Goat Problem :(

[Goat_Walker]

Well I have a pygmy(8 months) and a pygmy cross(8 months) goat, both female. My Cross , Crybaby, is an independent little brat.

Iv tried everything to keep her in her pen, but to no luck do I get.

She is now jumping our 4 feet tall chain link fence from a standing point on the ground.

She has been found jumping on my mothers new car, so this just wont do.

Mom says if she goes on the pavement, she is gone

Well, i had her tied up in the yard, but she gets herself tangled around EVERYTHING!
There is a nice fat storm coming, so I locked both of them up in the rabbit hutch (a large rabbit hutch) .

What am I going to do? I hate having her locked up, she was allowed free range , with out a fence, when i was out side but not anymore. I dont like keeping her on a leash even though she is leash - broke.

Any advice?

If she gets out anymore mom says I have to give her up, and id rather not part with my kids.

 

[tfpets]

I am really sorry to hear of your problems, but 4 feet will not keep them in. It has taken me 7 ft of welded wire fencing, with electrified wire at the bottom to keep my pygmy's in. Dawg (RIP) was a master of escape, and if he got bored, he was out on the car, catching us riding on the 4 wheeler, eating my fruit trees, running down the road chasing cars, etc....I had to refence the yard big time. He was easily bored, so I put play things in his yard, and it's a huge yard, I gave him a tractor tire, a set of stairs, a pot belly pig, bushes to eat, balls to chase, and lots of snacks like goat blocks. It really takes a very strong, high fence, large yard, electricity and lots of toys to keep mine in?
Good luck to you,
Tina

 

[wyliefarms]

One thought, I have seen the electric poultry fences. wondering if you installed it on top of your exsisting fence it would keep the goat in.

We tried just a wire strand and it didn't work.

We also tied a gallon jug on her collar and it dangled below the knees. This worked for a good month till the baler twine broke.

 

[Goat_Walker]

I dont want to hobble her in any way, and im worried about the electric fence. My dad wants to put a hot wire on the top. Would that be good?

 

[wyliefarms]

I tried the hot wire and she jumped over it.

The gallon jug doesn't hobble her in any way. They just cannot jump with it by her knees.

 

[RockyToggRanch]

I have a togg doe who is very athletic. She bounces of the buildings with all 4 feet at the 4' mark, but has not gotten over my 5' horse fence. She tries to squeeze under the gate when I'm out there, but she's only acting.
We let her out to free range in the evening for an hour. She hangs out under the apple trees and then scales the wood pile and then she's ready to go in and get milked.

Anyway.. She's tall and the 5' fence keeps her in.

She'll get used to your routine, just be persistant. Good luck.

 

[kinnip]

I love my lazy goats. I have Nigies and LaManchas and no one has ever tried to jump a fence. They do have a lot of room and are allowed to free range some. I'm still surprised when I hear stories like these. Did I luck out or what?!

If your next best option is to get rid of her, I'd try the electric.

 

[Run-A-Muck Ranch]

Our goat Houdini (our girls spell it "Who-Dean-E") got his name because he was a master escape artist. Not out in the pasture, but inside the barn. When we first got him we put him in the lambing jugs. Go back to barn and he is in the pasture with the sheep. Come in house, then go back out to barn and he would be back in the lambing jugs again. Magic I tell you...
He was jumping straight from the ground to the top of the doors for the lambing jugs to get out. Then balancing all 4 feet on little bitty boards to jump into the sheep area leading to the pasture and back in the same way. He would do this about 10 times a day for about a month...Kinda makes it hard to quarenteen those inital beginning days. Now he's with the sheep. He doesn't mess with the field fence at all. We have 4 foot fencing..5 1/2 feet in some spots because of low ares. But anyway he doesn't mess with that at all. But every once in awhile I will still see him out searching the yard. He still jumps out of the sheep area that is inside the barn. We wonders the yard and then goes back inside when he wants. He has taught "Zelda" our female goat to do this too. So far they have stayed within site of the barn. He has been doing this for about 6 months or so. We have had her only about 2 months but so far so good.

I know you said you didn't want to leash her, but how about one that is on a teather where it wont get tangled?? I have seen them strung between 2 trees before (for dogs). Or even with a stake in the ground and a swivel hook. We use those for our horse when she is in the yard. She hasn't gotten tangled at all and will walk about 4 circles when she first is tied up...

 

[Chirpy]

Just an idea... use the electric fence (like your dad wants to do) but place it sticking out about 4" around the inside of the fence, at the top. You can get plastic insulators that will stick it out like that. That way the little dude has to jump from further away, which makes it harder, instead of just jumping over the top where people often put the hot wire.

I hope that makes sense.

 

[Goat_Walker]

It makes sense, Im just a protective mother, and ive been shocked by a fence that knocked a shire horse down. SO i know how it feels to be shocked ( not that the wire will be anywhere near that high) but i dont like the thought of her getting shocked alot so i hope she learns from one experience.