# How much tension for woven wire fence?



## bentmettle

Sorry to drag this up out of the depths-

After nearly 3 years of fighthing with a T-post only fence, we put in wooden braced corners today with T-posts on 7~8 ft centers.

I'm using Red Brand goat fencing, 4 t tall- how tight can I pull it? I did the front side and if I push down, it moves down. If they get any slack in the fence, they can jump it. It's VERY annoying.

It looks great, but I'm afraid I didn't get enough tension in it and the knuckleheads are just going to walk it down.

I am really burned out on fencing and need to do the other 3 sides asap.

I put the corner posts all at 5 ft. Right now I'm probably going to run a high tensile wire at 4 1/2 and 5 ft to dissuade them from trying to jump, with electric to encouage them to forget about climbing on the fence.

Still, if I could get enough tension in the fence, that'd seem best, but how much?

thanks!


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## idahonancy

*Re: What kind of fencing do I need for a goat?*

The fence in our yard is only 4 ft tall and not very tight. We put an electric wire at 6 feet and chest high for the goats. We have never had a goat touch the fence after they got zapped. Our vegtable garden is on the other side of the fence. The electricity not only detered the goats but I no longer have deer in my garden. 
Good luck, IdahoNancy


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## bentmettle

*Re: What kind of fencing do I need for a goat?*

Thanks for the feedback. Mine seemed to figure out that if they're in the air, jumping, they don't get shocked.

Maybe yours see that 6 ft line as a real barrier? I wonder if mine would as well, or if they'd just jump through it. A person never knows what a goat is really thinking...


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## cryptobrian

*Re: What kind of fencing do I need for a goat?*



bentmettle said:


> Still, if I could get enough tension in the fence, that'd seem best, but how much?


The key is definately to get the fence tight, very tight. I am not sure the amount of tension required ... some woven wire fences have "tension curves" in the horizontal wires ... you pull until they are straight. But I can tell you for sure that with a single tensioner on 100' of fencing, I can't get it tight enough. I use two tensioners and all my strength on each to get the fence to stand up and get pretty much drum tight before tying off the near end.

And it makes a big difference how far apart your posts are ... 8 ft' apart you can get away with less tension than if they are 16' apart.


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## Bob Jones

*Re: What kind of fencing do I need for a goat?*



bentmettle said:


> Still, if I could get enough tension in the fence, that'd seem best, but how much?
> thanks!


Auto ignitions use 18000 to 30,000 Volts (voltage is called tension). ;-)

I have been using the panels with 4" x 6" squares. They have walked all over it and it's ugly, but with an additional 3' of chicken wire above it, I have been able to keep them in.

Pig, at 2 years old is still able to put his head through the holes. His horn from tip to tip are 11", whereas the diagonal on the hole is only 10". So he has to roll, pitch and yaw to wiggle in and out. 
His horn are long but angled more closely together. I am not sure if it is the genetics, or the practice of squeezing them several times a day through a 4x6 hole.


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## Rex

Just pull it as tight as you can. I thread a 2X4 through the fence, top to bottom. The 2X4 has holes drilled in the top and bottom which I hook a rope through. Then I hook the rope to my pickup hitch and pull it tight. Assuming of course that you are able to get the pickup into the proper position. If you try to go too much you start slipping the wire ties that are against the 2X4. If I can't use the pickup then I use a regular fence tensioner. The tensioner works well but as cryptobrian said, it is hard to get it tight enough. Not to mention trying to get all the strands the same tension. 

One thing I have found is that no matter how tight you get it, if they are standing on it it is going to sag eventually. A hot wire above the woven wire is the best way to go to keep the fence up and the goats in.


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## kentd71

Like Rex I used the truck and chain/rope but I used 2 2x4x5' long and bolted them together in 6 places with 5' no climb fence in between. I did about a 110' section, but my adult goats will stay out of a section of the pen with a single electric strand at 2 to 2 1/2 feet high. If they climb on it put an electric fence wire on it to stop them.


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## TDG-Farms

Rex has it right. If you can use your pick up, put it in gear and let it ease forward till it stops. Light gas and the truck will move forward till it stops, little more gas, truck is stopped. I like to tap the gas a few times just to make sure. Done. Now hopefully it didnt slip one way or another leaving you with a super tight top and a sagging bottom  Oh and dont bother with a lawn tractor... might as well pull it by hand.


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