Gates need advice..

[jjaazzy]

I am looking to purchase gates, since I hope to one day get small sheep (babydolls) and goats, Pygmy or Nigerians (small) I want to use the gates with the 2 x 4 field fencing already welded in. The max they come is 16' Is one large gate or two smaller better for use as a driveway gate? Is it faster to get a car through one over the other? I should mention that I want to put Auto openers on them in the future.

I have some odd sizes. 18' 1/2", a 20' 1/4" and 17' 1/2"

With the 20' I guess I could use 2 10' gates that's fairly easy but what about the others? Should I special order an 18' is that crazy too big? If not that - what? Use a 8' and 10', will that look dumb? Should I special order two 9''? Same with the 17' what should I use? Special order 8' 1/2"? go with an odd mix? ugggh !!! What to do?

 

[SheepGirl]

I have Babydoll mixes, they don't get through the regular pipe gates without the wire. Well, lambs do, up to about a month old or so, but after that, they stay in. You need at least 10' for cars/trucks to go through. Remember, you will have to take off probably around 6" from each opening to account for the space on either side of the gate. It won't be flush with the posts. For example, look at this photo of our 10' gate...

Is there a way you can make the openings smaller? Or is there a reason why the openings where you want to put the gates is so big?

 

[Southern by choice]

why the odd sizes?

 

[jjaazzy]

Thanks sheepgirl, I am investigating your type of gate now. I like the look of it I think better. Oh heck, I don't know I need to see things in person. No stores around me sell gates. I guess I have to take a drive. How about baby goats,how do you think your gate would work for them? Goats like to get out right?
Southern, I have no clue how they came up with these size openings. I like em cause I can maneuver in and out very easy. To each side of the driveway is a 5 ft high 2 ft square brick clad pillar. They are not going any where. I think it's just the 17 that's a problem now.

 

[babsbag]

The goats will get out of those gates, even as adults. They are really Houdini in disguise.

 

[jjaazzy]

Well then it's back to wire filled! Lol....

 

[babsbag]

I only use wire filled. It keeps the goats in, the chickens in, the LGDs in, and every other critter out.

 

[jjaazzy]

Thanks babsbad. May i ask is it the 2" x 4" opening that you use or the hog type that is tight at the bottom then gets a little bigger as it goes up Also how high are your fences for the goats ? I was thinking of smaller types pygmys and nigerians but if the opportunity struck i might go bigger.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Why don't you just build wooden gates? They can be built to size.
This is double 5 ft gates for a 10 ft opening.

 

[jjaazzy]

I love wood, love the look, don't like the weight, I really like the hog wire that gets framed out in wood. It looks really contemporary. But what I really don't like is we built a deck well it's been 6-7 years now but we way over built it. Wanted it to last forever and be strong. Well at 4 years I was finding rot and replacing parts of the deck. Everywhere I had a fastener it made a huge hole of rot. There was a reaction between the wood and the nails and screws. So altho I like wood a lot........ I am in no rush to do another wood project. It maybe what we get down here in the south. I hear they are pushing wood to grow faster and it is not as hard now..... either way I'm disappointed in wood right now.