# Chain link fencing and goats with horns



## sharkespeare (Jun 14, 2012)

My goats will be moving to a farm with chain link fence very soon, but both are bucks with (decently sized!) horns. I'm worried about their heads getting stuck because they LOVE to headbutt and rub their heads against everything. Has anyone had experience with horned goats and this type of fencing? Any suggestions would be much appreciated! I've heard of a method where you tape a piece of pvc pipe horizontally behind the horns, but I'm not sure if I should try that or not. I also worry that they will go up to each other and eat the tape if I do that.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Do their horns grow up or do they curve back?
Chain link has give to it and the squares too small to get stuck in... most "stuck" horns happen because the goat can get their head through the fence but not be able to come back through because their horns get them stuck.


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## canthavejust1 (Oct 12, 2012)

I have chainlink and one doe with horns. She has never gotten stuck but ive also never seen her rubbing her head/horns on it...mostly they just rub their entire sides along it. Apparently its a great back scratcher! They all do it!


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## enchantedgoats (Jun 2, 2013)

We have both chainlink and hog panels for our horned goats. I wish i had the money to do the whole place in chainlink!


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## russellp (Apr 10, 2013)

I have 20 horned does and 2 horned bucks in chainlink and never had one stuck.


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## Kaneel (Oct 7, 2012)

Chain link fence is probably best for a goat with horns lol. The only reason goats get stuck in fences is because they get their whole head through...when they stick their horns through chain link they should be able to easily get them out  No pvc pipe needed lol!


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

we have chainlink, and all my goats have horns. no one's been stuck in them yet


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## AdamsAcres (Dec 3, 2012)

I have a combo of chain link and graduated fencing and our goats never get stuck in the chain link.


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## The-bleating-goat-farm (Jul 12, 2013)

I also have chain link and horned doe no problems, and yes they do love to use it as a back scratcher lol


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## sharkespeare (Jun 14, 2012)

Thank you all for the responses! I feel a lot better about it now  They definitely wouldn't be able to fit their heads through since the holes are so small. The only other thing I can think of that might be trouble is the gap where the gate is (http://www.hooverfence.com/manual/chainlink/double-chainlink-gate.JPG) but it doesn't sound like anyone's had a problem with that.

To answer your question Liz, one of my goats has horns that curve to either side, and his half-brother has horns that curve straight back.


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## sharkespeare (Jun 14, 2012)

russellp said:


> I have 20 horned does and 2 horned bucks in chainlink and never had one stuck.


Wow, look at those horns!! Mine are nowhere near that size so if chainlink works for you I probably have nothing to worry about! Rofl. He is beautiful!


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## sharkespeare (Jun 14, 2012)

canthavejust1 said:


> I have chainlink and one doe with horns. She has never gotten stuck but ive also never seen her rubbing her head/horns on it...mostly they just rub their entire sides along it. Apparently its a great back scratcher! They all do it!


That's good to hear! My youngest is always trying to get me to scratch his back, he'll even stand sideways and lean against my legs like he's about to go boneless in order to get pet!


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## russellp (Apr 10, 2013)

sharkespeare said:


> Wow, look at those horns!! Mine are nowhere near that size so if chainlink works for you I probably have nothing to worry about! Rofl. He is beautiful!


He was only a year old in that photo these were in the fall of 2012, winter of 2012, and the spring of 2013.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

sharkespeare said:


> Has anyone had experience with horned goats and this type of fencing?


Yes, I have experience with this type of fencing. I used it for the weaning bucklings for several years, and never had a goat get caught in it. I've also used pvc pipe/wooden dowels/large wooden spoons/pretty much anything that was handy duct taped to my girls horns when they insisted on sticking their heads through the cattle panels on a daily basis, and no one ever ate the duct tape.


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## phydough (Jun 3, 2011)

I have never had a problem with getting stuck in chain link. They do love to rub their bodies on it and stretch it out though.


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## Parttimepotter (Jul 3, 2013)

I've never had one get stuck in chain link, but I did have one big doe tear a hole in a chain link fence. 

Weirdest thing! Still don't know how she managed it. She only has one horn!


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