Goat Fencearrrrgh!

[greybeard]

The old saying is that if you have a fence that will hold water, it will hold goats.

 

[AshleyFishy]

The old saying is that if you have a fence that will hold water, it will hold goats.

2x

 

[Southern by choice]

Funny, we hear that often and we have never had that problem. Not with the kikos, Lamancha, or dwarfs. The Lamancha does get her head stuck... she has horns. The kikos can get into dutch with horns ( the smaller horned ones) too. Our Dwarfs... nope.

We do put hotwire in the middle of the fencing during rut so they don't wear on the fencing.

The Kikos and the sheep could literally "fly" over the fences but they don't.

 

[greybeard]

Funny, we hear that often and we have never had that problem. Not with the kikos, Lamancha, or dwarfs. The Lamancha does get her head stuck... she has horns. The kikos can get into dutch with horns ( the smaller horned ones) too. Our Dwarfs... nope.

We do put hotwire in the middle of the fencing during rut so they don't wear on the fencing.

The Kikos and the sheep could literally "fly" over the fences but they don't.

Well fed and well cared for animals are much less likely to test even a subpar fence than the same animals in a well fenced but very poor quality/quantity of forage pasture. Sounds like your animals are well fed + you have a good fence. I see the same goats and a few cows in the roadway during the worst days of summer and mid winter, but rarely see the same animals out in spring, early summer, or fall when the grass is green in their pastures.
During 2011, our worst drought in 100 years, there were animals out everywhere--pastures were all burnt to a crisp and the grass along the roadways was better than what they had in their pastures.
Read the comments about forage quality and abundance here:
http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=26570

 

[Southern by choice]

Hadn't even thought of that. Great Point!
Sure makes sense... if an animal is hungry there probably isn't much stopping them.

...and like you said there is always the one with "wheels" on. They would have to go in the freezer.

 

[babsbag]

4' high 2x4 no climb, hot wire at the top and middle on the inside and at the bottom on the outside. Works like a charm. Even my LGDs, which could clear the fence if they cared to respect the wire.

Like Southern said, get a fence tester. We have a 1 joule charger that runs on a 12 volt battery. The battery is kept charged by a solar charger. The fence tester gives a reading of 7.5 to 9.0 on a good day; that is 7500 to 9000 volts. OUCH. Also three ground rods that get watered in the summer as we get no rain all summer.

 

[jodief100]

I find the best way to keep them in is make sure they have plenty of what they want on their side of the fence. Food and shade. Even a cold fence will keep mine in if they have that. Weaning babies and rutting bucks, those get 4x4 goat fence with a hot wire and the does are across the property on the other side of the road.