rachels.haven's Journal

[Bruce]

Consider the size of the holes in the fencing. Generic field fencing is 6" squares. From personal experience I can tell you that a fox can get through that and drag a full grown White Rock back out after dispatching it 100' inside the fence. I think the sheep and goat is 4" squares and SHOULD be fox safe. Not sure about coons though. Hopefully if you fence your property the bear will forage outside the fence. Remember hot wire is your friend and is cheap.

I hope they read the memo and respect mass state border and stay in Rindge

I hope so too! DW's brother and his family live only about 15 miles from there in Brookline.

 

[Baymule]

I've had the field fencing, I grew to hate it. I now have the non climb and @farmerjan is 100% correct--you aren't going to climb it. I agree with @Bruce, for you, the sheep and goat wire with 4" holes is the way for you to go.

No cougars there, huh? Then if you shoot one, it won't really be there and it certainly won't be dead! But don't SSS. It could be tagged and Fish and Game could show up looking for the cougar that isn't there. Take it down the road and drag it out in the woods, then do the shutup part of SSS. And don't tell us either.

 

[rachels.haven]

Lol, I hope it doesn't come to something like that.

I separated Avalon from her doelings last night and milked this morning and got right about 3 cups. That's about what Angel made at peak as a 2nd freshener. No self sucking took place last night either.

Looks like I may not be able to feed Bailey at night with Ava in there. She likes grain free super premium holistic dog food better than Bailey does, and definitely better than alfalfa pellets. I guess it's "better grain". Luckily that should be fixable. Yuck.

 

[rachels.haven]

At around 4 yesterday afternoon a neighbor went on the town FB page and said an XL, fearless coyote walked through their yard while they were out. 4:30-5am this morning it came over here and we woke up to Bailey's "I'M GOING TO KILL SOMETHING" bark. Everyone was either locked in the barn (bucks and avalon's kids) or in their barn pen (does and dog). Bailey was up on the fence, snapping, lunging and growling. I went out to do milking, put out her breakfast, and give her backup if necessary. She barked until 6, and a little longer with a different tone, then she went to sleep (no breakfast necessary). I'm starting to wonder what would happen if she was loose when that happened. I think she WOULD kill something.
Regardless, good dog today. Looks like she's doing her job fine. But the coyote is still alive.

How hard is fence stretching? I may see if I can just get the fence guy, or a fence guy to put in the necessary wood posts and let me do the rest as I'm able. I'd really like to let Bailey do what she is meant to do over a larger space. I think she is totally capable of making the property safe for us to walk on even at night and definitely able to guard more than just the barn pen.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

Rachel, it's much easier and quicker just to hire the fencing job out...espically with the nasty beast around. Then you can spend your time on other projects. When leon and I have done some of the fencing we use the 4x4 to pull , it's a PITA job for one person. After the fence is up, you could do the hot wire on top yourself....
Sure do wish you didnt have him right at your door step, that critter needs to get shot and left out for the buzzards.

 

[farmerjan]

To do the fence right, you need to have the brace posts and the brace wire put on. Then, if you are using high tensile fence, of any type, the actual proper way is to stretch from both ends to a middle point and tie the fence together in the middle. Makes no sense to me in one way, but I have gone to fencing clinics and seen and learned the reasons for that. The biggest reason is to get the ends well wrapped around the brace sections at each end. We don't do that normally..... but the fence needs to be stretched very tight, needs to be wrapped and secured at the end of the brace posts, then at the other end, you will be pulling with a tractor, and attaching it to the first brace post (which can put strain on it and actually loosen it) while you then go past the corner(end) brace post , cut it off, then wrap and secure.
If we didn't have the tractor, and the experience over the years, we would have someone else do it. And actually have hired it out to get it done, up, finished and not have to fool with it. If you don't get it stretched TIGHT, then it will quickly sag and get loose, and then it is more pain to deal with than not. Most all woven wire fencing is high tensile that you buy. It is because when stretched right, it has some spring in it and will outlast the older style fence. It also will have more give if abranch falls on it whereas the old style would just get smushed.
@B&B Happy goats , is right. Get it done and go one to do something more productive with your time. There is also alot of "little expenses" incurred and if this is the only fence, what will you do with all the tools and such that you need to get it done right.

 

[Bruce]

I stretched my fence with 2 come-alongs, one low, one high using fence stretcher "bars". I made from 2x4's with 5 lags, washers and nuts in each. The easiest way is if you have a gate in the fence run. You first wrap and fence staple the fence to the STURDY H-brace corner posts and attach the "bars" in the middle, it will pull a distance so don't put the bars too close together. Pull until it is TIGHT, the fence will lift up off the ground as you pull. Cut ONE wire, wrap and staple it to the gate post (which ALSO had to be an H-brace or floating brace support), then do another and another. The top and bottom wires are the hardest because they are a lower gauge (bigger diameter) and more stiff.

If you do want to try it yourself for whatever reason, check out some YouTube videos, they can be very informative and a video is worth a thousand words.

 

[rachels.haven]

Doesn't sound like something I should be learning now when I just need that fence asap. The main advantage of doing it myself besides cost is that I can start now, when the plan is to hire it out in the spring. It sounds like an easy, expensive, annoying to fix thing to mess up.

 

[Bruce]

No reason you can't get it done now, check with fencing contractors. They may not be all that busy right now. But DO make sure you hire someone who is knowledgeable about farm fencing, not just urban/suburban fences.

 

[farmerjan]

Agree w @Bruce that now might be a good time. Many "seasonal type" businesses like fencing, will be winding down in colder areas. Many do something else like snow removal or something in the areas of the country where it snows. Here many of our lawn care guys will do snow removal, and other stuff in the winter, and we don't have near the "winter " that you do up there. I would call around and either find a farmer in the area who has some fence similar and ask if they have a preferred fence person, check at a feed store/ag business. But yes, get someone who knows and understands woven wire/farm type fencing. Here we have several in this area and the ones that are good will be booked up months in advance. Then, sometimes they can fit in a small job inbetween.

You really want to be able to feel somewhat safe with the coyote menace.... get the fence up.

It sounds like the dog is really settling in and doing good for you. I've said it before, but you are really fortunate. You lucked out with her and it sounds like the longer she is there, the more you have learned to appreciate her and even though she can't really "know it", I think she would tell you how much she appreciates you too. Congrats to you and to her both!!!!