# How do you keep them in??????



## purplequeenvt (Apr 14, 2012)

We just got 2 Alpine cross doelings on Friday. They are 2 months old and 20 pounds of trouble. They won't stay in anything. It's like they can walk through walls or something. The escaping wouldn't be a problem if they stayed around, but they don't. We've had two different neighbors return them today. You should see the pen that I have rigged up and it still didn't hold them. They are now spending the night in our stock trailer.

The goat that I already have (3 year old Saanan mix wether) was never this much trouble. He stayed where you put him and his feet never left the ground.

What are some tricks to teaching them to stay in?


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## drdoolittle (Apr 14, 2012)

Well, it depends on how they are escaping.  Make sure there is nothing they can climb on to jump over the fence and that they are not squeezing under the fence at a weak spot you might not have noticed.  I once had a wether that would get a running-start and run right up the trunk of a tree near the fence and then repel off the trunk right over the fence!

The fence we have for our pen now is made from landscape posts with 2" x 4" farm fence attached with large poultry nails.


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## ksalvagno (Apr 15, 2012)

I would watch to see how they are escaping. Then fix those things.


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## boothcreek (Apr 15, 2012)

I have found that my 3 week old Saanen wethers are like rats, if their head firts thru a hole the whole goat will fit.... they found a spot of the fence that is spaced boards instead of wire and when they see me coming with the bottles they found one space inbetween 2 boards that must be an inch or so wider then the rest cause they squeeze out of there in a split second.

But these guys are very attached to us so they come looking for us around the house and dont go anywhere.


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## manybirds (Apr 15, 2012)

sorry i couldn't help but laugh a little. i know the fealing though from my first goat. First I used cattle pannels held togeather by wire. now there iin a 2 acre pasture with 4 strands of electric fenc to contain them .both work well


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## purplequeenvt (Apr 15, 2012)

OK, here is the update. I set up a pen for them with 9, yes 9, strands of charged electric fence.







So far (  ) it is working. They do _NOT_ like being shocked. They seemed pretty content in there this evening.


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## sawfish99 (Apr 16, 2012)

Electric is only a mental barrier, not a physical one.  We have had kids learn that they can jump though the strands and only get a small shock.  

We still use electric for main pen fencing, but for the overnight kid isolation area, it is fully fenced with 4x4" field fencing.


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## ksalvagno (Apr 16, 2012)

I hope that worked for you.


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## Hillsvale (Apr 16, 2012)

OMG it looks like a federal dangerous offender lock up... they will escape, guaranteed they are investigating how!


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## purplequeenvt (Apr 16, 2012)

sawfish99 said:
			
		

> Electric is only a mental barrier, not a physical one.  We have had kids learn that they can jump though the strands and only get a small shock.
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> We still use electric for main pen fencing, but for the overnight kid isolation area, it is fully fenced with 4x4" field fencing.


These girls needed a mental barrier more then anything. I placed the lowest 5 wires close enough together that they can't get their heads through without getting bit. So far so good. I think the main issue was just that they were scared.




			
				Hillsvale said:
			
		

> OMG it looks like a federal dangerous offender lock up... they will escape, guaranteed they are investigating how!


Aren't all goats evil??? They are considerably calmer and stayed in even when the fence was off for a bit........of course it could all be an act and they are just waiting for the perfect moment.  They actually are really sweet goats.


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## Hillsvale (Apr 16, 2012)

purplequeenvt said:
			
		

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well I am waiting on my first boers to be born on my farm... so I may be laughing at myself soon enough but my girls are extra sweet except for the screecher we call Tina Turner! but we have had lots of lambs which make sure they stay extra close to their mommies


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## SDBoerGoats (Apr 16, 2012)

After I got my first goats, I was reading up on their behavior, etc, and remember reading something about how you had to learn to think like a goat, and that you never control them, you just learn to live with them. And boy oh boy did I find that to be true. They are like no animal I have ever owned. My horses have never caused the destruction or havoc my goats have! I went into my tack trailer one day to find out the herd Queen had decided to lead a guided tour. Literally every bridle, rope, set of reins, you name it, was pulled off the bridle racks. Sacks were ransacked in search of horse grain. Things knocked off my medicine chest. At first I couldn't believe they had been in there, but they left behind the little black berries as evidence. And if they ever found a weak spot in the fence, they were in my yard when I got home, stripping my pine trees. 

One morning I was on the computer, noticed movement through the window and saw a beautiful herd of Boer does walking OUT the drive and heading down the road! I ran like heck out the door and they heard me, and turned around, rushing to me with this totally shocked look on their faces, like MOM we have NO IDEA how we got here! It was so comical I busted out laughing. And set out to find their escape route, which didn't take long, because as soon as I shut the gate after putting them in, Sammy immediately went to a hole they had pushed through in the fence, and walked out again.


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## terrilhb (Apr 16, 2012)

SDBoerGoats said:
			
		

> After I got my first goats, I was reading up on their behavior, etc, and remember reading something about how you had to learn to think like a goat, and that you never control them, you just learn to live with them. And boy oh boy did I find that to be true. They are like no animal I have ever owned. My horses have never caused the destruction or havoc my goats have! I went into my tack trailer one day to find out the herd Queen had decided to lead a guided tour. Literally every bridle, rope, set of reins, you name it, was pulled off the bridle racks. Sacks were ransacked in search of horse grain. Things knocked off my medicine chest. At first I couldn't believe they had been in there, but they left behind the little black berries as evidence. And if they ever found a weak spot in the fence, they were in my yard when I got home, stripping my pine trees.
> 
> One morning I was on the computer, noticed movement through the window and saw a beautiful herd of Boer does walking OUT the drive and heading down the road! I ran like heck out the door and they heard me, and turned around, rushing to me with this totally shocked look on their faces, like MOM we have NO IDEA how we got here! It was so comical I busted out laughing. And set out to find their escape route, which didn't take long, because as soon as I shut the gate after putting them in, Sammy immediately went to a hole they had pushed through in the fence, and walked out again.


Soory       You described mine literally. My husband says it is me that they listen to him.


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## purplequeenvt (Apr 16, 2012)

Hillsvale said:
			
		

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I always "knew" that goats were trouble, but I am used to sheep and my 1st goat spoiled me. He was super laid-back, never jumped anything, and stayed where he was put.


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## SDBoerGoats (Apr 16, 2012)

purplequeenvt said:
			
		

> Hillsvale said:
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In defense of my Boers, I have to say the leader is the Nubian/Boer cross, Spicey. She is stubborn and hard headed, and I love her dearly! But it is she who leads the way to the path of destruction. The Boers just follow along......


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## SDBoerGoats (Apr 16, 2012)

terrilhb said:
			
		

> SDBoerGoats said:
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Mine listen to me too....when I shake a bucket of grain!  The thing that gets me is, when I find them in trouble, they turn all drama Queens, all up in arms, and no one knows HOW ON EARTH they got into that mess! Makes me fall apart laughing every time, I just can't stay mad at them.


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## purplequeenvt (Apr 16, 2012)

Just great, I won't even be able to get mad at them.  

I have to say it was kind of funny when the neighbors brought the girls home. There they were, 2 guys holding on to strings with 2 little goats at the other end and the goats were standing there looking at me saying "Hi mom! We made some new friends."  *shakes head* 

SD - at least Sammy let you know where the problem was. Our sheep wait until our backs are turned before getting out again.


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## Stacykins (Apr 17, 2012)

Oh my gosh, I was asking myself this question this morning! Because I walked into the barn where my doe and wether are stalled, and was greeted by the wether as soon as I opened the door! The doe had climbed onto of all the stacked hay bales and was porking out while laying down on her mountain of deliciousness. I am going to see if I can catch them in the act, since the stalls were still latched, so they must have vaulted over.


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## goatsintheopen (Apr 17, 2012)

SDBoerGoats said:
			
		

> After I got my first goats, I was reading up on their behavior, etc, and remember reading something about how you had to learn to think like a goat, and that you never control them, you just learn to live with them. And boy oh boy did I find that to be true. They are like no animal I have ever owned. My horses have never caused the destruction or havoc my goats have! I went into my tack trailer one day to find out the herd Queen had decided to lead a guided tour. Literally every bridle, rope, set of reins, you name it, was pulled off the bridle racks. Sacks were ransacked in search of horse grain. Things knocked off my medicine chest. At first I couldn't believe they had been in there, but they left behind the little black berries as evidence. And if they ever found a weak spot in the fence, they were in my yard when I got home, stripping my pine trees.
> 
> One morning I was on the computer, noticed movement through the window and saw a beautiful herd of Boer does walking OUT the drive and heading down the road! I ran like heck out the door and they heard me, and turned around, rushing to me with this totally shocked look on their faces, like MOM we have NO IDEA how we got here! It was so comical I busted out laughing. And set out to find their escape route, which didn't take long, because as soon as I shut the gate after putting them in, Sammy immediately went to a hole they had pushed through in the fence, and walked out again.


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## KFaye (Apr 17, 2012)

Oh dear. Picking up my pygoras this weekend. I am scared "(*&^ less"   Wish me luck.


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## purplequeenvt (Apr 18, 2012)

KFaye said:
			
		

> Oh dear. Picking up my pygoras this weekend. I am scared "(*&^ less"   Wish me luck.


As long as you have fences that they can't climb/jump/go under/go through, you'll be fine......


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## hcppam (Apr 18, 2012)

KFaye said:
			
		

> Oh dear. Picking up my pygoras this weekend. I am scared "(*&^ less"   Wish me luck.


I'm scared too, was putting in T posts today for my soon to be here ND girls, and was thinking 10 feet between posts should be good????  Now maybe 8 feet.


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## BarredRockMomma (Apr 19, 2012)

I have my posts at 5' spacing and it seems to be working. I have yet to find someone in a yard that is not their's. I have ND too.


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## marliah (Apr 19, 2012)

We have nigerian dwarf goats with tposts every 10 feet and nobody has gotten out yet. Bells on collars are nice for escape artists at least you can hear them


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## redtailgal (Apr 19, 2012)

We put our guys and gals behind an four strand electric fence when they were young.  It pops a pretty solid punch, so the fence has been pretty effective.  lol, We have to run the weed eater because they leave a 12-24 inch perimeter of un-eaten grass around the fence.

Our problem as been the gates and Socrates.  He watches us, and studies the gates, then does his best to open them, so that they can go to the garden to eat.  Its pretty hysterical when they do get out.........."YAY!  We are are!  What are we gonna do?"..............."Oh crud.  We are out!  What are we gonna do?"............."YIKES HELP US PLEASE WE ARE OUT WE ARE GONNA DIE MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!"  They are usually back at the gate with Socrates frantically trying to re-open it before I get down there (except when there is clover in the garden, clover is apparently worth death).


Anyway, We seriously souped up the latches on the gates to where most people couldn't get them open without written instructions.  You must lift up with one hand and pull the pin, but the pin only comes out if you angle it a certain way.  Then one the pin is out,  you unhook the latch by pushing in on the gate, but not too far.  I can do it with my eyes closed, but Socrates has spent HOURS working on that gate, lol.


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