# Portable fence



## jross (Dec 20, 2008)

I would like to be able to set up a portable fence off the back of my goat trailer when I camp out. The trailer is made from the back end of a pickup truck and has a camper shell on it. Sometimes I can just let the boys roam around camp, and other times I can't. This fence also needs to provide protection from dogs. The goats would lay around on the ground outside the trailer, or go into it when they want.

I have seen the net type electric fences. How long would it take to set up one of these around a 20 foot diameter area? If there are lots of weeds, grass, small trees, etc, will that interfere with the operation of the electric fence? Will it keep dogs out? Can I vary the size of the area inside the enclosure easily?

Another possibility is to cut some cattle panels in half and just stand them up and caribiner them together at the ends (making a U shape) and attach the ends of the U to to end of the trailer with bungies. They would certainly keep goats in, and dogs out. I could stash them on top of the camper shell (like a boat) while traveling. But they could be heavy and difficult to put on and off the camper shell.

But the electric fence would make a bigger enclosure and I wouldn't have to lift cattle panels on and off the camper shell.

Ideas? Advice?


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

the portable nets come in fixed lengths: either 25m or 50m (at least, here in Germany).

With some practice I set up one net in about 15-20 minutes on even ground:

first laying the net out then walk it again and put the posts in the ground. This is twice the length to walk but it's actually faster because you don't get "net salad" in the middle of setting it up.

With overgrowth, etc. it may take for me alone up to 30 minutes including trampling down a path for the net and checking if it stands sound. You need to avoid contact to trees and bushes, off course and a good, strong portable fence charger.

If it's hot it will keep dogs out unless these have previous experience with this type of fence and have learned to either dug under or jump over.

You'll need additional pole for stabilising the corners because the net in itself will kind of stoop, if you don't add poles in the corners. You can use tent poles and rope or steel poles that you hammer into the ground.

As long as you put up all of the net (no contact to the ground) you can vary the size. If you have unused elements, just either keep the fence going or double back.

I wouldn't recommend to make too many turns. Each turn means an additional pole and also less stability. Let in run as strait and with as little corners/turns as possible.


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## jross (Dec 20, 2008)

Thanks, Sabine. That's the kind of info I need.

I am basically very lazy. I want to get camp set up quick and easy, then set up my chair in the shade and have a cold beer. But the goats need to get out of their trailer and onto the ground. So I'm looking for a quick and easy way to give them a pen near their trailer, where they can use the trailer as shelter. I don't want to put a lot of effort into it either. 

Another possibility would be some chain link gates attached end to end in a semi-circle and bungied to the trailer. They are pretty light and I could probably lift them on and off the camper shell without too much trouble. 

More ideas, please.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

I wouldn't call a portable net a "lazy" solution. It has to stand tight otherwise it's a death trap waiting to happen.

I don't know if you can buy similar items in the US. Here in Germany some manufacturers of portable horse fences offer a solution for trekking riders. 4 light weight, collapseable poles, 2 or 3 strands of hot wire and a charger (you would have to change that against a version with more power for the goats). Hopefully your goats stay within the 3 strands but you can also add some more strands to this without much fuss.

http://www.zooplus.de/shop/pferde/neue_ ... oer/175477

http://www.weidezaun.info/2-Batterieger ... asche.html

www.roflex.com
this is a system with integrated bobbin/coiler. You put one pole in the ground, grab the start of the hot fence and simply start walking.


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## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

We do this and it set's up in minutes. You buy a solar powered lightweight charger or one that runs on battery. We bought lightweight stakes from Home Depot that can hold at least five strands, with built in clips at varius heights. Just throw the stakes out, sting poly strand throught the built in clips on stakes and your set. We use this to move the goats around the property for good browsing. This way we don't have to babysit them and worry about dogs. Here's a pic.
[attachment=0:29gaecxi]P1010606.jpg[/attachment:29gaecxi]


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## jross (Dec 20, 2008)

The picture doesn't show the fence material very well. What is "poly strand"?

Don't you have to worry about grass and weeds shorting things out? How long is the fence?


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## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

Sorry, not a great pic, just trying to give you an idea. It's polyesther wire, and yes, anything touching it will drain it. You can make it however long you want, which is why it works so great for us. We plan on using this in the backcountry this summer around us and the boys. It's lightweight, as are the stakes. We went with this over the mesh fencing because you can place as many strands as you want and at different heights based on the grass/weed height.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

maybe you take a sickle with you to cut the grass out under the lowest strand of wire.


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## ali pearson (Aug 12, 2009)

I have an electric net fence from Premier 1 that I use for camping for multiple nights. I consider it a fairly big project to set up. My vote for ease would be three short peices of livestock panel, with the corner joining spirals that Premier 1 sells. If I'm out for a few days, I don't want to worry about what would happen if the battery got so low that the electric fence wasnt' working. The livestock panels are guaranteed to work. Plus, the fence with the battery and transformer was over $200. The panels are easy to come by, and the spiral joining thingys are about $5 ea. and you can make a hinged gate with one of the panels. If you have a very agressive fence butter the panels may not work if your goats have horns and really want to get to something outside the panels. Mine are more docile about fence butting when we are on a trip- they are a little scared of what is outside the pen. In any case, there are pros and cons but I would try the panels.

I know Bob Jones is going to ask "what is fence butter?"


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## jross (Dec 20, 2008)

Thanks, Ali. That's the way my ideas have been going, too. I looked at Premier 1's website and didn't find any "spiral joining thingys". I was thinking to attach the corners together using caribiners (one high, one mid panel, and one low at each corner). They would be wobbly, but as long as it all holds together... My goats aren't fence butters, but they will stand on the fence. I think cattle panels will be plenty strong, and light enough (cut to 8 ft) that I can lift them on and off the rack on the camper shell.

I'm not trying to set up a pasture for the goats. Just a pen, a place to keep them out of mischief and safe from dogs.


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## cryptobrian (Apr 26, 2012)

jross said:


> "spiral joining thingys"


  
How about "Wire Panel Connector Hinge".

http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=221


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## jross (Dec 20, 2008)

Thanks. That would certainly work. I wonder how hard it is to unwind them?


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## ali pearson (Aug 12, 2009)

Super easy. I love those things. They zip right on and right off like a dream. and they don't rust.


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