Updating fencing for sheep?

[AbbeyRoad]

We just bought a house on 4+acres with approx 1.5 acres pasture fenced with one side wood 4 rail fence with hotwire and the rest 3 string hotwire mesh(?). We are hoping to get a small flock of sheep, border leicesters or gotland mixes, roughly that sized. Maybe 3-5 animals? We would like to add on in the future and get a donkey or horse as things progress and if it works out. We have some more area that can be fenced in as well to add to the area. We are looking for wool/pet. Not lamb/meat producing.

There is no shelter in the pasture. There is a shed close by with electricity as is a huge 8 car garage with 3 stalls.

What do I need to do to get this ready for sheep? We can't find any actual electric fence equipment left behind besides what is on the posts. What do we need to buy to get this up and going?

Any ideas on what is better for shelter/shade? Should the sheep stay in the pasture almost all the time? Or should they come in every night to the garage stalls? We would of course build them shelter if they were to be out more long term.

I am going to attach pics of what we are working with.
the tape levels are approx knee height, elbow height and head height on me (approx 5 ft 7 in)

our view from the back deck. Good size shed to the Left and corner of the 8 car garage on the Right.

Wires next to the main gate opening.

Inside pasture view of next to gate. This is the only tape part that goes along the wood fence part.

Corner where wood meets tape/ribbon fence.

On opposite side of main gate, below three empty nails is this in the ground. There is a metal part in the ground on the opposite side, but no wires.

View from the main gate to the back of the garage where the stalls are. Approx 70-80 ft (?)

Corner view to opposite corner of pasture area.

Thanks!

 

[Bridgemoof]

I am no expert but perhaps they had a solar charger hooked up there. Looks like the wire in the ground is the ground wire. If there is no electricity running to the shed or garage from the fence, I'll bet that's what they had. Hopefully somebody more knowledgeable will respond.

The property looks great, the pasture so nice! But I would be cautious about coyotes. Looks like prime coyote territory right along that tree line. Are you going to have any kind of livestock guardian? If not, I would have that garage or shed as a safe zone to lock them up at night so they aren't at risk.

You have all the basics ready to go for the fence, you're lucky. You just need some kind of power source, whether it be a solar charger or an electric one that can plug in somewhere.

 

[Chris Stelzer]

I am no expert but perhaps they had a solar charger hooked up there. Looks like the wire in the ground is the ground wire. If there is no electricity running to the shed or garage from the fence, I'll bet that's what they had. Hopefully somebody more knowledgeable will respond.

The property looks great, the pasture so nice! But I would be cautious about coyotes. Looks like prime coyote territory right along that tree line. Are you going to have any kind of livestock guardian? If not, I would have that garage or shed as a safe zone to lock them up at night so they aren't at risk.

You have all the basics ready to go for the fence, you're lucky. You just need some kind of power source, whether it be a solar charger or an electric one that can plug in somewhere.

Bridgemoof has some great suggestions. I like "Stafix" energizers. You can get them online at Ken Cove. I have done business with them and they are great, I have no affiliation with them and I don't get paid to make you this suggestion. "Stafix" are the best energizers. They make solar, plug-in and hybrid models. I'd get the largest Joule rating you can afford (within reason). I doubt you will need their 36Joule charger!

 

[AbbeyRoad]

Thanks! I was hoping it would be minimal. Do you all think I need to add more rails to the ribbon/hotwire portions? Or should the three they have be enough? I was thinking they might be too high for sheep.

I found this on Craigslist. Is this a decent deal that would work for us? He also had pig fencing in different lengths. I am looking for low cost start up, but rather do it right and spend a little extra, instead of redoing it in a few years.

Solar Fence Energizer
acquired: March 2010 and used for 2 Seasons
Kube 250 portable energizer from Premier One Fence. Premier One specializes in high quality electric fencing and provides wide impedance energizers. details Comes with 2 sealed lead acid bateries (stored indoors when not in use), solar panel, ground rod & insulated connector. New Price: $350 similar product
Cost: $240 Total: 1 Sold: 0 Available: 1

2amp Recharger for 12v Battery
acquired: November 2011 and used for 1 Season
Used to recharge the batteries for the Solar Fence Energizer. During winter months when there is less daytime the battery needs to be swaped out every couple of weeks (varies) and taken inside to be recharged. product info
Cost: $20 Total: 1

 

[MikelHaj]

I am no expert but perhaps they had a solar panel hooked up there. Looks like the wire in the ground is the ground wire. If there is no electricity running to the shed or garage from the fence, I'll bet that's what they had. Hopefully somebody more knowledgeable will respond.

The property looks great, the pasture so nice! But I would be cautious about coyotes. Looks like prime coyote territory right along that tree line. Are you going to have any kind of livestock guardian? If not, I would have that garage or shed as a safe zone to lock them up at night so they aren't at risk.

You have all the basics ready to go for the fence, you're lucky. You just need some kind of power source, whether it be a solar charger or an electric one that can plug in somewhere.

I think you are absolutely right and this type of fencing seems very effective to me..Glad you shared out the details..

 

[Bossroo]

This type of setup will not be very effective to keep in sheep nor coyotes or NO OTHER predator out. Last time I checked, sheep grow wool and wool is an insulator so very little to no zap to the sheep. The wood fencing is not adequate at all as the spacing will not keep the sheep in and also the sheep will put it's head between the boards and rub it's neck wool out. Too the sheep will rub their sides on the boards, rubbing out their fleece on their sides. I would change it out to non climb or field fence 5 feet high and with barbed wire on top with the electric fencing as well as at the very bottom as a somewhat deterent to predators. Some horses and more so a donkey will chaise , kick, bite and / or kill a sheep.( I have seen this many times.). I would contact a real shepherd (that makes a living with sheep, not a wanna be farmer or pet sheep owner) as well as read publications from a University to get the REAL STORY. Good LUCK !

 

[norseofcourse]

@AbbeyRoad - congrats on the new place!

My sheep would go right through that - maybe with six strands placed about 8 inches apart, it would work - but it will depend on the sheep. Some will go right through electric, some get zapped once or twice and won't go near it again. Electric is a mental barrier, not a physical one. Given enough incentive, animals will go through it. Put 50 sheep in there, you'll have escapees. 2 or 3 with really good grazing in the pasture, they're more likely to stay in. 2 or 3 and getting chased by a predator, or the pasture's eaten down to nothing and the grass on the other side looks tasty - the likelyhood of going through that fence goes up.

I am using electric rope, but I've been adjusting the spacing, and adding extra strands. Right now the lambs are the only ones that go through it (usually... ), and they only 'escape' into a larger pasture, not into the great beyond.

You could try that setup for sheep, adding at least a couple more strands, but that may not keep the sheep in - if it doesn't, be prepared to go to a more physical fence (or start out that way). If you want to add strands and match, that looks like 'Field Guardian' brand 1.5" white polytape classic reinforced (a guess from the google results). It should work with that fencer you mentioned above, but probably won't work with a 'weed-burning' type charger.

Those corner posts don't appear to be braced, so if you go to welded wire/field fence/nonclimb fence, you'll need to find out if the corner posts can be braced enough to take the strain, or if you'll need to sink and brace new corners.

It looks like a beautiful place!

 

[goatboy1973]

You need a physical barrier to keep sheep in & predators out. I converted our beef cattle operation over to a meat goat operation. We had 5 strand barbed wire over the entire farm. I went the most economical route available. I went over the existing barbed wire with welded wire cattle panels. Then I put 2 strands of electric wire (1 strand at the top to keep the guardian llamas from trying to stick their head over the fence, and another strand 6-8 inches off the ground to keep the goats from rubbing against the fence and also to keep predators out. Your wooden fence would be so easy to do this with. The welded wire fence comes in 16 ft. lengths and we got the panels in 5 ft. high version. Some of the panels had to be cut to length and we used a bolt/ lock cutter to cut to length. Then you could re-use the electric horse tape at the bottom and top but the tape might not be too effective on wooled sheep but it works alright with hair sheep though. Our Tractor Supply store has excellent solar chargers that work just as good as the electric plug in models. You have an excellent start for your sheep plans and with a few modifications can have a safe and adequate habitat for a variety of livestock without breaking the bank. Good luck!

 

[Alan G]

You need a physical barrier to keep sheep in & predators out. I converted our beef cattle operation over to a meat goat operation. We had 5 strand barbed wire over the entire farm. I went the most economical route available. I went over the existing barbed wire with welded wire cattle panels. Then I put 2 strands of electric wire (1 strand at the top to keep the guardian llamas from trying to stick their head over the fence, and another strand 6-8 inches off the ground to keep the goats from rubbing against the fence and also to keep predators out. Your wooden fence would be so easy to do this with. The welded wire fence comes in 16 ft. lengths and we got the panels in 5 ft. high version. Some of the panels had to be cut to length and we used a bolt/ lock cutter to cut to length. Then you could re-use the electric horse tape at the bottom and top but the tape might not be too effective on wooled sheep but it works alright with hair sheep though. Our Tractor Supply store has excellent solar chargers that work just as good as the electric plug in models. You have an excellent start for your sheep plans and with a few modifications can have a safe and adequate habitat for a variety of livestock without breaking the bank. Good luck!

I am just getting in to all of this but bull panel (which I have never seen at 5 Foot) is expensive compared to field fence. In my experience Field fence is also 4"x4" squares but comes in a roll of like 300 Foot for just over $200 I am pretty sure. Those 16' section around here run $20 a piece so if you equate the price per unit to what you bought the equivalent of 300' would cost you $375. I am interested in running some solar electric fencing to defray some costs as we just bought roughly 9 acres with 7 acres of pasture. I want our eventual animals to be able to keep the fence lines clear though.

 

[goatboy1973]

I am just getting in to all of this but bull panel (which I have never seen at 5 Foot) is expensive compared to field fence. In my experience Field fence is also 4"x4" squares but comes in a roll of like 300 Foot for just over $200 I am pretty sure. Those 16' section around here run $20 a piece so if you equate the price per unit to what you bought the equivalent of 300' would cost you $375. I am interested in running some solar electric fencing to defray some costs as we just bought roughly 9 acres with 7 acres of pasture. I want our eventual animals to be able to keep the fence lines clear though.

I was mistaken about the cattle panels, they are 48" high. The field fence is also a good option as well. Good luck with your fencing.