# Questions on electric fencing



## Sunrise_trail_acres (Jun 26, 2013)

I'm bringing home goats soon, but first, (as we all know) I have to have fencing put up! At first I was going to use Red Brand sheep and goat fencing, but then, I heard that electric fencing works great if not _better_ than Red Brand. So, I've began considering electric fencing. But, I have two different places I could put it up, and the place that _I_ like better doesn't have an electrical line run to it. So, I'm wondering, would it be better to just keep it simple, and use the place with electricity (that I'm not as fond of) or use _solar powered_ electric fencing in the favored area? Does solar power even work? 
Today I came across a _new_ type of fencing; electric netting. It sounds great, but its expensive. So, in the end, should I...

a.) Use solar powered electric poly tape fencing in my favorite area

b.) Use solar powered electric _netting_ fence (if that exists) in the favorite area

c.) Use regular powered electric poly tape fencing in the not-as-favored spot

d.) Use regular powered electric netting in the no-as-favored spot

e.) Use Red Brand fencing in the not-as-favored spot _or_ the favorite spot

Please answer with a letter quickly! I need to know soon; I'm running out of time, because I absolutely _must_ get this done before school starts back up again, or I'll have to wait a whole _year_ before I can get goats! THANK YOU!!! :rainbow:


----------



## sandraH (Mar 1, 2013)

Well if its a cloudy day and solar is not working good goats would know it. My electric works great. 7 strands and 7000 amps. I would do regular electric in the not so favored place. If goats get out them you would not like the favored spit anymore. He hee..


----------



## sandraH (Mar 1, 2013)

Spot I meant.


----------



## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Yes, solar powered fence chargers can work very well. We have a Red Snap'r solar powered fence charger and it has to be very, very cloudy for it to not work. We have used it to keep cows in their pasture, and to keep a very badly trained stud horse in his run on a continuous basis - even if the charger was not on. You have to remember that an electric fence is a psychological rather than physical barrier. To accomplish that, you have to have enough joules to deliver a good 'I mean business' type of a zap for any animal to respect it.


----------



## BrigiesBoerGoats618 (Feb 16, 2013)

Here i use electric strands, red brand permanant fencing, electro net electric fence, and i use solar and electric chargers. For a permanent fence i would do the red brand and run 1 hot wire a couple feet off the ground on the inside to keep them from rubbing up on it and bending it all out of whack then two strand of barb wire on top for predators. I LOVE the temporary electric fencing from premier one. It comes in soooo handy to clean whatever land u want, make little pens out of it or to divide your pastures. Easy to take down and put up, little pricey but definitely worth the money. Get the double stakes. And as far as charges go get a really good solar one. You can't beat the realibility of the electric chargers but it gets kinda scary when the power goes out. Once one figures its off they all know lol.


----------



## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

Sunrise_trail_acres said:


> I'
> e.) Use Red Brand fencing in the not-as-favored spot _or_ the favorite spot Please answer with a letter quickly! I need to know soon; I'm running out of time, because I absolutely _must_ get this done before school starts back up again, or I'll have to wait a whole _year_ before I can get goats! THANK YOU!!! :rainbow:


Though you did say "please", just a little rule of etiquette, when asking for a favor, it should be at the convenience of the person giving the favor, not the person asking for the favor. 

Use as much of the Red Brand fencing as you can afford and put a hot wire about 12-18 inches off the ground.


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Where are you from? Depending on the weather, like here in Western Washington I wouldn't even attempt a solar panel one. I use strictly electric 2 - 3 stands, and I've never had a problem. The kinders and my little buckling do go under the fence in some areas, to either get to the field next door, or to beg me for some grain or treats while I'm down in the barn.... But they alway go back in they stay close to the others.


----------



## canthavejust1 (Oct 12, 2012)

Are the goats electric trained? Not all goats "get it" right away and of the areas are out of your sight, you could be searching for new lost goats. Personally I'd put up a small area with a physical barrier and electric on the inside for a week or two to train them and let them adjust and settle in. I use 3 strands of electric with a good plug in charger now that they know electric fence bites


----------



## Sunrise_trail_acres (Jun 26, 2013)

Has anyone used electric netting? The one _I_ was looking at was more expensive than the red brand, but it _came with_ t-posts already attached and everything. Any knowledge on electric netting???


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

A friend has that netting, she uses it because she rents her goats out for weeds and stuff. It is very expensive, its not t-post really from what i could see of hers, it was those cheap stomp them in the ground. I was going to put my goats out in places so they could eat spots as well but then started to think and you might want to as well. Yes Im sure if a coyote touches the wire it will hurt, but what if that coyote (or dog or what ever)is at a dead run to you goats and it zaps him as he goes threw, now hes in with your goats. Not only that, my dogs have long hair and I put a wire around their pen to stop them from digging out, well they rubbed right on it and never went threw their hair. IMO go with the red brand, not the cheap stuff either youll pay for it later as Im learning, put it up for like their safe spot, get the electric and put that up and move them for when times you can keep a eye on things. Thats what I would do any how


----------



## mhoward2 (Jun 30, 2012)

The netting is great for temp fencing but I definitely would NOT recommend it for permanent fencing. We used to use it all the time BUT have lost 2 does because they stuck their head through it, panicked and choked themselves to death trying to get out. We now use the Red Brand sheep and goat fencing, it works great and we haven't had any issues.


----------



## BrigiesBoerGoats618 (Feb 16, 2013)

I use the electric netting and love it to death. Well worth the money. I dont really have a predator problem so i dont have any input there but to me it does wonders i run it threw woods, next to the water an just in open pasture. I used electric strands and it wouldn't keep my bucks in so i use this netting and i guess because it looks more like fence they don't try to go threw it. You don't have to worry about any goats getting stuck on it really. I have kids held in by the netting and horned goats the holes are pretty small and being electrified no one really messes with it except on accident. They learn the fence and i have had two 164 foot strips non electrified cause i didn't know the connection came loose and not one goat tried getting out and it was probably like that for a week. To me there a great investment just make sure to get double spike ones they have a bunch of sizes and brands at premier one. They don't sag and i don't even stake the corners, LOVE IT. Plus yea you can make a little extra money and offer brush cleaning.


----------



## mhoward2 (Jun 30, 2012)

That is the fencing I had shown in the pictures, and I to would LOVE it IF I wouldn't have lost 2 of my best goats because of it. I have horned goats so maybe it would be different if I didn't. However, the goats can and will get their heads stuck in my experience. It's just not worth the risk.


----------



## BrigiesBoerGoats618 (Feb 16, 2013)

Haven't ran into this problem yet.. Make sure your fence is hot and you probably won't run into that problem being that there nose can't even touch the fence with out getting shocked. Make sure you get the right dimension size fence for your goats. My horned goats can't even fit there head threw my size holes and the ones that can dont have much of any kind of horns yet so i dont need to worry about them getting stuck. And besides like i said before they can't even touch it with their nose before being shocked. All the lines are hot besides the very bottom line. I dont know i dont have any complaints YET, I've been using it for awhile now and about 1300ft of it.


----------



## Sunrise_trail_acres (Jun 26, 2013)

Thanks for the information. I will be getting pygmies or Nigerian Dwarfs; probably pygmies. In ALL the goat books I've read, its says that the smaller the goat, the better the escape artist. So, my question is, which is more likely to keep in Pygmies/Nigerian Dwarfs? Electric poly tape, or electric netting?


----------



## BrigiesBoerGoats618 (Feb 16, 2013)

I only raise boers so im not really no help there. But I do have 3 myotonic goats that i just use about 7 strands of electric wire. But as far as the electric netting goes they do make smaller sizes that fit you needs. They even have them for chickens.


----------



## Sunrise_trail_acres (Jun 26, 2013)

Because the whole goat thing is going to be an experiment, (at first; to make sure I stick with it) I've decided to put up a temporary, (and cheap) fencing; electric poly tape fencing. I'm going to run 3 lines of it around a 90'x40' (or 40'x90'; however that works!) pasture (because I'm going to have 3 supplemented pygmy goats; I don't need a bigger pasture, right?). I think I'll put the first line a foot off the ground, the second 2 feet off the ground, and the third 3 1/2 feet off of the ground; does that sound about right for pygmy goats?


----------



## mhoward2 (Jun 30, 2012)

You will have escape artists on your hands. I don't think you will ever be able to keep them in it. I have Pygmy and ND's and they can get out of the smallest places.


----------



## Sunrise_trail_acres (Jun 26, 2013)

How far apart do YOU space your electric lines? How many do you use?


----------



## Sunrise_trail_acres (Jun 26, 2013)

And, another question, (mhoward2) what kind of gate do you use and how did you set it up?


----------



## mhoward2 (Jun 30, 2012)

I use the Red Brand sheep & goat wire, which is pricey, but works the best in my opinion. I have used, and still do sometimes, the netting which works well short term. You really need to use one or the other because 3 strands of electric fencing isn't going to keep pygmies in. If you were getting bigger goats it might work. I'm not trying to be negative but I would hate for you to do that and get frustrated with them getting out all the time and give up on having them.


----------



## mhoward2 (Jun 30, 2012)

Sunrise_trail_acres said:


> And, another question, (mhoward2) what kind of gate do you use and how did you set it up?


Well, we used to have cows so we have a mixture of different gates. We have some cattle gates but to make them work are the small goats we bought wire panels and zip tied them to the gates. We have some chain link gates and we also have some wood panel gates that we made.


----------



## canthavejust1 (Oct 12, 2012)

I have nubians so my fence is higher. With the babies I'm gonna go with 7" 14" 21" and then about 30" if the fence is good and hot and flagged after a jolt or 2 they will just stay away from it. Unless u get a butthead(I have one) who thinks tho zap is worth the freedom to roam. I zap her repeatedly while on a lead when she does and she won't try again for a few weeks


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

If you are getting small breeds I know mine like to go right underneath my electric fences. However they stay by everyone else. I have kinders. If I just had the kinders I definitely would go with other fencing.... I also have Nubian/Lamancha does, and oberhasli's as well, so I didn't change the fencing at all.


----------

