# fencing, High Tensile Wire vs barb wire vs hot wire



## mad_science (Jan 14, 2013)

I am building a fence from scratch for my future Goat hobby. I can get small breeds to reduce stress on the fence. My questions are

#1 Can I use hot wire to build a 6 high fence or do I need to stretch High tensile wire? Hot wire is 1/2 the price but I know I must build a STURDY safe fence.

#2 Should/can I use barb wire? 

#3 What is the best spacing for a 6 high wire fence for small breed goats? I am thinking they can slip by 12 in spacing. True? 

I am thinking 10 inch all the way up = 6 ft 

I am also thinking of using a single hot wire inside of that to keep them off the fence.

Thanks, Alexander Beum


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## dan354 (Dec 20, 2012)

I am going to install an electric fence soon myself using 12 1/2 gauge high tensile fence wire. I am not starting totally from scratch. I have been working on the fence row for years now by cutting trees and then mowing. The culverts have been installed on the new 11 acres I purchased 4 years ago. I am waiting for the surveyor to show up now to mark the western fence line for me so I don't encounter problems later with the state forestry. (I am bordered on 3 sides by state of Ohio forest)

I have used electric fence on about 15 acres for several years for cattle, horses and pigs with no problems so I have a general idea on what works and what doesn't. Under no circumstance mix barbed wire with electric. the reason is that if an animal gets shocked then gets hung up on the barbed wire it may not free itself and it will die there a horrible death.
My wire spacing is going to be closer together than yours since I have a coyote problem. it also is going 7 strand 45 inch tall (or so) with enough post left to add another wire if I have to. I don't have to worry too much about trees falling onto my fence and I am leaving a 12ft mowing path on the "other side of the fence" so nothing will grow into the fence. 
I am putting electric to the high tensile wire (every other strand being hot) because I know 1 strand of wire will not contain a goat when it can stick its head in a 10 inch opening.
in order for an electric fence to work your goats need to learn what the difference is from a woven wire fence (if that is what they are used to). I have about an acre of board fence that will have several strands of electric on the inside to introduce the goats to electric. they will see the boards so they don't try run threw it but, instead they will find out what electric has to offer. that should be enough of a deterrent to keep them away from the fence in the future.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Definitely don't use barbed wire. I don't have an electric fence so can't speak on that.

If you are getting a smaller breed, I would have the fencing closer together at the bottom like around 6 inches apart.


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## surveyman (Jan 19, 2013)

I put up a fence last year. It's a 6 strand high tensil and 5 strands are hot, with only the second one from the top not hot. The bottom strand is about 3 inches from the ground and the top one is 50 inches. The spacing increases the higher you go. During growing season I often unhook the bottom strand until I get time to weed eat under it.

I bought my place with lots of woven wire fences on it. Those fences work great, but you have to put a hot wire inside the fence to keep the goats from getting their heads stuck in it.

The only way barb wire alone would work is if you had about 8 strands.


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## .:Linz:. (Aug 25, 2011)

We have 6-strand high tensile (was 5 but we added the bottom wire when we realized that kids could slip under) fence. The top, fourth, and bottom wires are hot, the second, third, and fifth are not, and the second one has that white coating on it for easy visibility. It works really well for us.


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## NCacioppo (Jan 21, 2013)

Ours is 7 strand poly wire, all wires are hot. This first wire is 5" off the ground, then 5" above that, then 6" above that, then 7", then 9", then 9". Ends up being s wire at 5, 10, 16, 23, 31, 40, 49. It's very simple, t-post every 10 feet, insulators snap in place, unroll wire, whole thing done in a day. My NDs never touch it.


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

We have 6 strand electrified high tensil predator control fencing. I believe spaced from the bottom at 6 in, 8 in, 10 in, 12,12,12in. it holds our ND wether just fine, but not real young babies. they tend to hop through it and MAA at the shock lol! they don't understand it. I think we moved our kids in about 3 months and they did just fine after that. the dogs don't go near it , I have seen stray dogs tuck tail and run.


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## rssgnl27 (May 9, 2012)

I have a poly rope fence it starts about 4 inches from the ground then goes 6 inches for 2 more lines (3 lines total). I have Nigerians and they will slip through any chance they get. Make sure you have a reliable hot fence charger. If I had to do it over again- I'd say high tensile all electrified. The space between the wires depends on your breed. My goats test the fence a lot more than the cows or horses do.

No barbed wire- they'll get through it.

IMO Don't trust an electric fence to keep a buck in when you want him seperated. I find that a physical barrier fence (such as cattle panels or close board fencing, even dog kennels are better at keeping bucks safely in their enclosure when you're not looking to breed.


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

My buck won't go near even a wire laying on the ground . . . but we have a 2 jewl fencer that could make a saint cuss a blue streak! You can hear the goats cussing when they hit it ROFL! 

You actually don't want all your wires electrified. You want the one at nose level electrified and the one below or above (the other one that they would touch going through it) to be grounded. The shock is so much more fierce if they are touching an electrified wire along with a grounded wire. Think getting shocked while holding onto a metal fence post! The shock could be the difference between "that kinda stung" to HOLY CRAP I NEVER EVER AM GOING NEAR THE FENCE AGAIN! 

If you don't have a grounded wire that they touch then all they have to figure out is that they can hop through it and not get shocked. to get shocked you have to be grounded, if all their feet are off the ground and all the wires are electrified then they won't get shocked at all. 

We switch the grounded wire around so they never get used to being able to touch any wire. We have a smart ND wether that sometimes figure out he can put his nose on one wire but not the others, so we switch it around on him.


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## imthegrt1 (Jan 13, 2013)

Mine if 4 ft tall
6 rows of wire..
First row-6 inches bar wire off the ground 4 prong
Second row -12 inches hot
Third row 18 inches bar wire 4 prong
Fourth wire- 24 inches hot
Fifth wire hot-36 inches
6thwire- hot50 inches high
Post 16 ft apart
.5 jolt electric box


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## neubunny (Nov 7, 2012)

Devin said:


> We have a smart ND wether that sometimes figure out he can put his nose on one wire but not the others, so we switch it around on him.


:ROFL:

some of them really are too smart for their own good. Our tiny ND can jump the 3.5 foot fence (with all 4 off the ground, apparently no shock) though she at least only does it if someone else is out first. And I've seen the alpine-boer cross crawl under a wire just 12 inches off the ground (she's the one who does it just because she thinks the fences are a challenge - yell she goes back in and doesn't do that route again).

Slade (buck angora) met me at the door this morning. Was very surprised he was alone, til Allison told me she moved him in with the alpaca males last night (apparently he can jump that fence - I had the electric off as the alpacas don't).


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

LOL! Hubby has threatened to eat the ND wether lol! He's tougher than the nubians, he'll get shocked and let out a maaaa and then do it again just to see which wire he can touch rofl!!! The nubians cuss a blue steak as they run away lol! My almost 200 pound buck is the biggest weenie when it comes to the fence . . . he won't cross a dead wire sitting on the ground lol!


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