Goats and fencing

RobA · Apr 16, 2017

I'm thinking of getting a few goats (max 3) as pets. Not for meat or milk. One of my pastures is about 3 acres and enclosed with typical 3 board wood fencing about 52 inches high. I'd rather not add metal no-climb fencing. If I add 3 or 4 strands of electric tape to the wood fence what are the odds it will contain them?

NoTrespassing · Apr 16, 2017

I would estimate the odds at slim to none. Goats are hard to contain. Will you add 3 to 4 strands at your gates too?

Kevin

randy41 · Apr 16, 2017

goats are good pets. 52" is nothing to them. the 2 wethers i got don't wander very far.

Sheldon Hamblin · Apr 16, 2017

We have had dairy goats for almost 40 years. Your board fencing may contain them if the boards are close enough together. Electric wire fencing on the inside helps.
But the minute they find out the wire has shorted out, they will get out. 5 strands kept hot, and clear of vegetation will work . Certain breeds have a tendency to jump fences so be careful what bred you choose, or plan on wire above the boards.

weldingisfun · Apr 17, 2017

To answer your question, the odds are 100% they will get out. If you are unwilling or unable to build the proper fencing necessary to keep goats on your property, don't get goats.

EddieWalker · Apr 17, 2017

I have a vinyl three rail fence that the goats can and have easily gone through. I added three strands of hot wire to keep my pig and horses from destroying the fence, and also keeping coyotes and racoons out of the fenced area. The goats ignore the wire.

I've found that for me, keeping them happy is all it takes to keep them around. We feed all our animals every evening and they are all there waiting for us at feed time. Once they get used to the feed, they can't wait for it.

Since horses are such pigs and they try to eat everyone elses food, we have closed off areas to keep them out. I cut a small opening into a wire filled gate that the goats can fit through, but not the pig or horses. They get fed in there now, and then they spend the night in there. They also hang out during the day in there too. I have two pastures, one if five acres, the other is 6 acres. They wonder out all over both pastures, but also come back to the barn multiple times during the day. We think that they consider it their home, but it's also where the water trough is. Even though there is a 3/4 acre pond, they seem to prefer drinking city water out of the trough. Same with the horses.

Another thing we've learned is that when we get a new goat, we lock it up for a week or so. We let it get used to the barn and the other animals, and when we let it out, it hangs out with the other animals.

jimmyj · Apr 17, 2017

We used to have 4 goats, kept along with a bunch of other animals (sheep, llama, alpaca, cows, donkey, pot belly pigs). We have 5 strand electric, all hot and it worked fine. The 1st strand is about 8 inches above the ground, next is 16, then 24, then 36 and the top is at 48". Goats are hilarious, and very good pets. Any areas without electric such as gates etc have to be very sturdy and well made or they will escape.

NorTracNY · Apr 17, 2017

I guess I'm an exception here. We got goats a few years ago. I have three rail fencing which worked for the horses. For the goats, I added 3 hot strands of wire. It has worked VERY well. It keeps the preditors out and the goats in. There have only been two times the goats have gotten out. When we first got them, the little babies went up to the fence to get out under the rail. Their ears hit the electric and they jumped out when they got shocked. They never did that again. The other time, we didn't close the gate enough and they slipped between the gate and fence post.

I've heard all the stories of goats being escape artist, but luckily no one has told those stories to my goats. Just do your best to keep them happy in the pasture and take them for walks.

2LaneCruzer · Apr 17, 2017

Been around farms and farmers a lot, but never around goats. I know they are amazing animals, and are used in some cases to clear brushy areas. We had neighbors when I was about five or six years old, in a very small town, that had several they kept for the milk. It was nothing to look out the window and see them on top of someone's car.

Went to visit a friend that I worked with, that had a small farm, and he also had a few goats. I smoked at the time; pulled out a cigarette and his big billy sauntered over and grabbed it out of my hand and ate it. I though it was kinda funny; pulled out another and I though he was going to knock me down! He was a big rascal, so I gave it to him.

My friend came out of the house about that time, and I told him the goat was stealing my cigarettes...and he said "That's nothing, you ought to see him drink beer!". I would call that a real party animal!