Opinions on fencing for goats

[oldhenlikesdogs]

No. Nothing like that to worry about here. I live where if we have the occasional morning in the winter below 15 they postpone school Too cold. Below freezing during the dead of winter is not even common. Thank goddess

Nothing like -40 degree wind chills with -20 plus temperatures to let you know your alive while trying to feed your critters in February. My fingers don't often survive, but who needs those.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Nothing like -40 degree wind chills with -20 plus temperatures to let you know your alive while trying to feed your critters in February. My fingers don't often survive, but who needs those.

That would make me feel dead. Guess since I’m born and raised in Va I’m miserable when it gets below 45 degrees. A morning in signal digit temperatures is a big deal. Had one morning below 0 degrees till sun came out and it was the talk of the week Haha. I work outside and hate the winter.
Of course in the summer I’m feeding at 4:30 AM and humidity is already so bad I’m drenched in sweat in less than 10 minutes.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That would make me feel dead. Guess since I’m born and raised in Va I’m miserable when it gets below 45 degrees. A morning in signal digit temperatures is a big deal. Had one morning below 0 degrees till sun came out and it was the talk of the week Haha. I work outside and hate the winter.
Of course in the summer I’m feeding at 4:30 AM and humidity is already so bad I’m drenched in sweat in less than 10 minutes.

I guess we both live where it's best for us. I can't tolerate heat. Gets over 80 here and I'm dying. I will take a blizzard any day over a heat wave.

 

[res]

Another option is electric mesh. I have been using it for my herd of Boers for 5+ years now. I have multiple fields fenced with it, and it keeps the goats IN and predators OUT. I do take it off of the step-in posts that it comes with, and install it on wood or T-posts with insulators. I "suspend" it on a strand of 17g wire woven thru the top and bottom and hand tightened, to eliminate the sagging. It works perfectly, zero maintenance aside from occasionally re-tightening the suspension wire when a deer makes it sag. I use the "shorter" mesh and top it with 2 strands of tape to increase visibility. The end product looks clean and neat.

 

[res]

Another option is electric mesh. I have been using it for my herd of Boers for 5+ years now. I have multiple fields fenced with it, and it keeps the goats IN and predators OUT. I do take it off of the step-in posts that it comes with, and install it on wood or T-posts with insulators. I "suspend" it on a strand of 17g wire woven thru the top and bottom and hand tightened, to eliminate the sagging. It works perfectly, zero maintenance aside from occasionally re-tightening the suspension wire when a deer makes it sag. I use the "shorter" mesh and top it with 2 strands of tape to increase visibility. The end product looks clean and neat.
View attachment 1910221 View attachment 1910218 View attachment 1910219 View attachment 1910220

 

[BaaKaaawk]

The ONLY way to get your fence straight is to dig your holes first!

We'll have to agree to disagree- I am talking about split rail here- they're never the same length and you get a 2" overlap in a hole drilled through a fence. I had a professional do exactly what you said and had to rip the entire fence out.

For metal fence, horse fence, etc. I 100% agree- but for true split rail- you can pull a line yes, but you better dig as you go if you want the fence to be sturdy. I've done a whole lot of split rail in my time... mine always turns out great.

 

[EggWalrus]

We'll have to agree to disagree- I am talking about split rail here- they're never the same length and you get a 2" overlap in a hole drilled through a fence. I had a professional do exactly what you said and had to rip the entire fence out.

For metal fence, horse fence, etc. I 100% agree- but for true split rail- you can pull a line yes, but you better dig as you go if you want the fence to be sturdy. I've done a whole lot of split rail in my time... mine always turns out great.

You're Right!
Your professional spaced the post holes wrong, it had nothing to do with pulling a string (or using a Lazer to get the fence straight). When using uneven length split rails, you pull a string and then lay out all your rails beside the string so you know where to put posts because of the overlaps.
The string just keeps the fence in a straight line, you still have to use common sense and a little 3rd grade math with split rail. The guy you hired lacked both.

 

[BaaKaaawk]

The string just keeps the fence in a straight line, you still have to use common sense and a little 3rd grade math with split rail. The guy you hired lacked either.

I'd agree with that one- what they did is dig 20-something holes all exactly 10' apart. After about 3 posts they were already off. Their line was straight though lol.

 

[EggWalrus]

I'd agree with that one- what they did is dig 20-something holes all exactly 10' apart. After about 3 posts they were already off. Their line was straight though lol.

 

[Shadrach]

Stock Net properly hung on line wires with a stand off single strand of electric fence.
It will keep goats and sheep in. I've put up miles of it.
The electric stand off is mainly to discourage the sheep,/goats from sticking their heads through the fence. There are more picture in my articles.