Need some advice on installing field fence

[STx]

I'm planning on fencing in about 9 acres in the near future. I'm not sure what will end up inside the fence, I know for certain there will be up to 4 cows and think we'll probably end up with some goats and maybe a couple of horses at some point. I'm going to use 49" woven wire field fence (image attached below) with steel T-Posts and I'm going to build my own corner posts, brace post and H posts out of 2" galvanized steel pipe.

Our land has a gentle roll to it, there will be some elevation change but no undulation along the fence line. It's a smooth slope.

I have a few questions that I hope you guys can help me with.

1 - I'm planning on spacing the T-Posts 12' apart and using 7' T-Posts driven 2.5' into the ground. This will leave me about 6" of post above the fence to install a hot wire or a barbed wire strand. Anything wrong with this plan?

2 - I'm getting the fence in 660' rolls, what spacing should I have for brace post and H posts? I'm thinking about every 330'.

3 - My big question, how do I attach the fence to galvanized corner, brace and H posts? It's not like I can hammer fence staples into them. Is there something available that will make this easy? The only thing I've come up with so far is to wrap the fencing around the end posts and secure it to itself and to use wire to attach it to the H posts like I would a T-Post.

What don't I know to ask about? We've used welded wire field fence to create a yard for the dog and chickens but, it's only fencing in about 4,000 sq/ft so the stresses on the posts and such aren't nearly the same. We also used wood corner and end posts so attaching the fencing to those was no problem.

 

[dickfoster]

I'm planning on fencing in about 9 acres in the near future. I'm not sure what will end up inside the fence, I know for certain there will be up to 4 cows and think we'll probably end up with some goats and maybe a couple of horses at some point. I'm going to use 49" woven wire field fence (image attached below) with steel T-Posts and I'm going to build my own corner posts, brace post and H posts out of 2" galvanized steel pipe.

Our land has a gentle roll to it, there will be some elevation change but no undulation along the fence line. It's a smooth slope.

I have a few questions that I hope you guys can help me with.

1 - I'm planning on spacing the T-Posts 12' apart and using 7' T-Posts driven 3' into the ground. This will leave me about 10" of post above the fence to install a hot wire or a barbed wire strand. Anything wrong with this plan?

2 - I'm getting the fence in 660' rolls, what spacing should I have for brace post and H posts? I'm thinking about every 330'.

3 - My big question, how do I attach the fence to galvanized corner, brace and H posts? It's not like I can hammer fence staples into them. Is there something available that will make this easy? The only thing I've come up with so far is to wrap the fencing around the end posts and secure it to itself and to use wire to attach it to the H posts like I would a T-Post.

What don't I know to ask about? We've used welded wire field fence to create a yard for the dog and chickens but, it's only fencing in about 4,000 sq/ft so the stresses on the posts and such aren't nearly the same. We also used wood corner and end posts so attaching the fencing to those was no problem.



View attachment 485349

I don't think steel posts and a hot wire will work very well unless you plan to put insulators on every post for the hot wire.

 

[Wagtail]

Where are the gates going in? And do you want the gates to inter-connect/lead into the next paddock?

Metal, braced, corner posts are available... I've seen them used in predominately coastal areas due to salty air rotting wood posts & strainers.

 

[STx]

I don't think steel posts and a hot wire will work very well unless you plan to put insulators on every post for the hot wire.

If I put a hot wire, it will go on insulators. I won't put one one unless we get horses, most likely.

 

[STx]

Where are the gates going in? And do you want the gates to inter-connect/lead into the next paddock?

Metal, braced, corner posts are available... I've seen them used in predominately coastal areas due to salty air rotting wood posts & strainers.

The gates will go on the galvanized pipe. This is fencing the perimeter of what we're using for the homestead part of the property, cross fencing will come later. On this part, there will only be 3 gates. An entry gate from the road (already in place, on a 6" wood post), a gate from this to the back 27 acres (will be mounted between 2 existing galvanized H posts) and a gate from the area where the shop will be into it (will probably also go between a couple of H posts).

I know I can buy metal brace, corner and H posts but, they're $150/ea, more for galvanized. I can buy a joint of galvanized pipe for less than $50 and build my own in under an hour and I'm ok with $100/hr for my time.

 

[Wagtail]

My paddocks are somewhat interconnected using, what I call, a 'Y' gate formation... I can access a paddock individually or open from one to another by joining the gates.

 

[Leejohn]

If any of the fence is going on the lot line then you should check what the fence laws are for your state.

 

[budepps3760]

This is an excellent publication from the University of Georgia. It will help in what you are planning.




View attachment fences for the farm.PDF

 

[AchingBack]

Definitely just wrap the wire behind the corner posts. Further, I recommend installing the fencing inside of the posts.

 

[STx]

If any of the fence is going on the lot line then you should check what the fence laws are for your state.

There's no state rules on fencing in Texas and my county requires permits for septic systems and drilling wells so I have no government BS to deal with, thankfully.

 

[zzvyb6]

IMHO, 12' is too far apart. Horses and cows will need more restraint, even with a hot wire. If they get spooked, they will barge right through it. My neighbor just found out about that a week ago.

Also, save yourself some trouble and pound in the posts instead of concreteing them in. When replacement is needed, (because an animal, the neighbor kids, your tractor or a falling tree takes out one or more) it will be a lot easier.

You should plan on breaking this area into several smaller pastures so a field can heal after its all chewed up. And make your gates wide enough to get all current and future machinery through.

 

[oosik]

My 80 acres - 1.5 mile perimeter - is 100% barbed wire. It a rectangle - 1320' x 2640'. I use T-posts, T-133, every 12 feet. Every 100' or so, I installed a gooey, treated railroad tie. I can stretch, pull and tie the five strands of barbed wire between the RR ties. The T-posts every 12' just hold the barbed wire up and maintain the stretched tightness.

The neighbor installed fencing for five of his acres for sheep. He did the same procedure - 133 T-posts every 12' with a RR tie every 100' or so. He used 48" high woven wire with two strands of barbed wire on the top. The woven wire & barbed wire are attached to the T-posts with the standard barbed wire clips. No big deal. When the barbed or woven wire passes a RR tie - it simply nailed to the tie with wire nails.

I have rock gabions at the corners of the property. A 4' x'4' x4' box made out of heavy duty expanded steel panels , filled with rock. This provides enough strength/resistance that if not a little careful you can actually break the barbed wire when attached to the gabion and tightening the wire.

My fencing was installed 1982/1983 and has kept the neighbors cows at bay with only minimal maintenance.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I'm planning on fencing in about 9 acres in the near future. I'm not sure what will end up inside the fence, I know for certain there will be up to 4 cows and think we'll probably end up with some goats and maybe a couple of horses at some point. I'm going to use 49" woven wire field fence (image attached below) with steel T-Posts and I'm going to build my own corner posts, brace post and H posts out of 2" galvanized steel pipe.

Our land has a gentle roll to it, there will be some elevation change but no undulation along the fence line. It's a smooth slope.

I have a few questions that I hope you guys can help me with.

1 - I'm planning on spacing the T-Posts 12' apart and using 7' T-Posts driven 2.5' into the ground. This will leave me about 6" of post above the fence to install a hot wire or a barbed wire strand. Anything wrong with this plan?

2 - I'm getting the fence in 660' rolls, what spacing should I have for brace post and H posts? I'm thinking about every 330'.

3 - My big question, how do I attach the fence to galvanized corner, brace and H posts? It's not like I can hammer fence staples into them. Is there something available that will make this easy? The only thing I've come up with so far is to wrap the fencing around the end posts and secure it to itself and to use wire to attach it to the H posts like I would a T-Post.

What don't I know to ask about? We've used welded wire field fence to create a yard for the dog and chickens but, it's only fencing in about 4,000 sq/ft so the stresses on the posts and such aren't nearly the same. We also used wood corner and end posts so attaching the fencing to those was no problem.



View attachment 485349

A word to the wise. If you are going to have goats, don't use the field fencing with the variable spacing (getting wider as it goes up). A horned goat will stick his head thru a 6" opening and its horns go thru but are he!! to remove without cutting the fencing. BTDT- one goat would get stuck daily. Instead use the fencing with the 2" or 3" spacing all the way from top to bottom. It may cost a bit more, but you wont be trying to get a goats head unstuck daily.

 

[STx]

A word to the wise. If you are going to have goats, don't use the field fencing with the variable spacing (getting wider as it goes up). A horned goat will stick his head thru a 6" opening and its horns go thru but are he!! to remove without cutting the fencing. BTDT- one goat would get stuck daily. Instead use the fencing with the 2" or 3" spacing all the way from top to bottom. It may cost a bit more, but you wont be trying to get a goats head unstuck daily.

Aren't you supposed to cull the dumb ones?

 

[quicksandfarmer]

If I put a hot wire, it will go on insulators. I won't put one one unless we get horses, most likely.

I use a hot wire with goats as well. Otherwise they constantly climb on the fence and wreck it.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

30 inches sounds like an awful lot to pound the posts in, I use 6-footers and pound them in 18 inches. If the fence is stretched tight between braces the line posts mostly just hold the fence up, most of the force is straight down. I space the line posts 10 feet.

 

[STx]

30 inches sounds like an awful lot to pound the posts in, I use 6-footers and pound them in 18 inches. If the fence is stretched tight between braces the line posts mostly just hold the fence up, most of the force is straight down. I space the line posts 10 feet.

Our soil is mostly loam. It gets rock hard when dry because of the caliche in it but, when it's wet, it's really loose and easy to dig. My worry is that if we don't go very deep then it'll be easy to lean the posts over if an animal puts any pressure on it when the ground is wet. We'd plan on putting them in after a good rain, pounding them 2 - 3 feet is no problem then. My wife likes to run the T-Post driver (she's crazy) so it doesn't bother me to go deep.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

I have rock gabions at the corners of the property. A 4' x'4' x4' box made out of heavy duty expanded steel panels , filled with rock. This provides enough strength/resistance that if not a little careful you can actually break the barbed wire when attached to the gabion and tightening the wire.

Would you mind posting a picture of this? Thanks

 

[QRTRHRS]

Couple of thoughts here: If you have a loader, use the bucket to push the T-posts into the ground. You can also buy or perhaps rent gas or air powered T-post pounders.

Check out kencove.com for all kinds of fencing supplies. They sell, as does TSC, hardware to use T-posts for corner or line bracing. I have used these clips for woven wire fencing for my dogs where I tensioned the wire enough to straighten it. But that was just the 2x4 light gauge stuff.

Depending on the pipe diameter that you are thinking about for your corner bracing, there are pre-bent wire clips that commonly sell with T-posts that may work to secure the woven wire on the pipes.

If horses are for sure in the future, use plastic T-post caps for your top wire. They have plastic clips to hold the wire and will negate a horse from impaling themselves on the posts.

 

[Argonne]

I'm in Texas too, and I've been pretty tempted to buy some of the attractively priced sucker pipe that pops up on the sale boards all the time for corner post use. While thinking about that, I found a nice article on the subject that outlines the advantages and pitfalls of doing so, and even (near the bottom) tells what types pf pipe are good for what fencing tasks. Here's the link. Oilfield Pipe & Supply How to Buy Pipe