Fencing in Goats

[Mom2Munchkins]

I too am getting ready to put up goat fence in the next few weeks. The fence we have now is useless, and we live too close to a busy road to take chances. We can't get electric though because our kids are too young to understand it and I would never take a chance like that either. I am really really hoping we do this right the first time, and only have to do it once.

I think we're just going to use standard 4 ft livestock fence, we had looked at the panels but for the size pen we'll have outside, it's just too expensive for us. Why oh why can't the goats just stay in??

Good luck with your fence!

 

[annanicole18]

woot i'm pretty excited right now i just measured my parent in laws back yard where i am going to put my goats and realized its twice the size i thought and that means either a i get more space for my goats or b my father in law will actually have some yard left

hes a very pencil paper and facts man and i still have to get the last approval on my goat i have to show that according to experts in books that there is enough space and that i can rotate them so they dont eat their own poop yeah i know i give goats a lil more credit than that but i think what he really means is worms... how big of paddocks do you guys keep your goats in for rotating? do you do on six weeks off six weeks? i'm having at least 3 full sized paddocks with one a half yard with the "barn". i'm getting excited cuz its working out awesomely!

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

"A fence that won't hold water, won't hold a goat."

I came across that quote recently in a book on goats.

 

[griffin45]

Goats don't graze unless they absolutely have to. They are browsers. Which means that they like to eat looking up, rather than looking down. Normal lawn grass is not real good for them. I think you will have to grain them more. They more you grain a goat the more they stay where you want them. The problem with that is that grain is bad for bucks (causes urinary calculi). If you are getting does though you will be in for an easy time by simply graining them. Some fence and some grain will keep them happy for a long time.
Oh... If you are using your inlaws backyard make sure there are no trees accessible to the goats. They really like trees!

Chris

 

[Picklestix7866]

We use chain link fence and it has worked for our big wether and our new Pygmy doe.

 

[Chirpy]

I tried chain link and it's working for my standard dairy size but my Nigerians just push right under it. Oh, the Nubians and Alpines would ruin the top but I have rails across it to hold it up.

 

[dixygirl]

I like this simple DOE setup on Fiasco Farms website
http://fiascofarm.com/goats/fencing.html#fencephotos
A roll of 1,320 feet of that 17 gauge aluminum electrical wire is only about $20 from like Tractor Supply or www.farmsupplystore.com
I think I would put a few more strands around the bottom so the ducks stay in too LOL.

For bucks they say use woven wire fence along with 2 strands of electrical wire

 

[annanicole18]

thanks for the help i will only be getting a doe or two since i dont have another area far enough away to keep a buck without getting the off taste i hear the make the milk have. i was wondering how far apart the wires should be so that cleared that up

 

[Mom2Munchkins]

We have chain link fence up now and they push right under it, almost like they stretch out the fence, so it's not working for us, and we need to put up something else. We have pygmys by the way... Also, we have a neighbor, a crazy neighbor who lives right next to our barn, and if the goats get out, she FREAKS out!! I could go on for days about Betty so I better not get into her... LOL

 

[dixygirl]

Sounds like you need a strand of electrical wire or 2 around the bottom to train them to stay off of it. So like the buck setup
http://fiascofarm.com/goats/fencing.html#fencephotos