Goats keep escaping!!!

[DogIsMyShepherd]

I have two 5-6 month old mini Nubian wethers and they keep escaping from their fence. They live in a baby barn with a 50x100ft enclosure. Their fence is a 4 foot high supposed to be no climb goat/sheep fencing, secured onto Wooden fence posts.
For a while one would escape every once in a while by going under the fence but he would stay around cause he didn’t want to leave the other goat that was still in the fence.

We fixed the fence by using big lawn staples so they could not climb under. Now I don’t know if they’re climbing over or how they are getting out but they are escaping everyday. Today they got out while I was sleeping(I’m a nurse and working nights) and went to my neighbours and were pooping on their step. They had to call my mom to come over and get them I felt awful. I love my goats coco and kinder I bottle fed them and they are so friendly. But if I can’t contain them I will have to give them away. I don’t want to do that it will break my heart. So I’m thinking of trying electric fencing. But I know absolutely nothing about it. Is anyone familiar with it and uses it for their goats?

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

Works very well.
Here is a link where I got mine. I don't contain goats but I have used it for pigs and dogs. But I've seen goats contained without escape with electric fencing.
https://www.premier1supplies.com/goats/fencing.php

 

[Birdsong 82]

What kind of fencing? 4x4 wire needs to be tensioned REALLY good or it's useless. Electric is probably best way to go if it's possible.

 

[cassie]

Goats are escape artists, but if they are content where they are, they are less likely to escape. Is there anything in their environment that would make them uncomfortable? Do they have plenty of food, water, shade, and a comfortable dry place to lie down?

 

[wyoDreamer]

My sister had a couple of those little goats. They had kids and one of the kids would get out every day. It never went far, but the whole goal for that kid was to get out of the fence. Sometimes it would run to the gate to be let back in. She managed to see how it was getting out one day - there was a tree that was bent over with the trunk along the ground for about 4 feet and then the tree truck grew upwards. Guessing about a 16" diameter tree. It had some large branches (4-6" diameter) extending out from the trunk. That stinking goat would get up on that tree trunk, then use the branches to get high enough to get over the fence. She had to cut all the low branches off the tree.

Good luck with your escape artists!

 

[cassie]

I once sold a goat as a kid. When she grew up and got bored would escape and she was quite ingenious. She spent time in a pasture enclosed by an electric fence. The charger was one that pulsated. It gave a mild shock followed by a stronger one. This goat would stand by the fence with her head and ears cocked. She could tolerate the mild shock so she listened for it and then dived through the fence when she thought it was safe. She shared the pasture with a pony. She would nudge the pony to get it near enough to the fence so she could jump on its back and from there leap over the fence. I was the breeder of this animal and I am so glad I sold her. She was far too smart for me.

 

[littledog]

I don't have goats (want to get a couple when we get an area ready, hopefully next year) but my horse was an escape artist when he was younger. Had no issue jumping 4-foot wire field fence, and with electric fence, he would wait for the pulse then blast through (breaking it in the process.)
First of all, it would help to know just how your goats are escaping. Do you have a nanny-cam or something similar you could set up?

If they're jumping the fence, since you have wooden posts, you could install an electric fence along the top by using a set of the longer insulators and installing them vertically on top of your posts (instead of the usual horizontal way) so your 4-foot fence height is raised to about 4'6". If you use a bright-colored polytape instead of regular wire, it might be startling enough to discourage them from trying to jump. This worked for my escape-artist horse.