Hi all! I'm so excited to have found this community.

[pemquail]

I have 2 little goats, Nigerian Dwarf twins who are 12 months. I am also a married mother of 2 homeschooled children and our family loves the Lord and being active in our church each Sunday. We also have 14 quail who are about 16 months old and are set up in a self-contained, artificial light situation that yields an egg each day for us.

We have about 15 acres of pastureland in the American midwest (zone 6a) and our goal is to first, set up an electric fence around that 15. Then, we want to figure out how to divide that space so that a small portion can be allocated to a pig, and a shelter for a pig, to butcher, and the much larger portion allocated to our goats and other future ruminants. Once we get that figured out, well, we'll see!

I love and welcome advice and am so excited to learn from this community.

Edit: my goats are NOT this fat haha this is a terrible angle and they have their winter coats here

 

[SageHill]

Welcome from So Cal. The folks here are the best. Looking forward to reading more from you.

 

[Youngfarmer2019]

Welcome from Northwestern NC! I raise dairy goats and layer chickens and we market our eggs at the two local farmers markets near us. So glad you decided to join!

 

[Mini Horses]

Welcome from VA

Goats here...both dairy and meat types. Chickens, cats and a few really old mini horses.

Two goats leaves you really understocked for 15 acres....we'll encourage you as you buy more

 

[Baymule]

Welcome from east Texas. I’m building fence around 25 acres. Have to clear grown up fence rows and take down old barn wire fences first.
Word of advice, put up a woven wire sheep and goat fence for your parameter fence. Electric fences can fail. You need a strong wire barrier for the property line fence. Then attach insulators to the T-posts and put up hot wire to keep them from rubbing on the fence and tearing it up. Use electric fences for the inside fencing, if that’s what you want.

@Mini Horses has been building new fence, she has goats and can tell you all about how they find ways to get out.

 

[Youngfarmer2019]

I agree with @Baymule goats will find all sorts of ways to get out. I have a buck that weighs more than me (he’s like 120+lbs) and he can scale an 8 ft fence by putting all four feet in and climbing. He’s quite the difficult goat to keep in, the rest of ‘em…not so much

 

[Baymule]

I agree with @Baymule goats will find all sorts of ways to get out. I have a buck that weighs more than me (he’s like 120+lbs) and he can scale an 8 ft fence by putting all four feet in and climbing. He’s quite the difficult goat to keep in, the rest of ‘em…not so much

And THAT’S why I have sheep! They NEVER do acrobatics and NEVER climb fences or try to escape.

You know a fry his hair hot wire would stop that fence climbing—maybe!

 

[Ridgetop]

Welcome to BYH. Great people on here - friendly and helpful, with great stories to tell to help you.

 

[canesisters]

Welcome, from VA
I haven't given in (yet) to all the adorable baby goat picts & only have a couple of cows.
I agree with @Baymule - make your property perimeter fence as strong & secure as you possibly can. It will save you A LOT of headache & worry later on that will be soooo worth the initial expense.
I have nothing but hot wire and when the grass gets low, or the power goes out, or I'm just going out of town for a couple of days... I STRESS that the fence will hold them.
If I had been able to put up field fence - or even better, cattle panels - I wouldn't give it a second thought knowing that even if they break through a cross-fence they can't leave the property.