# Fence dilemma, help!



## lifeishorsesarelove (Nov 1, 2017)

Hello! I'm planning to get my first goats come spring. I have about 2.5 acres (rental property) that is fenced, but poorly. Existing perimeter fence is a combination of page wire (4x6" ish spaces?) and no-climb wire (2x3" gaps?) on wood posts, mostly in good condition. However, the genius who installed this apparently was more concerned with having the top of the fenceline level than anything else, as there are sections with a large (1ft +) gap at the bottom. There was barbed wire along the bottom in some of the worst places, but being that I have horses, that *had* to go.

I have horses, and my paddocks are set back from this fencing by 8ft, with 5ft high electric 3 strand rope. Sufficient for horses, not likely to keep goats in. Powered by a 25mile charger for 0.3 miles of fencing (combined length of all strands). It packs a PUNCH - dropped my city-kid fiance on his butt when he touched it.

I'd ideally like the goats to either free-range in the entire perimeter (I don't mind if they go around/under the electric rope) or be able to keep them within the horse paddocks. Part of the reason for wanting them is keeping my thistle problem under control. However, I *cannot* have them getting out and rampaging my neighbour/landlord's greenhouses, tree farm, and soybean fields.

Adding to the challenge, I would really like to get Nigerians. I adore them and have for ages, they're the breed I've been drawn to the most. I make sure to always get to watch the NGD classes and the fairs and such. Alternatively I'm considering the full-size dairy breeds as well, bit of a toss up between Saanen, Alpine and Toggenburgs. Going purebred dairy of some type, as I'd like to try my hand at showing them. Given that, all goats will be disbudded. I would like to aim for 2-3 bred does per year.

I've had a few ideas that I'm mulling over for fencing them in. I'm really hoping to avoid electric net. Options include;
-setting up a pen with cattle/hog panels. Not sure how long it would take 2-3 Nigerians to eat down a 16x16' pen? If this is something that would need to be moved multiple times a day, its not super feasible.
-Adding additional smooth wire to the underside of the existing perimeter fence. What kind of spacing would I need between lines of wire to keep them in? For NGDs vs standard dairy breeds? Also not sure if the big pagewire is safe to try to keep them behind anyway.
- adding additional strands of polywire to the bottom half of the horses' fence and keeping them in the horse paddocks. Again, not sure if this is feasible, would really depend on what kind of spacing is needed to keep NGDs in, and if my existing charger with a 2 Joule output is going to be enough zap for goats. 
-????

Doing a complete reno of the perimeter fence isn't happening, as this is a rental and there are limits to what I'm willing to do to improve someone else' property!

Sorry for the novel. I don't think I can help myself. I'm already on a few waiting lists and can't wait for spring as it is.


----------



## Viki (Oct 29, 2017)

lifeishorsesarelove said:


> Hello! I'm planning to get my first goats come spring. I have about 2.5 acres (rental property) that is fenced, but poorly. Existing perimeter fence is a combination of page wire (4x6" ish spaces?) and no-climb wire (2x3" gaps?) on wood posts, mostly in good condition. However, the genius who installed this apparently was more concerned with having the top of the fenceline level than anything else, as there are sections with a large (1ft +) gap at the bottom. There was barbed wire along the bottom in some of the worst places, but being that I have horses, that *had* to go.
> 
> I have horses, and my paddocks are set back from this fencing by 8ft, with 5ft high electric 3 strand rope. Sufficient for horses, not likely to keep goats in. Powered by a 25mile charger for 0.3 miles of fencing (combined length of all strands). It packs a PUNCH - dropped my city-kid fiance on his butt when he touched it.
> 
> ...


Good luck with fencing lol. I bought 3 goats in june and they have always been free range. I put up a 5 foot fence just a small area to see how they did. Well my mama and daddy goat both can get over this fence and then their baby screams all day for them because she cannot get over the fence. So i tried a dif fence but they get out of that too. So i gave up lol my goats are all still free range and its great. They stay on the property and never get into anything they shouldnt so far. And we have an organic grow farm across the road as well as soybean fields and a dairy farm behind us. Like i said they never venture off the property. I think as long as you keep them fed they will stay! Good luck


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You can't count on them staying on your property not to mention predators. Can you add fencing to the areas where they could get out?


----------



## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Also consider the smaller breeds can squeeze through gaps that larger breeds can't. I find them to be more of a challenge that way. I have existing "horse fence" - regular 4# squares that my Nubians don't get out of, BUT a mini would in a heartbeat.


----------



## Viki (Oct 29, 2017)

ksalvagno said:


> You can't count on them staying on your property not to mention predators. Can you add fencing to the areas where they could get out?


Ive tried several dif ways to keep them in. As far as predators i work at home and am always keeping my eye on them. At night they get put in there pen door locked so no predators can get them


----------



## lifeishorsesarelove (Nov 1, 2017)

For me, at least, I'm not super concerned about predators, especially if I can run them with my horses. My mare is savage and I have seen her kick the snot out of an unwelcome dog harassing the horses at a previous location.

My animals are also in at night in their own barn stalls. I plan on breeding and I'm not foolish enough to leave tiny NGD kids outside in Ontario in Feb at night. No goatsicles, thanks!!

I'm trying to figure out what the best way to add to the existing perimeter would be, and the best way to beef up my electric to keep them in, then go for the cheaper of those two. But I need to figure out what spacing, for plain horizontal wire, I should plan for for each option, for NGDs and standard size breeds.

Obviously trial and error is not what I want to do, with my neighbours and the fact that we live on a semi busy road.


----------



## cbrossard (Oct 4, 2014)

I have NDs and none of mine have ever climbed or gone under the fence, including bucks in rut. I don't know if I have just gotten lucky or if Nigies are just less interested in breaking out of their enclosures! The only times they escaped were where there were breaks in the fence and when they were rubbing against the fence they pushed it open and went through. I use the fencing with the 2" by 3" holes. I would think if you just patched the sections with gaps you should be good. Especially if they have plenty to eat within their enclosure they probably won't be trying to escape (at least in my experience!) As for the hog panels idea, it depends on how much browse they have available, so without knowing your property I can't really say, but I put my 2 boys in an enclosure probably 2-3 times that size with salmon berry bushes, ferns, trees etc... and it probably took them a couple weeks to clear what they could reach.

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but..... thistles are one of the few things my goats don't touch :2c:


----------



## cbrossard (Oct 4, 2014)

I should add that once they find a place they can push through they will go through it all the time until you reinforce it! If we are feeling lazy sometimes we will just throw a couple large rocks or logs against the fence in that spot and that is enough to deter them!


----------



## lifeishorsesarelove (Nov 1, 2017)

Would the pagewire actually keep the Nigerians in though? It sounds like they'd invite themselves out with the 4x6" gaps... and about half of my perimeter is pagewire. I can't afford to replace half a mile of fencing on a rental property.


----------



## cbrossard (Oct 4, 2014)

I can't imagine a grown goat would try to squeeze through that, but again, I'm just speaking from my experience with my own goats. I had a hole for my chicken coop that was a little bigger than that... maybe 6" x 8" and the adult goats couldn't get through that. But that was wood, not wire. The other thing is I'm not familiar with that type of fencing, so is it likely to break apart if they put their feet up on it, creating a bigger hole?


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

A Nigerian head could get through. You might find them stuck in the fence.


----------



## cbrossard (Oct 4, 2014)

ksalvagno said:


> A Nigerian head could get through. You might find them stuck in the fence.


Yes that's true! Unless you get goats without horns...


----------



## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

I have NDG's and I use hog panels and the only time my goats have ever gotten out is when I carelessly left the gate open. my goats do stick their heads through the panels but the only time they do it is when I'm going to their pen.


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

lifeishorsesarelove said:


> Would the pagewire actually keep the Nigerians in though? It sounds like they'd invite themselves out with the 4x6" gaps... and about half of my perimeter is pagewire. I can't afford to replace half a mile of fencing on a rental property.


Adults couldn't get through, but kids could. But so long as you dam raise they will just want to stay with mom until they're too big to get through.


----------



## Viki (Oct 29, 2017)

I think the reason why its hard to keep my goats in is because they have always been free range. My male is so tall that 5 or 6 ft fence he jumps right over. He def seems to be able to jump even higher since i had him castrated..... As if to say na na boo boo ha ha i still can get out sucker! Lol


----------



## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

We put ply board at the bottom of the fence so the kids can't get through.


----------



## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

If your goats have horns & they stick the ire dads through the fence, then duct tape a short piece of pvc pipe to the back of the horns. After about a month and take it off. Some times it works other times goats are just way too stuborn. :devil:


----------



## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

Oh jeez!!! Typo! Their heads.


----------

