# Fencing Houdini Goats- Help



## Overthehill (Apr 14, 2013)

I have read all the articles, asked advice and tried to do everything right. I didn't know the most important thing about goats is to have escape proof fencing for Houdini goats.

Right now we have the two pygmies in a 16 x16 pen. Around that we have a wooden split rail fence with 2 hot electric wires that surounds a grassy acre.
The people who lived here before us kept goats. 

Today Betty Boop our wild Pygmy Nigerian cross pushed through the wire pen gate. She didn't want to go too far from Star our other Pygmy who she left in the pen. We tried to herd her in the pen and she ran right through the outer electric fence. Obviously it didn't faze her. We were able to herd her back because she wanted to get back in with her friend. We think ( THINK) we corrected the problem.

So now we know the electric fence wont keep her in and we have to find a better way to contain her. The electric current is very low. I don't know if that's a problem. We might have to put mesh fencing along with the electric wire and that will cost a lot. Should we put in more hot wires and up the voltage? 
Putting up electric netting fence might be an option. Then we can move it around. 

How have you solved the problem of Houdini goats? I'm really stressing out over this, because if they get up over the hill they can get on to the street.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

The only thing that has worked for us is Cattle Panels with T-Posts or a wood fence.


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## GTAllen (Jul 22, 2012)

You can test if a goat can get out of a fence by throwing a bucket water at the fence. If it doesn't go through, that fence is goat proof.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Yes, you need to up the power on the electric fence. A few things I've learned about fencing for goats - in no particular order.

1) Use chain and caribiners to fasten all gates. Goats can undo baling twine, untie wire, and undo hooks - trust me on this.

2) If you use big bales to feed with, keep them back from the fence at least several feet. I had one goat that would jump the fence, land on the bale, go do her thing, come back and jump back on the bale, then jump back into the pen.

3) If you can see over the fence, it's too low.

4) If you can see under the fence, it's too high.

5) If there is more than an inch between bars, boards, etc, the kids can jump through it.

6) If there is a gap anywhere in that fence, the kids will find it and escape.

7) If there is a weak board, bar, panel, etc., the kids will find it, push it aside and escape.

8) If your fencing is the type that has boards on the inside and the outside of the post, the kids will jump up on the inside board, balance for a moment, then scoot down between the inside and outside boards.

Most of these have happened to me. I've been raising goats for about 5 years now, and I still have goats who escape now and then.


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## MrKamir (Nov 2, 2009)

And if you think to yourself "I wonder if they can get out thru here", they can read your mind.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I have an 140lb doe who can ooz through the holes in a 5' chain link pen.


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## PiccoloGoat (Sep 10, 2008)

goathiker said:


> ooz through the holes.


 :slapfloor:


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## Overthehill (Apr 14, 2013)

Arrggh. We are so ill equipped in the fence department. I thought the fence we have would be good enough for the goats because the people here before us had them. I'm now wondering if they tethered them. There was a chain tied to a tree near the river bank where a lot of weeds grow. I thought they had tied a dog back there. 

Thank you everyone for the replies. We don't have the money to put another fence around the acre. We can reinforce it but obviously it won't be good enough. Maybe we can build a better pen.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

You could try tacking that cheap plastic snow fence to split rail fence. Or add more electric so that there are 6 strands 8 inches apart, starting 6 inches from the ground.


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## HummingbirdMeadowGoats (Oct 1, 2012)

Sometimes, when money is tight, and you can't out go out and purchase what you would really like to have, there are still ways to be creative and manage to get close to what you would want. You may want to look at Craigslist and see if anyone has anything in the free section that could be of help, or you could check out to see if your state has a farmer's market bulletin. Perhaps someone has listed an ad stating that they want to get rid of items, though you would have to come and remove them yourself. Or, if you have a truck or trailer, you may be able to haul off people's unwanted cars or metal scraps, and the take them to a metal recycling center to make enough money to buy new fence. You may even have metal on your own property that could be recycled .

We have had to be creative ourselves because my husband's job loss really took us by surprise. But I am thankful, as we have learned allot and now understand so much more now than before. 

I personally know of a married couple who has a lovely milk barn all built from material they were able to obtain for free the same way. I was quite taken aback when they shared with me how they went about it.


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## Overthehill (Apr 14, 2013)

Goathiker, we will probably add more electric wire and put chicken fence or snow fence on the bottom. Is it true the more wire the less voltage that will go through each wire? So we will also have to up the voltage. The voltage we have now doesnt stop the dogs unless they put their noses directly on the wire. I hate to add more voltage but I'd rather them get a good shock for a second than one of them running up the hill into the street. Thanks everyone for the ideas.


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