Trying to figure out fencing......

[doubleatraining]

Currently I live in a duplex but its on 3 acres and my neighbors are great and don't believe in coming outside. LOL

This fall I will probably be purchasing the property. I'm almost positive I can talk my landlord into letting me take the fencing off the rent as long as it a reasonable price.

Goals:

Keep in:
LGD(don't have it yet)
Chickens
2-3 goats

Keep out:
People
Predators

Right now I'm looking at putting up the 2" hex wire. I'll put up 8 rolls of 150' so 1200' of fencing. That gives me TONS of area for goats, dog, chickens. I can always add on later, like this fall when I purchase the property.

I know the netting can be a little flimsy so I plan on putting a top wire to help "hold" the top of the fencing up and hot wire 1' off the ground on the inside and one on the top of the fence. I don't mean to be ugly but goats that don't learn to stay in the fence will be found new homes.

The 2-3 gates won't have any hot wire on them but will have wire over them to make sure nothing can sneak through.

The biggest hitch in my plan is that the T-posts to hold this darn fence up costs more than the fencing.

Field fencing is considerably more expensive and I'd have to have a smaller area to keep it around the same price. Theoretically I would be able to use less T-posts though.

Thoughts? Ideas? Advice?

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

You will never be able to keep goats or an LGD in that. You must buy field fencing if you want to keep goats in. There is absolutely no way around that.

 

[doubleatraining]

You will never be able to keep goats or an LGD in that. You must buy field fencing if you want to keep goats in. There is absolutely no way around that.

Even with the hot wire? I was thinking the netting would be more of a visual barrier. My Dad keeps his cows, goats, and chickens in 3 strand hot wire. LOL

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

I use this fencing (just a different brand) and I use T-Posts every 8'. I use 4-6' wood posts for every turn, no matter how small, and on long stretches I use several in between. Fencing cost alot of money but is the backbone of any farm or ranch. IF you have bad fencing nothing will go your way and you will pay more dealing with it. The most expensive fence is a cheap fence.

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

You will never be able to keep goats or an LGD in that. You must buy field fencing if you want to keep goats in. There is absolutely no way around that.

Even with the hot wire? I was thinking the netting would be more of a visual barrier. My Dad keeps his cows, goats, and chickens in 3 strand hot wire. LOL

You may be able to keep them in with just hot wire but you will need at least three strands and it depends on the goats. Cattle are alot easier to fence than goats are believe it or not. Some goats will respect hot wire but other will not. Same will dogs. Some do and some won't.

Electric fencing is hit or miss.

 

[doubleatraining]

You will never be able to keep goats or an LGD in that. You must buy field fencing if you want to keep goats in. There is absolutely no way around that.

Even with the hot wire? I was thinking the netting would be more of a visual barrier. My Dad keeps his cows, goats, and chickens in 3 strand hot wire. LOL

You may be able to keep them in with just hot wire but you will need at least three strands and it depends on the goats. Cattle are alot easier to fence than goats are believe it or not. Some goats will respect hot wire but other will not. Same will dogs. Some do and some won't.

Electric fencing is hit or miss.

LOL don't tell Dad that. His last cows were the hardest to keep in. The goats are VERY respectful of the fence. I think he might just have dumb luck.

I'm trying to talk my LL into funding the field fencing. is 47-48" high enough though? It would be a smaller area 990' of fencing instead of 1200 and about $90 more expensive.

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

That stinks! haha I've seen cattle kept in with just one strand of wire but two or three are most common here.

Think with electric wire with goats is, even if they do respect it, you should have 4-5 wires if not more if you're able. I had three does that are used to hot wire and do respect it. They were spooked one night and bolted thru the 3 wires. If there were more the wire would have stopped them and they would have turned around more than likely, but with just the three they could go right thru it. They had escaped the night before and when I went out they were nowhere to be found. After searching for 5 hours in the thickest woods you've ever seen (we've got WOODS here) we found them a mile away. I think that if you can field fencing is best. I've never had any leave that fencing. With the electric fencing it depends on whether or not the animals respect it or not and even if they do there's only a few wires that they really could go thru if the so felt they wanted to.

Yes, 47-48 is high enough. Never had a goat that even tried to get out of that though dogs can. One strand of hot wire will easily take car of that though and if you want to keep the goats and dog from leaning into your fence a hot wire about nose height will keep them off the fence too.

 

[Karma]

Field fencing will last longer and hold up better so yes the price is higher however you will pay less on repairs/having to put up new fencing over time. It will also not rust as fast if you buy good field fencing.

If you are finding t-posts to be very expensive you might try looking and seeing if you can find someone in your area that makes and sells wood posts or put an add on craigslist or similar sites for used/unused T-posts or wood posts, excess unused field fencing etc. Also people will sometimes want posts and fences down but don't want to do the work so sometimes you can get a good deal if you take down the fence for them.