8" at bottom.  

The area will be  35' by 300'.  Is that ample for three Nigis does? Why is this so complicated or am I making it that way?


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## cmjust0 (Sep 23, 2010)

If your ground is flat -- like, no dips, humps, hills, etc -- then the welded wire will be ok.  Biggest drawback of welded wire is that it won't contour to the ground like woven wire...if you want to demonstrate what I mean, stand a piece of printer paper up like a fence and try to contour it into a dip.  Watch the top bow in and out..  Welded wire does the same thing, but on a MUCH LARGER AND HEAVIER SCALE..  It can be very annoying.

Of the options you laid out, I'd probably go w/ the $136 field fence..  I'm assuming it's woven wire, correct?...not welded?  The 2"x8" stays ("stays" = holes, in fence talk) at the bottom, graduating to the 6"x8" stays at the top should keep your goats in..

And even if they manage to slip through it somehow, a strand or two of electric offset to the inside'll cure that..  

Personally, I'd just go with all electric.    That's just because I happen to like electric fence a lot, though..


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## glenolam (Sep 23, 2010)

You're making it that way  

No, seriously, there is a ton of info out there about what you can use.

We bought field fencing (not goat fencing, too expensive for us) and it worked for about two days.

Our little kid who was 2 months old found every openining in the bottom of the fence and since he would find his way under, mom would freak out and find her way over.

I spent about two weeks using garden fencing (the rubber green kind) and blocking up every hole I could find.

Then mom just kept jumping over.

So I buckled down and bought me a nice electric charger for $100, high tensile wire for about $40, and all the fixins like grounding rods/wire, insulators and such for about another $100 and put two strands of electric up, one about 4-6" off the ground and the other 4' high.

Solved that problem!

I would highly recommend you do the same, but try out the plain old field fencing first and put the posts closer together to make sure it's sturdy.

Good luck!


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## Shootingstars (Sep 23, 2010)

Thank you, I think the problem is that is a ton of options and opinions on the internet and it makes it hard to pick the right fence the first time on a limited budget.  

I have decided to go with the field fencing, making sure that it is tight and the fence is on the goat side on the posts.

What distance between t-posts do you recommend?


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## CindyS (Sep 23, 2010)

If you want to go with the welded wire, which is what I have, make sure its at least 4' high and get the  12 gauge stuff. 14 and 16 are way too flimsy. I like it because they can not stick their heads through the 2x4 holes and push to try to reach something greener on the other side.


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## Shootingstars (Sep 23, 2010)

CindyS said:
			
		

> If you want to go with the welded wire, which is what I have, make sure its at least 4' high and get the  12 gauge stuff. 14 and 16 are way too flimsy. I like it because they can not stick their heads through the 2x4 holes and push to try to reach something greener on the other side.


Cindy, what kind of goats do you have?  That would be a much cheaper option if it would work and that way I could buy more fence.


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## Shootingstars (Sep 23, 2010)

Shootingstars said:
			
		

> CindyS said:
> 
> 
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> ...


Forget what I said about being cheaper, the 12 gauge welded wire here is $425 per 100' roll.  Good grief!


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## ohiofarmgirl (Sep 23, 2010)

nah you arent making it complicated.. its complicated b/c everyone has a different way that it works for THEM.  and thats why you are getting to many different opinions.

we use woven wire with some electric - its the only thing that works for us. we have one or two (depending on where in the fenceline) hot wires on the inside of the woven wire. 

no it wont hurt your goats and no you'll never regret it. unless you are a doofus and go out there and bump into it with a metal flashlight. dont ask me how i know this
;-)

you'll be just fine, honey. it might take a couple tries to get it right for you.


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## ksalvagno (Sep 23, 2010)

We used Red Brand horse woven wire fencing. It is 4' tall, woven wire and the 2x4 holes. We have Nigerian goats and alpacas and have had no problems.


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## BetterHensandGardens (Sep 23, 2010)

We also have Nigerian Dwarfs, and used 4' high, 2" x 4" woven wire plus added two strands of electric (one on top, one near the bottom) on the outside.  The woven wire on the inside is working well to keep the girls in, the electric on the outside is to keep coyotes (or whatever else) out.

With ND's I'd be afraid to go with anything larger than 2"x4" spacing in the fence if you're planning on having babies.  They are very creative about trying to get out!


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## lilhill (Sep 24, 2010)

We have the 2x4" welded wire, 5' tall, and have never had a problem with escapes in almost 6 years.  With bucks, we put hot wire inside the pens to keep them off of it.  Some of our property has some little "hills" and the fence will stretch just enough to get it close enough to the ground on the T-posts.


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## noobiechickenlady (Sep 24, 2010)

Guess what, goats will walk right over chain link fencing, grrrrr
Add electric, it works 
Mostly, they learn to respect that wire. When Dixie first came onto our place, we didn't have electric. A few days later, we ran some around part of the backyard, just to keep them off the back door. One tentative nose touch and that was it, she kept her distance from that point forward. Even when our cheapo charger died, it took them several days to figure it out and escape.

We will be running electric on extended insulators all the way around our fencing soon.


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## jlbpooh (Sep 26, 2010)

We have about 1/3 acre fenced in for 4 Nigerian Dwarfs. We used cedar posts 10 feet apart and Red Brand 4' tall woven wire field fencing. I also have a strand of electric on the inside about 12 inches off the ground to prevent leaning on the fence. There is another strand of electric 6" off the ground on the outside and a strand about 6" above the top of the woven wire. We have had our goaties since they were babies and no one has ever even made the attempt to escape. Our fence charger runs on a battery with a solar powered trickle charger attached to it.  It is a 2.something joule, 9600 volt 30 mile fence charger with 3 8' ground rods 10' apart. If you bump the fence, it will remind you that it is there. LOL.


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## dianneS (Sep 27, 2010)

One question, do any of your goats have horns?  That would impact the type of fencing you can use.

I have a woven wire field fence that has smaller holes at the bottom 2"x6" and the holes get gradually bigger at the top 6"x6".  The bottom holes are small enough I've never had even the tiniest baby kids escape.  The only problem that could be encountered with that type of fencing is that the upper holes are big enough for a taller goat with horns to get its head stuck.

So far for me this fencing has been fool-proof (well almost, Patsy got her head stuck a few times, but I think she's learned her lesson!  and it was cheap too.  It was around $150 for 330' as well.  We do have the advantage of having it tacked to the inside of 4 rail split rail horse fencing though, but the wire is really what holds the goats in.

My goats are all dwarf breeds so no one can jump this fence either.  Its around 4'.


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## sammileah (Sep 27, 2010)

horns are a pain.   we have 6ft chainlink around our backyard and dog run. took yrs and alot of connections to amass enough fence.   works great, unless you have a rabbit hutch that a pain in my buck jumps on and then ove the fence or your gates sucks.  
my goats have a nice 3/4 an acre lot that they have run of but nooo.   we have feild fence and ele.  my buck has learned how to ground out the ele and jump the fence.  i guess horns make good insolators. 
so he's in my 1/4 acre backyard. and if he's in there then my doe thinks she needs to be and if she can fit her head thru she's out. 
so i'm still trying to figure out the fence.  and straight ele won't work here in the winter.  
i have a saneen and a kinder.


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## Shootingstars (Sep 28, 2010)

HI, thanks for all these answers, my goats don't have horns but some have scurs.  

The bus just pulled up, I will be back!


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## mully (Sep 28, 2010)

Look into high tensile  fencing ...add an electric fencer and you have a goat proof fence. Electric needs to be about 7,000 volts and a 6 wire fence ... from the ground up at 6", 12", 18" 26", 36" and top wire at 48" HT fencing is cheaper than woven wire, goes up easely and fast. Lots of good info on some of the mfg, websites.  Go here for good info www.gallagherusa.com/


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## Drk_wlf (Sep 29, 2010)

We used Cattle Panels I think they are 4x16, I have 3 Alpines a pygmy and 3 sheep. One of the alpines has horns and so does the pygmy and the ram. They are pretty good about figuring out how to get their heads unstuck. I have not had to help one of them yet. I don't know what I will do come kidding season, the holes are pretty big and a kid might be able to wiggle out.


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