Questions About Fencing for Goats

[CountryBoy16]

I have a little over half an acre that I would like to fence in for a pair of goats. I have already have a fair amount of hoq wire that is 42-48 inches tall and has 6x6 inch spaces in the wire, however I have read that goats will get their horns stuck in this kind of fence. Is this a serious problem? Will they jump over this fence? Is there any other kind of fencing that is fairly cheap that I could use? Preferably around $150 per roll?

 

[MeepBeep]

Some goats will get their horns stuck others won't... I lost one of mine a few years back, she kept getting stuck and I rescued her a few times prior then she ended up stuck out of view behind the barn on a 100° plus day and I didn't notice she was missing until late that night and by then it was to late... None of my other goats get stuck even though they do stick their heads in the fence on occasion, they have all figured out how to avoid getting stuck, but I'm sure it could still happen to them so I keep an eye out... You also have to worry about some goats pushing on the fence or rubbing up against it and breaking it, others not so much... I have a cattle panel just leaning up against a gate opening to my pasture, if my llamas or goats had any inclination to escape they could simple knock it over and squeeze behind the panel but mine have no interest in escape, but I now other people have nothing but problems with escaping goats...

As for cheap fencing that is more goat proof, I can't recommend any as most goat or horse no climb is costly... You might want to keeping an eye out for used chain link on craigslist and start collecting, if you run tension wires through the chain link top, middle and bottom it should contain most goats, or simply layer it up over regular field fencing with hog rings...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We use regular woven wire fencing, 2x4 inch openings, 3feet high, fairly reasonably priced, then we run an electric strand halfway up to keep them from rubbing and getting too close. I would not use hog panels, we used some to make a hay feeder and every day I had to wrestle someone's head out of it while they screamed and fought, got rid of that. If a goat can stick it's head somewhere it will.

 

[MeepBeep]

We use regular woven wire fencing, 2x4 inch openings, 3feet high, fairly reasonably priced, then we run an electric strand halfway up to keep them from rubbing and getting too close. I would not use hog panels, we used some to make a hay feeder and every day I had to wrestle someone's head out of it while they screamed and fought, got rid of that. If a goat can stick it's head somewhere it will.

I agree on the hog or cattle panels not the best option and I would avoid them and any other fence with an opening they can fit their heads in unless you know your goats well...

 

[donrae]

If you reinforced with electric you may be able to use the hog wire and keep their heads out, but I wouldn't try it without that electric. I used cattle panels with smaller openings, I think 2x2 maybe? for goats and had no problems, but at 6x6 I think you're just asking for problems.

What kind of goats?

Have you considered fencing a smaller area and rotating the pasture? That might be more cost effective and keeping your pasture in better condition....although goats aren't grazers so much, so maybe the pasture condition wouldn't matter so much with goats as with cattle, sheep, etc. Sorry, it's late.....

 

[MeepBeep]

That might be more cost effective and keeping your pasture in better condition....although goats aren't grazers so much, so maybe the pasture condition wouldn't matter so much with goats as with cattle, sheep, etc. Sorry, it's late.....

My goats will eat all the 'highly desirable' stuff first, then progress down though the desirable stages to 'barely passable' as the pasture wears out for the season... If your pasture it too small they will destroy it like any other animal, but if they have enough room it can last all season since they rotate through different things giving other things time to grow... I also close off half my pasture come spring and let that grow to at least 12" tall before letting the goats in that area, then they all dive into that newly opened half giving the existing pasture some time to rebuild...

 

[waddles99]

Ive had goats in both 4x4 and 6x6 fencing. From experience i tell you to please go with the 4x4 goat fencing. Its $280/330 ft roll, so kinda expensive, but it will be worth it. Its very easy for a goat to get stuck in 6x6 hog panels. Then they are just predator bait. Here is the link to the fencing: http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/goat-fence-48-in-x-330-ft?cm_vc=-10005
Its 48" high, you won't have any problems with them jumping over unless they can jump up onto something and jump over. Half an acre should be good for a bunch of goats. If you can fence in 2 1/4 acre portions you can rotate them. Depends on what breed you get, but lets say the average goat is 100 lbs you could probably run 3-4 on that kind of space.

 

[misfitmorgan]

From my experience it doesnt really make much difference unless you have all one age/size of goat. We have different sizes and ages of goats and they get their heads stuck in any kind of fencing we have tried from hog panels, to the fancy no climb goat fence. We settled on woven wire, fenced them off 4 acres and put hip and head hot wires in around the inside. That finally stopped them from getting their heads stuck and stopped our roughly 200lb Alpine buck from jumping over the fence. Red Brand woven wire 47" is 330ft for $149.99 at TSC.

Many ways to do it and it really depends on the goat breed/s you are getting. i know the nigerians dont get stuck in hog panel but two of our toggenburg's did every single day sometimes 2-3 times a day. Our Lamancha and Boer were getting stuck in the woven wire now and then. The hot wire seems to have fixed the issue for us and our goat herd. We also sold 22 of our goats last year to focus on good milk and meat lines and that got rid of most of the size variation.