What type of fencing is best for goats?

minou33

Songster
8 Years
Apr 22, 2015
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121
Colorado
We have just acquired two very young goats. One if a nubian cross who is a real climber and the other is a nigerian dwarf, who doesn't seem to be much of a climber. We have a very large fenced in area for them. It is about 1/2 an acre I am guessing. We are likely going to have to replace our our current fencing. I am guessing we would need something taller, and something that looks nice aesthetically but that wouldn't cost more than a couple thousand. Does anyone have recommendations? Pics would be appreciated as well!
 
Welcome to the forum, minou33!
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I raise dairy goats (Nubians) and I like to use cattle panels. They have them at Tractor Supply. Here is a link: http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/feedlot-panel-cattle-16-ft-l-x-50-in-h There is a picture of it there on the page. They cost about $18.00. The other thing I like to use is field fencing and that comes in 330' rolls.

What I worry about is not just keeping the goats in, but keeping dogs out. The cattle panels are great because they are rigid, and harder (not impossible, though) for a dog to get under them. Also the goats can't make them sag by jumping on them. The field fencing works well too though.

Make sure your gates are very secure. I like the green gates at Tractor Supply. They have mesh across them and keep the goats contained.

Have fun with your goats!
 
Thanks, Zoomie. Do you find 4' to be tall enough for nubians? Ours is half nubian and part toggenburg and pygmy. May be possibly bigger than an average nubian (?!!) and is a climber!
 
Naturally it's going to depend on the goat, since they are all different, but actually my Nubians stay behind a 3' fence!!! That is not the only fence a dog would have to get through to get at them, but it's true - if they are well fed and happy they will stay behind a fairly small fence. A 4' holds them for sure even my buck when he is in rut.

Your goat is **probably** not bigger than mine. My buck's back is as high as my waist... I am 5'4"... He is pretty darn big. And thanks to careful management my does are only slightly shorter than he is... But they still stay behind the 3' fence. Now, they COULD jump it. But they don't, partly because they are so very big it's hard, and partly because they don't want to.

That "don't want to" part is management: learning what your goats want and how to give it to them. If they are entertained and happy where they are they will stay put. I like to say that goats want to overthrow the government and that's why they always try and get out... It's partly because they are very intelligent animals, but sometimes it's because their needs are not being met. There are toys in my paddocks for them to play with/on, there is always plenty of food, there is shade, fresh water, minerals... I've made it a goat paradise. Now, I ALSO have good tight fences and gates. But basically, if they are content, they won't be too anxious to try those barriers.
 
This makes sense. Unfortunately, our goat has been living indoors up until this point and is entirely people focused. He knows how to get to our front door. Hoping for the best--but would hate to get a new fence and then find out it can still easily get out
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I have Nubians, too. The cattle panels and other woven wire fences previously mentioned work well for me. However, horned animals may get their heads stuck in fencing depending on spacing of wires. Our goats do not have horns so it is not a problem for us, but we've had a few wethers with horns in the past and they frequently got stuck with heads in the fence.
 
I have a mix of miniatures and dairy, we have a three foot tall welded wire fence with a single strand of electric fence to keep them from rubbing and climbing. Goats can certainly jump that high but most times a goat won't try to really get out of their fencing unless they are unhappy. We also have a length of wooden fencing about three foot tall as well.

Edited because I just learned how to size a picture.
 
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@oldhenlikesdogs, I am totally envious of your goat playground! Wow, that is really cool. And that goat in the very back has very cute markings on her face.

The point about horns is very true. My goats are all registered and have been disbudded. What a huge relief that was, when I started that - it is a pain to constantly have to go out and "rescue" a goat with it's head stuck in the fence. I've had a couple that I would hook a piece of broom handle to. You take a length of broom handle and duct tape it to the horns, at the top of the head and behind the horns. They will then look like one of those old pictures of the Chinese water girl. You'll be tempted to hang buckets on the ends... but in the meantime, they can't stick their head through the fence and some of them even learn not to do it when the broom handle comes off.
 
Welcome to the forum, minou33!
frow.gif


I raise dairy goats (Nubians) and I like to use cattle panels. They have them at Tractor Supply. Here is a link: http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/feedlot-panel-cattle-16-ft-l-x-50-in-h There is a picture of it there on the page. They cost about $18.00. The other thing I like to use is field fencing and that comes in 330' rolls.

What I worry about is not just keeping the goats in, but keeping dogs out. The cattle panels are great because they are rigid, and harder (not impossible, though) for a dog to get under them. Also the goats can't make them sag by jumping on them. The field fencing works well too though.

Make sure your gates are very secure. I like the green gates at Tractor Supply. They have mesh across them and keep the goats contained.

Have fun with your goats!


@oldhenlikesdogs, I am totally envious of your goat playground! Wow, that is really cool. And that goat in the very back has very cute markings on her face.

The point about horns is very true. My goats are all registered and have been disbudded. What a huge relief that was, when I started that - it is a pain to constantly have to go out and "rescue" a goat with it's head stuck in the fence. I've had a couple that I would hook a piece of broom handle to. You take a length of broom handle and duct tape it to the horns, at the top of the head and behind the horns. They will then look like one of those old pictures of the Chinese water girl. You'll be tempted to hang buckets on the ends... but in the meantime, they can't stick their head through the fence and some of them even learn not to do it when the broom handle comes off.
that is why I wished I would not have used the field fencing, or the cattle panels.

I wished I would have "splurged" and went with goat wire instead.
 

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