Triangle Pasture

[nc_mtn]

I'm going to fence in a section that follows the property line down one side (250 ft) and my driveway on "side b" (250 ft) and my yard on the 3rd side (100 ft). I'm counting it as .7 of a acre or almost 3/4 right? While its not even, its close enough for my pre-fence building purchases. I'm figuring I need 55 t-post. I will be using a couple of locust post in the 2 corners (the only tree I plan on using is in the corner - my sawmill may regret this decision in a few years but its inside the property corner) and a few post around the gates.
I'm going to use 9 strands of barbed wire with a couple of hot electric wires sticking inside to keep the animals from scratching on it. So I'm thinking I need 3 rolls of wire (I've got a partial roll already).

I plan on using this fence for goats right now but I want to build it right and be able to put about anything in there.

Does this sound right and ok? Is there a cheaper but good other way to do it?

[MO_cows]

9 strands of barbed wire sounds like a nightmare to stretch and attach without one string tangling on the next since they will be so close together. But then again, I have never tried to keep in goats. We always fenced for horses and cattle.

The perimeter you described is 600 ft so 55 posts would put them around 10 feet apart, allowing for gate openings?

[gone-a-milkin]

Why not just use woven wire, with your electric?

9 strands of barbed wire is not my idea of safe.
Imagine if one of your animals gets caught up in it.

[agmantoo]

Put a treated board against the tree and affix the wire to the board. This will keep most of the metal out of the tree and will avoid the tree growing over the wire.

[motdaugrnds]

I think you might regret using the barbed wire. Goats are notorious for their curiosity; and I can just see one getting caught in that wire!

[oneokie]

IIRC, area of an eqilateral triangle is 1/2b x h = area. 12,500 sq ft. My calculation says .28 acre.

[nc_mtn]

Originally Posted by oneokie

IIRC, area of an eqilateral triangle is 1/2b x h = area. 12,500 sq ft. My calculation says .28 acre.

I was thinking it would be .5(250) x 250 for the area, not the shorter section - sorry, guess I should have searched instead of "remembering"

I thought of the woven wire but I figure that I need 2 rolls of barbed @ about $40 so $80 vs 1 roll of woven @ over $250 for just 300 or so ft. That would mean I need 3 rolls of that stuff I gotta be able to feed the goats too

[deaconjim]

Have you considered using the high tensile smooth wire? You can space you posts further apart, and the wire is relatively cheap.

[sammyd]

run woven wire with a strand of barb about a foot above that. then run a hot at nose level and maybe one lower on stand out insulators.

we've kept goats behind 4 smooth hots and cows behind 3 barbed hots. 5 non hot barbs will hold most cows..9 and 2 seems like a bit of overkill

[nc_mtn]

Originally Posted by deaconjim

Have you considered using the high tensile smooth wire? You can space you posts further apart, and the wire is relatively cheap.

I did but seems too costly if I'm figuring right. The 12 (something) gauge wire I saw was $100 for I think a mile (may be wrong). So not much more than the barbed all said and done BUT don't I have to use wood post? I'm all for that but I dont have much locust and to go out and buy pressure treated would cost me more than the t-post. Plus I'd have to have something to drill the hole or drive the post in and I'd have to rent it, Don't have a tractor yet.

I'd love to fence in the whole 6 acres with this stuff but until the housing market goes up and my work increases, I'm looking for the best way for the budget

Sammy - I wanted 9 strands to keep them 6 inches apart so they goats won't try to get in between them. The hot would be at the top and in the middle of the 2 barbed about goat nose high. I'm thinking this would keep them away and not attempt getting on or in the fence

[nc_mtn]

Originally Posted by sammyd

run woven wire with a strand of barb about a foot above that. then run a hot at nose level and maybe one lower on stand out insulators.

we've kept goats behind 4 smooth hots and cows behind 3 barbed hots. 5 non hot barbs will hold most cows..9 and 2 seems like a bit of overkill

The current fence was 5 strands of electric wire. We've had 10 goats in there for some time but before last winter (and our 4th child) we decided to sell them for some extra income. This summer we got some more goats and they have torn the fence all to pieces. I wanted a secure place anyway so I can keep some other animals in or separate a mother/baby pair or if I wasn't wanting to breed yet, a good place to keep them apart.

I'm wanting to work on the bigger pasture but this smaller one should get us through the winter, I have to feed hay either way I go due to the establishment of grass

[deaconjim]

Originally Posted by nc_mtn

I did but seems too costly if I'm figuring right. The 12 (something) gauge wire I saw was $100 for I think a mile (may be wrong). So not much more than the barbed all said and done BUT don't I have to use wood post? I'm all for that but I dont have much locust and to go out and buy pressure treated would cost me more than the t-post. Plus I'd have to have something to drill the hole or drive the post in and I'd have to rent it, Don't have a tractor yet.

I'd love to fence in the whole 6 acres with this stuff but until the housing market goes up and my work increases, I'm looking for the best way for the budget

You can use T-posts for everything but the corners. Recommended post spacing is 24 - 48'.

[nc_mtn]

Originally Posted by deaconjim

You can use T-posts for everything but the corners. Recommended post spacing is 24 - 48'.

Thanks - I just read up on installing it. So you think I could (on my triangle) get away with only using wood post on 3 corners and 2 for each side of the gate (giving the way the land is, I need the gate not at a corner)? I was already going to do it this way with the barbed wire. I do have a ditch that it must cross over so I was actually going to put in 2 post on each side and 1 in the "hole" because I've had bad luck with a tight fence not nailed solid before.


mmmmm You got me really thinking.

Is this wire what I need?
http://www.tractorsupply.com/electri...t-coil-3601326
and the $3 WIRE STRAINER for each line? How do I make it so I can at some point make them all hot? Is that over kill

[deaconjim]

Originally Posted by nc_mtn

Thanks - I just read up on installing it. So you think I could (on my triangle) get away with only using wood post on 3 corners and 2 for each side of the gate (giving the way the land is, I need the gate not at a corner)? I was already going to do it this way with the barbed wire. I do have a ditch that it must cross over so I was actually going to put in 2 post on each side and 1 in the "hole" because I've had bad luck with a tight fence not nailed solid before.


mmmmm You got me really thinking.

Is this wire what I need?
http://www.tractorsupply.com/electri...t-coil-3601326
and the $3 WIRE STRAINER for each line? How do I make it so I can at some point make them all hot? Is that over kill

Yes, that is the wire you need. Here is a link that gives instructions on how to install it:

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-132/442-132.html

[nc_mtn]

Jim - Thanks man I'm going to do some thinking and counting now. See how you're from SWVA you can't be too far so the only way I'd love you more right now is if you came on across the mtn and drove some post for me...

Thanks for the help man, I do appreciate it

[deaconjim]

Glad I could help.

[Bearfootfarm]

How do I make it so I can at some point make them all hot?

You can just use "jumper wires" to tie them together, but you don't really need to make them all hot. Often you'll get better results alternating a hot with a ground.

You might also want to put in a cut off switch or two for the bottom wires if you get much snow

If you have an Agri-Supply near you, they will probably have the best prices on fencing.

I like to use these in the corners because they make it easy to pull the wires, and can handle a LOT of strain

http://www.agrisupply.com/product.as...1319&sid=&eid=


Another thing to consider is that "Hi Tensile" is NOT the same thing as "regular" electric fence wire. "HI Tensile" requires heavier posts and a lot more stress to get it tight enough. It's more expensive and much harder to work with.

I use 12 1/2 Ga Aluminum fence wire, and stretch it just tight enough so it doesn't sag too much between posts. It's cheaper, it will NEVER RUST, and it's very easy to work with. It also has less electrical resistance, so it carries more current.

My line posts are 50 ft apart, and I used old telephone poles for the corners, with 4 ft in the ground and no other braces.

[nc_mtn]

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

You can just use "jumper wires" to tie them together, but you don't really need to make them all hot. Often you'll get better results alternating a hot with a ground.

Thanks - If I go this route, I don't plan on making them all hot but was really wondering if I should add the insulator/plastic tubing to all lines @ the post so I could make them hot if I ever needed (like if 1 hot strain breaks or gets a place in the insulator that grounds out)

[Bearfootfarm]

wondering if I should add the insulator/plastic tubing to all lines @ the post

It wouldn't be a bad idea. It won't cost that much more and it's easier to do it in the beginning than to try and do it later

[nc_mtn]

So I was talking to a guy about this fence thing yesterday. I guess you could say I'm on the fence about which way to go. If I go High Tensile, what if I didn't want to keep electricity on it? Is it only effective if it (usually) has a charge? Will it hold animals (mainly goats right now) without a charger? I was also told that I needed the crimping tool and to crimp the ends. He said despite people saying you could "tie" it that it doesn't work very well to twist and tie it.

Could you please add some thoughts?

Thanks alot guys