Fencing question

[CJ]

Back on our farm, we had 4 strand barbwire around the entire acreage, and used stock panels around the holding yard.

Now we are living on the edge of town with just 5 acres, and wish to fence it. We'd like a "general" fence to cover all purposes, keep chickens in, keep dogs out, possibly keep a couple of goats in.

I was thinking woven, non climb horse fence would probably be our best option?

Also, wood fence posts or t-posts with it? Why one over the other?

Thanks!

[Yvonne's hubby]

Originally Posted by CJ

Back on our farm, we had 4 strand barbwire around the entire acreage, and used stock panels around the holding yard.

Now we are living on the edge of town with just 5 acres, and wish to fence it. We'd like a "general" fence to cover all purposes, keep chickens in, keep dogs out, possibly keep a couple of goats in.

I was thinking woven, non climb horse fence would probably be our best option?

Also, wood fence posts or t-posts with it? Why one over the other?

Thanks!

I like a six inch wood post after every five T posts with a strand of barb at the top of woven wire. The wood post offers a bit more support, strengthening the overall fence without the extra cost of all wood posts. With your situation, the woven wire probably will not keep chickens in so the non climb horse wire would be better.

[Beeman]

You have to build strong corners with wood crossbraced then metal for fillers. Only problem with woven wire is if you have neighbors kids tend to climb on it.

[houndlover]

We are currently replacing about 1500' of woven wire fence that we installed when we first moved here and didn't know anything. All T posts. Trial and error and 25 yrs of wear and tear on the first fence taught us a few things. One, you need to set a wooden post, preferably in concrete, for every 4 or 5 T posts. We set a wooden post every 50', two at gates with turnbolts, and three at corners (corner post and a wooden post set 8' out from each direction of the corner. We are using 48" woven wire, three strands of barbed wire above (4-5" apart), and electric wire running around the inside, 4" from the bottom and 4" from the top. The electric keeps the goats off the fence, because goats don't understand "no climb", and the barbed wire keeps the horses from leaning over and wrecking the woven. Don't skimp on T posts, get the heavy duty ones. We don't plan to ever refence, and this fence so far deters the dogs, goats, sheep, and horses from going under, over, or through. A determined critter can bypass any fence if they so choose, so the mix of animals you have matters. I cull for escape artists.

[RJMAcres]

Alternating electric and barbed wires works great.
Space them about 6" or so apart.
Dogs can't go thru or climb them and neither can goats.
Bottom wire should be electric and about 4-6 inches off the ground.

Where in the Ozarks are you ?

[time]

I use a high tensile wire fence, but it won't keep chickens in. The bottom wire is hot so dogs do not come in. The corners are very solid steel but it requires little in the way of line post. Mine are 1/4 fibre glass. Saves allot of time and money. My Dad's has been up for 30 yrs and is still in use with little maintanance. In line strainers makes tightening easy.

[CJ]

Thanks guys, I never thought about alternating the wood posts with the t-posts, that makes perfect sense!

As for heavy duty t-posts, I wasn't aware they came in different flavors? Other than orange or green that is . We always get the green ones.

I don't want electric fence, it's never interested me.

We're in Russellville, central AR. Formerly from Ava MO

[Txrider]

Originally Posted by CJ

Thanks guys, I never thought about alternating the wood posts with the t-posts, that makes perfect sense!

As for heavy duty t-posts, I wasn't aware they came in different flavors? Other than orange or green that is . We always get the green ones.

I don't want electric fence, it's never interested me.

We're in Russellville, central AR. Formerly from Ava MO

I used 48" non climb horse fence, wooden post every 40 feet, heavy duty T-posts every ten feet between. T-posts go by weight per foot.

I used all 8' posts, sunk 36", with 10" posts at the corners braced.

Worked out well, and I have a foot of extra pole above the horse fence to add barbed or hot wire later.

[mrpink]

the common tee posts used for fencing has the weight per foot measurement. they are 1.25 and 1.33

[CJ]

Thanks again! We used the 8 foot posts in the past, but I don't recall the co-op having two different sizes (1.25 and 1.33) unless it the 6' and 8' ones are rated differently, I will certainly check!

[RJMAcres]

CJ I doubt you will be able to put 8 footers in the ground in the Ozarks.
It's tough getting 6 footers in.

[Txrider]

Not easy in Texas either. I rented a big Rhino PD 110 compressed air post driver with a tow behind compressor.. Even so there were a few that hit rock and just wouldn't budge. For about 200 posts it was money well spent.

[fordy]

..................The problem with using wood posts with No climb , 2"x4" or 4"x4" wire is that the wire is so heavy that the amount of force necessary too stretch it will usually overwhelm the wood posts , over time ! Yellow pine treated 4x4 , or 4x6 posts are basically soft wood and the wire will cut into the squared corners and consequently the fence will become , Loose .
..................Telephone poles are the only way I'd ever consider stretching No climb wire and attaching it too a wood post , used oilfield pipe is the acceptable type of material for anchoring no climb wire for a fence that will stand the test of time . , fordy

[CJ]

Ouch, that is probably pretty pricey yes? Will T-posts work better than the wood posts then? We're going to start with our little orchard area first. It needs to keep chickens in, dogs out, and it'd be nice if it slowed down the deer too. It's about 175 feet on all 4 sides.

I also need suggestions on a gate that will keep the chickens in. We'd like 2 six foot gates. Back on the farm, I wired chicken wire to a stock panel and attached it to a metal farm gate... but I'd like something that looks a little nicer.

Originally Posted by fordy

..................The problem with using wood posts with No climb , 2"x4" or 4"x4" wire is that the wire is so heavy that the amount of force necessary too stretch it will usually overwhelm the wood posts , over time ! Yellow pine treated 4x4 , or 4x6 posts are basically soft wood and the wire will cut into the squared corners and consequently the fence will become , Loose .
..................Telephone poles are the only way I'd ever consider stretching No climb wire and attaching it too a wood post , used oilfield pipe is the acceptable type of material for anchoring no climb wire for a fence that will stand the test of time . , fordy

[fordy]

Originally Posted by CJ

Ouch, that is probably pretty pricey yes? Will T-posts work better than the wood posts then? We're going to start with our little orchard area first. It needs to keep chickens in, dogs out, and it'd be nice if it slowed down the deer too. It's about 175 feet on all 4 sides.

I also need suggestions on a gate that will keep the chickens in. We'd like 2 six foot gates. Back on the farm, I wired chicken wire to a stock panel and attached it to a metal farm gate... but I'd like something that looks a little nicer.

................I'm not telling you , too , use wood posts , rather , just be aware of the effects of wood vs pipe over time ! You can fashion a rather cheap , portable welder by purchasing a crackerbox welder and buying(used) a 10 to 12kw generator and mounting both on a small trailer that can be pulled by a riding mower . A 12kw generator will provide enough electricity too power the the welder too do all the welding necessary to build your fence .
..............Tposts are Not strong enough in my opinion too be substituted for regular corner posts ! Another method too make Tposts easier too drive in semi rocky soil is too Heat the faceplate and simply knock them off with a hammer . Teach yourself how too weld , it isn't that hard , can be very frustrating at first , but you'll develop a ...."feel".... or touch and you'll really enjoy building stuff once you learn how ! , fordy

[CJ]

Maybe we're confused... I'm not speaking of using t-posts for the corners... are you saying to just use pipe for the corners? Not the whole fence?

We have a very nice welder, hubby is and engineer by trade, machinist by hobby, welding is not a problem.

Originally Posted by fordy

................I'm not telling you , too , use wood posts , rather , just be aware of the effects of wood vs pipe over time ! You can fashion a rather cheap , portable welder by purchasing a crackerbox welder and buying(used) a 10 to 12kw generator and mounting both on a small trailer that can be pulled by a riding mower . A 12kw generator will provide enough electricity too power the the welder too do all the welding necessary to build your fence .
..............Tposts are Not strong enough in my opinion too be substituted for regular corner posts ! Another method too make Tposts easier too drive in semi rocky soil is too Heat the faceplate and simply knock them off with a hammer . Teach yourself how too weld , it isn't that hard , can be very frustrating at first , but you'll develop a ...."feel".... or touch and you'll really enjoy building stuff once you learn how ! , fordy

[oregon woodsmok]

I really like stable wire, but if you don't have heavy livestock you will find it cheaper to use kennel wire. That's non-climb, 5 feet tall, with 2 X 2 squares. Better for chickens than stable wire. It's not as heavy as stable wire, so I'm not so confident of it's use with cattle.

Close in to town, I would not use barb wire. Injuries, liability, yadda yadda.

For deer, you will do best with game fence, 7-8 ft tall, but it has 4X4 squares, so then you also have to go around and cover the base with poultry wire to keep the chickens in.

If you've got birds, you'll have to make the bottom of the fence dig-proof, or the dogs just come in under the fence. The closer in to town you get the more likely to have neighbors who let their dogs roam.

[fordy]

Originally Posted by CJ

Maybe we're confused... I'm not speaking of using t-posts for the corners... are you saying to just use pipe for the corners? Not the whole fence?

We have a very nice welder, hubby is and engineer by trade, machinist by hobby, welding is not a problem.

......................Yes , use pipe for Hbraces , Tee's , and I'd install a pipe deadman every 50 too 100 feet ! Budget permitting , I'd also install diagional pipe braces on each Hbrace you install . Your corner posts as well as Hbrace posts should be 6 feet apart . I'd recommend using 3 inch OD , Sch. 40 pipe for your posts and 2.5 inch OD pipe for the horzontial portion of H's and the diagional braces . I'm simply telling you what I know that works based upon 20+ years of doing this for a living ! If , pipe is not in your budget then I'd try very hard too locate some old telephone poles . If , you build this fencing for longivity and strength , the First time you won't have too jack around with trying too make partial fixes as the fence gets progressively loos'er over time . Nothing detracts from a well kept homestead like loose fences ! , fordy