# Keeping bucks in electric fence?? Is this impossible?



## maggiemusher (Jul 2, 2013)

We just moved our two 6 month old bucks to a new pasture that has 4-strand electric fence. The lowest is 6" from the ground, then the next 3 are a 12" apart. We tested it with the fence chargers, it said 9000 volts. They ran right thru it, right in between the wires, they did it 3 times, every time I brought them back in thru the walkp-in gate and they would hit that fence and run their stinky, little mini-nubian bodies right between the wires. Finally, I grabbed the pee soaked boys and put them back in their 12x24' dog kennel. 

What the heck can I do? My husband will NOT be thrilled to add more strands of wire because it involves digging the wires under the gate again.

Do I just add woven wire fencing to the outside of all the fence posts, like just in the front? Maybe they won't run thru it away from the gate?

I think I'll have bucks for sale after breeding my doe next month


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You need more strands. You need to do 6 or 8 strands.

You could also put the woven wire fencing over it. How big are the holes? 4x2 is best.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

The cheap plastic snow fence would give them a visual barrier. Also put a length of chain around their neck close to their head, and leave about 8 inches hanging down. Now, they run up to the fence, stop to sniff the bright colored snow fence, when they push on it, the chain swings forward and hits the electric fence wire. Ha, that snow fence hurts


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

goathiker said:


> The cheap plastic snow fence would give them a visual barrier. Also put a length of chain around their neck close to their head, and leave about 8 inches hanging down. Now, they run up to the fence, stop to sniff the bright colored snow fence, when they push on it, the chain swings forward and hits the electric fence wire. Ha, that snow fence hurts


I like that idea.. I think I figured out how to keep Charlie in though finally If not I'll try that...


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

The thing you have to remember is that an electric fence is a psychological barrier - not a physical barrier. It has to be hot enough to set them on their butts or it will not work. I would also recommend fence training rather than just turning them loose because, a lot of times, when they get shocked they tend to jump through the fence rather than back away from it.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

My adult boys tried the fence once...my 4 month old will go between or under the gated area so all boys are in their panel pen.

I do have 4 strands of hotwire spaced 6 inches apart and they do pack a punch!


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## pontiusmsu (Mar 8, 2011)

I understand your frustration. Lots of good suggestions. We had some older does that had never been in hot fence and it took a while to teach them. Just like one person already said even when they get zapped they tend to jump forward through the fence. I have my boer in electric with 5 strands. I flagged it just like I do for my horses and that seemed to help and it was cheap but defiantly think you need more strands.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

goathiker said:


> The cheap plastic snow fence would give them a visual barrier. Also put a length of chain around their neck close to their head, and leave about 8 inches hanging down. Now, they run up to the fence, stop to sniff the bright colored snow fence, when they push on it, the chain swings forward and hits the electric fence wire. Ha, that snow fence hurts


Works like a dream ! We had to do this exact thing!


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## sunrisefarms17 (Jun 24, 2013)

I have 4 strands of electric wire going around the pen with duck tape on the 1st and 2nd strand at eye level and my buck stays in perfectly


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## LaurieW (Sep 24, 2013)

maggiemusher said:


> What the heck can I do? My husband will NOT be thrilled to add more strands of wire because it involves digging the wires under the gate again.


We have one live wire buried under our gate (inside plastic tubing) which connects the live wire from one side to the other. Then the live wires are connected to each other. Hopefully if you need more live wires this will help in the connection. Oh and the black tubing is used around the live wire (above ground) connecting the strands (see photo below), the three live wires (so they don't touch the ground wires and short out).

Here is a photo (I have more in the flickr folder of the gate and other side)

Electric Fence Connections by LaurieESW, on Flickr

Good luck. Hope it all works out.


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## maggiemusher (Jul 2, 2013)

Thank you for that picture!! I will show my husband. He ran the black tubing under the gate for each line. We are going to add more lines and we put hot pink contractor's tape on every wire, every 6' feet. Hopefully they can see hot pink!

Thank you for all your suggestions, I'll give you an update soon. I need to wait till I am home for a full day to try to put them in again. I imagine I'm going to have to do some fence training and sit inside the fence with them for awhile. Wish they weren't in rut


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## GroundGoats (Sep 17, 2013)

We use electric.
The strands are 8" apart and new goats get 'trained.'
We make a loop of wire and punch a hole in a metal bottle cap and hook the wire to the cap. Then we put peanut butter on the cap, get the goats attention with it, and drop it on the fence.
The goat makes contact with it's nose at the first interaction and is sure to get a nasty zap.
The problem with goats is that their hooves ground them and their coat insulates them.
I have a buck kid that slips through now and then, using a metal chain worked on him like someone posted above.
And adding lines shouldn't involve digging if the fence is already established...

Edit: GoatHiker suggested the chain. GoatHiker knows what's up.


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## LaurieW (Sep 24, 2013)

LaurieW said:


> We have one live wire buried under our gate (inside plastic tubing) which connects the live wire from one side to the other. Then the live wires are connected to each other. Hopefully if you need more live wires this will help in the connection. Oh and the black tubing is used around the live wire (above ground) connecting the strands (see photo below), the three live wires (so they don't touch the ground wires and short out).
> 
> Here is a photo (I have more in the flickr folder of the gate and other side)
> 
> ...


 I was going to edit my post to add these links (but did not see an edit button). We found these sites very helpful when putting in our electric fence.

On the Hotline site is where we found the information and diagrams about running the hot wire under the gate (as we did in the photo I posted)

*Hotline Guide to Understanding Modern Electric Fencing* -- http://www.electricfence-online.co....ice-faqs/guide-to-electric-fencing.html#eight

*Swampy Acres* --excellent information from a *goat owner* about electric fencing -
http://www.swampyacresfarm.com/ElectricGoatFence.html


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