We Have Our Goats - quick question or two

[Southern by choice]

Oh My goodness- I completely forgot until Babs told her story.
Several years back we had some kiko does off site- no LGD with them at some point early am they must have gotten spooked RAN through and tore down the 3 strand wire... a whole team of people searched for 5 hours. They were a mile away in the thickest woods ever. It was a miracle they were found. When I say thick we are talking about needing a machete to get through. THOUSANDS of ticks covered the whole team who searched. They walked them all the way home on the side of the highway!

NEVER want to go through that again.

 

[jodief100]

I am confused.... did you get your goats back or are they still out? I hope all turned out well. We had this happen to us. We bought 3 goats from a farm in Illinois. After the 5 hours drive home, we backed the truck up to the open gate, opened the back and two got out and the third one leaped over the gate and took off to the woods.

Hubby and I followed her around for two hours, never getting close. We noticed every time one in the barn made noise, she would go that direction. So we put the two goats in the field by the barnyard and shut the gate between them. We then opened the gate from outside to the barnyard. I stayed in the field and harassed the goats so they would make noise. Hubby "guided" the loose goat towards the barnyard. Eventually she went in the barnyard and hubby shut the gate behind her.

So don't kick yourself. Goats are goats. They get loose. Fortunately, now I have Jack. He is good at rounding up loose goats.

 

[Buzz'n Billy]

@jodief100 Sorry for the confusion. Yes, we have our girls. They were never "lost" like running around the neighborhood. They are within the fenced 10 acres.
They just got out of the (poorly laid out) net fencing.

Pictures from the trail cam this morning.

 

[jodief100]

Thank you! They are pretty.

We use that electric netting.... a lot. We use it on hills, slopes, over washes, in the woods ..... everywhere. The key is to make sure it is taut. Screw the posts that Premier 1 says to use. I use tent stakes at the corners. Tie a string to the top and the other end to a tent stake. Anywhere there is a gap underneath, another tent stake. I catch the bottom (uncharged) strand with the clip top of the stake and drive it in. If it is a wash full of rocks, I just use a big rock.

If they really want to get out they can (and will) but a regularly maintained net with a charge of at least 3.0 will keep in all but the most determined. The only buck I keep in net is Bullet, he is a gentleman. Quantum is the crazy nut job who jumps 5' high field fence. No electric net for him.

 

[Buzz'n Billy]

Thank you @jodief100 you have renewed my hope in the Premier 1. We used some step-in posts we picked up at Rural King that worked great. Will definitely try the tent stakes.

 

[Buzz'n Billy]

Latest regarding the goats gone wild...they're ALL now contained within the electric net fencing that is within the fenced 10 acres. We eventually relocated the fencing to the middle of the property. They were spending most of their time in a thicket about 50 yards away, but full of tangles and brush. We were able to get them to come to feed that was placed in the same location and freshened multiple times throughout the day. Also all the fresh water on the property was in that location as well. The fencing was deployed after they had been using the feed station multiple times per day (trail cam recorded times of visits). About a 20 foot section was left open and they eventually walked right in. A good thing we got them all back under control because two of them have given birth to two sets of twins. We now have 10 goats, YAY. A set of twin does and a brother sister pair. The herd is safe, healthy and growing!

 

[norseofcourse]

Woohoo on containing the goats, and on the new arrivals!!

 

[Southern by choice]

well that sure is exciting news!

What about the pics?
Just an FYI- cannot say you had 2 does kid an not have pics ... it violates the goatie code of ethics Actually we are all just picture junkies!

 

[Buzz'n Billy]

Ooops! The red one standing is our very first kid born on the farm!!!

 

[Southern by choice]

How exciting! How adorable too!!!!!!!

Looking quite sturdy and healthy!

Baby goats!