Suggestions Please: A kid'll eat ivy too, wouldn't you?

Renee

Songster
11 Years
May 7, 2008
1,048
15
169
CALIFORNIA
Hi Goat People!

I have some fabulous neighbors with an adorable goat named Shivers. I also have a beautiful ivy-covered chain link fence that I have been nurturing for 20 years and is finally fully grown in to block my view of my fabulous neighbor's awful stuff.

Well, Shivers has finally eaten through all of the ivy on her side of the fence (which is very good: my neighbors don't have to trim ivy any longer!). There is only one problem. Now that she is done with their ivy, she wants mine. She stands on her back legs, which is very cute, and climbs half-way over the chain-link to eat the fresh, lovely green leaves on my side. There are now large holes in my beautiful ivy fence that allow me an unobstructed view of neighbor's awful stuff.

Is there anything I can spray on my ivy leaves that will make them a bit less tasty to Shivers? Can I buy anything to feed her that will taste better than ivy? Any other suggestions at all?

I am also afraid that she is very close to realizing that the although the ivy is seven to eight feet tall, the actual chain link is only four, and there is a delicious flower and vegetable garden just over that fence. The little girls next door inform me that she is partial to lavendar and nasturtiums.

Any advice is much appreciated. I do not want to ask my neighbors to do anything about this, since they are so wonderful and I understand the need for ivy control.

Renee
 
I would get one of those motion sensor dog repellent sprayers (attaches to a hose, aims and squirts anything that moves). Goats HATE water...that'll teach ole shivers.

The picture in my mind's eye leads me to believe there's no way to get hot wire on the fence without it grounding out...
 
Bwhahahaha! I love the picture in my mind, too! LOL!
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Or you could put another fence a foot on the other side of your fence. How long is the fence line? I hope it's not too long.
Good luck!
 
Yes, the ivy would ground out a hotwire, which was my first thought. The fence is 300 feet long. Ugh. I might be forced to ask the neighbors if I can run a hotwire on their side, but I'd like to explore other options before making such an obtrusive suggestion.

Water has worked well the few times I have caught ole Shivers in the act. I don't think I could set something up to cover the whole fence, though.

Anyone else? How about Bitter Apple or Cayenne? Human urine? (I think it would be hard to collect enough dog urine.)

Three hundred feet of eight foot tall chain link with new poles might do it, but I'm a bit light in the pockets about now, like many others.
 
Maybe try hot pepper spray... They make it as a deer repelant... we used it on our garden last year and it worked great... you can buy it at any garden shop or make it yourself... just blend water with the hottest peppers you can find... then add a couple drops of dish soap and spray away... you just need to reapply after each rain...

Never tried it on goats so I hope they don't like spicy ivy...
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Do you have a dog? Some goats are afraid of dogs. If you could tie yours in the area Shivers is eating it might scare her away.
Goats are pretty determined. I like the water spray idea.
Good Luck!
 

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