# night-time protection for our goats



## use2bwilson (Aug 4, 2011)

My husband and I are trying to decide on the best option for night time protection for our goats (2 nigerians plus 2 babies) ... we are basically have just coyotes and foxes in our area ... no problem with stray dogs.

We have a LGD that is great; however we have a couple neighbors that he sometimes disturbs at night so we've decided it might just be simpler to bring him in at night. During the winter, we locked our gals up in the barn ... but even despite the cold weather, they seem to prefer being outside 24/7. Especially with the nicer weather coming, I would prefer that too ... it just seems like a healthier and happier option for the goats to have the option to be outside as much as possible.

We talked about creating a completely secure fenced run for them around 2 sides of their small barn. We would close the front barn doors at night but they would have a small door out to a fenced area (totally enclosed top and everything). the space would be about 8' x 25' ... and would give the option to sleep inside or out.

then we started talking about instead running hot wire around the existing fencing and just turning the hot wire on at night when we bring our LGD in the house. I love this option since it give the goats total freedom in their pen. The perimeter of their pen is approximately 450 -500 feet. So I'm not sure if the hotwire would be more expensive than chainlink for the "goat run".

Here are my questions & concerns:
Do we need to protect the baby goats from foxes? Can a fox kill a baby goat? My guess is yes ... since our babies are smaller than our cats.

Will the hot wire hurt our cats? That might be a rough adjustment for the cats. Can you dial down the "hotness" in the beginning to teach the cats and then crank it up later?

Is it best to run both a top and bottom wire?

Which sounds like the better option as far as safety? and cost?

Suggestions? Thoughts?


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

For the best safety your LGD out is best but second to that is the chain link goat pen attached to the barn. A hot wire on the top and also outside fence around the bottom can detur predators but not every time.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

LGD's need to be with their charges 24/7. You wont have a happy dog at all, it will only stress him out because you have essentially taken his job away from him. And the goats wont feel safe either.
Check to see if you have an ordinance that exempts working dogs. Most LGD do not have a high pitched yippy annoying bark.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Oh and I had missed the part about bring the LGD in the house at night. Highly recommend not doing that. I would keep the LGD in the barn if not outside.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

In my experience coyotes can easily jump a hotwire fence. There are so many coyotes out there these days that I think that your guard dog and/or the covered run are the best protection. JMHO


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

I don't leave my Pry outside at nite because the neigbors complain. Once on the property tho, she will be out 24/7. Doo check if you can get around the noise factor where you live. Their bark is loud so most neighbors don't like it I find. The hot wire on top and bottom should work.


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## use2bwilson (Aug 4, 2011)

i have checked our local noise ordinances and they do allow for LGD to bark when "predators, unconfined animals or intruders are present" ... however, with that being said we unfortunately have a very unpleasant neighbor. even though the law is on our side, i would worry that he would potentially harm our animals out of spite. he's a real jerk ... it really bums me out ... but i don't want to risk our animals' safety ... so that's why we are leaning towards other options.

as far as our LGD is concerned ... he prefers to be outside all night for sure ... however, he's a rescue off of a big ranch in WY that ended up in the pound as a stray. he was adopted out to another home where he was a pet for a year or so. but that family had a baby and pretty much ditched him to roam the streets for days on end. he ended up back with the rescue and i was going to foster temporarily. he's such a great dog and a great fit for us. since he's been both a working dog and a pet ... he's a bit more flexible. he's super observant and loves to work. he actually busted through our old wooden gate to chase a coyote the other day (we bought a new metal gate and enjoyed a week or 2 of zero coyotes ... yet when i bring him in at night, he concedes in and comes in the house.

we do have A LOT of coyotes. I hear them pretty much every night ... nearby ... so i don't want to mess around ... perhaps, we can create a smaller night-time pen attached to the barn where he and the goats can sleep and see how much he barks ...

if i didn't have an evil neighbor, i wouldn't worry ... but perhaps the fully enclosed pen attached to the barn is the best compromise ...


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## Sundancer (Jan 21, 2012)

A short story - we also had trouble with a neighbor about our dogs. He was constantly calling the police or animal control despite being told that they had a job to do and were not breaking the law. Needless to say, he was a real piece of work. On one of his calls to the police, they were at the front door talking to us, one of the dogs was barking at the policeman, he stepped out his door and shot the dog with a BB gun. 

That cost him 90 days in jail and a $2500 fine. :ROFL: 

Never had any trouble from him again and he eventually moved. :wahoo: 

An LGD that doesn't bark wouldn't be much of a guard


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## use2bwilson (Aug 4, 2011)

that's nearly a perfecty scenario (not ideal for your dog to be shot with BB gun hopefully he missed hitting the dog) ... but perfect that the police were there and the neighbor was jailed and fined ... and moved. it could only hope for such an outcome ... but i just worry that my neighbor would be more deceitful about it and my animals would be hurt or killed as a result ...

i also go outside and always check when i hear my LGD seriously barking. i have to admit, he has a great percentage of only barking when necessary. I usually will hear coyotes once i am outside ... or the other night at 3 am when he was barking, i stumbled outside to quiet him down and investigate ... it was a skunk. i smelled it right away and yes, our hard working boy was skunked in the line of duty!!


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## Sundancer (Jan 21, 2012)

As an outside thought, you may consider talking to your local Sheriff or animal control people and let them know you are concerned about him doing something really stupid.

That way you at least gave them a heads-up as to the problem.


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