Goats and electric fence

[helmstead]

They're cute! LaMancha crosses?

Oh - and baby goats are kids, baby sheep are lambs

 

[gila_dog]

Maybe the electric fence not working is a blessing in disguise. Besides keeping goats in, a fence needs to keep predators (especially dogs) out. Goats are very vulnerable to dogs, and if you have coyotes around, that's another thing to worry about. I've had good luck with the cattle panels with 4" squares top to bottom. They are easy to make into a strong fence, the goats can't get their heads caught in them, and they can stand up on the wires without breaking them. At 5' high they will keep 90 percent of the dogs and coyotes out. Maybe since you already have the hot wire stuff you could run a wire along the top of the cattle panels just to keep goats from leaning over it, and dogs from trying to climb over it. Maybe along the bottom on the outside, too, to keep them from trying to dig under.

 

[MissPrissy]

My goats are fenced in with welded wire fence 4 ft high. The pasture is about 2 acres. We strung 3 electric wires. The box controling the electric fence is one rated for 100 miles. We have less than 1/2 mile of wire run. They respect the electric fence! One zap and you hear the pop and they MOVE like lightening. Perhaps your electric fence isn't strong enough?

Goats are very determined. They will try to forage in trees and brush if they can get to it. Good luck with yours.

 

[LinckHillPoultry]

we have a cattle/miniture horse version of giant chicken wire fencing.
Our young doe climbs right over it.


It was funny though because one time, I was in our 2nd garage, which is out from our house, and I was in the one room, and the poultry pens are in the back of the garage, so I was facing the window, and all of a sudden I saw this little white blur go racing by... sure enough it was the little doe!

 

[patandchickens]

Yes, when you tested it with your digital fencemeter, what did it actually read?


Pat

 

[hazelton farms]

Helm, I know.

Yes, Lamanche crosses, one is an alpine cross.
The lamb is a hair sheep mixed type.
I don't mind that they are mixed. We aren't trying to do any showing with them or anything. They are just 'there' to eat the grass. The lamb is just there to be with them. We'll get her a little ram lamb soon. No bucks for the does however. The lady I got them from said I could take them over to her house when they go into heat.

We are going to go ahead and keep the electric fence up. It's on the inside. The new cattle fencing will go around the outside of the whole thing. Then hopefully this weekend or next, I'll be getting a great pyr. that was raised with goats in the first place. She needs to be rehomed and would be a great fit here. That should help with the dogs and other predators as well.

I don't know what the electric fence tested at because it was DS and DH going around doing all the testing. They just came back and said it was all good to go. It is shocking them and you can hear it pulsing. It's just if it doesn't shock them on the nose or belly, it pretty much seems as though it doesn't bother them a whole lot.

I think they'll be happy all around though, once we get things straight. Even though our yard burned up a few weeks back, we can get them fresh hay and grain till it grows back in. The brush is already turning green again. We just need to keep 'em happy.

Stacy

 

[kritter11]

We started w/ pet llamas and a small pasture, so we put up 5' chain link.
Held the llamas in fine.

Then we got goats. HAH...they bend it at the bottom and go right through.
We put hot wire up at the bottom to keep them from doing that. They can't rush going under, so they got enough of a zap to teach them. We use Creampuff, the escape ringleader, to test it periodically, just so she doesn't forget.

One really tenacious buck, who we jokingly said "Flossed his teeth on barbwire and used hot wire to scratch his butt", kept bending the 5" fence over by jumping up on it and leaning, until his bulk / wet ground combined and bent the posts enough for him to go over to the does.

Now the buck pen, the ENTIRE buck pen, is lined w/ 4' cattle panels. They don't 'give'. 350$ well spent to prevent any more accidental breedings.

A word of caution on the ram lamb....get him banded / nuetered.
Rams are evil buggers, it seems the tamer you make them as babies, the meaner they can be as adults. No 'healthy' respect / fear of humans.
Mine (a big fat bottle raised Rambouillet) knocked me across the barn many times, and he was my BABY as a youngster.

I have one 8 yr old Hamp cross ewe I rescued as a baby left (my first farm animal), but once she goes, I'm done w/ sheep. Shearing is a pain.

Good luck and have fun w/ them.

 

[hazelton farms]

Thanks Kritter. I was actually getting the ram to breed with her. If I do get him, he's a hair sheep too. They won't need to be trimmed according to both of the people I'm getting the sheep from. If he ends up being too much for us, then I know where I can take him that he'll have a happy home. I will definately keep your advice in mind!

The little lamb we have now is the darling of the pen! Her black markings on her face make her look as though she's always smiling. It's pretty cute. My husband even likes her. He's not usually fond of the animals I bring home, he just tolerates them. We named her Mary. Couldn't help it.

Now off to deal with another whole hatch of orps. I dunno what I am thinking sometimes!

 

[Frozen Feathers]

I've never had goats that will stay in an electric fence, they walk right through it, shock and all. I have a page wire (I guess that's what it's called to keep them in, but if they can jump out they will and if they climb out, like with all the snow, they do.

My friend however has a whole heard of goats that stay in a 2 wire electric fence. So, I guess you can teach them, I have no idea how, though.