Portable "electric" fencing...
 

Does anyone have any experience with this? Does it work alright with goats? Does the battery hold a charge? How easy is it to move? Any other thoughts?

We will have a permanent area for the goats but would eventually like to move them around on the property and need to keep them in and dogs/ coyotes out.

I had thought about getting the portable electric fence to go around our pen now, rather than a permanent electric fence to save money in the long run. We have two dogs that I want to discourage from getting near the goat area. We will have stock panels and chain link (we are lucky to have some we want to remove anyway) around the pen area - but I feel that the electric would be a nice extra precaution.

Thanks!

I use electric net fencing with my goats. Also known as portable fencing. The battery will not produce enough power to stop goats. I use a 110 electric charger that has an output of 6 joules.

Did you buy the charger extra in order to have enough charge to stop the goats? Is it hard to adapt to the fencing? Thanks!

I use electric net fencing with a battery powered charger from Premier. A battery will last up to six months if you are faithful about keeping the fence from grounding out. (Mostly this involves keeping the grass trimmed around the bottom, if you're not moving it often.) It certainly produces enough of a jolt to stop my goats, but I haven't tried it with a buck. In a previous life, I kept Jacob sheep, and it was enough to keep the ram in.

I've kept everything from Grt Pyrs and an Alaskan Malamute in, to goats to sheep to a Donkey with the electric net fence from Premier 1. Never had a problem. I only use it in temporary situations (a few days up to a week in one area). I've never run the battery down after using it probably a total of 2 months, so can't really speak to the long-life of the battery in the charger. NONE of them liked the shock. None of them tested a second time.

-Sarah

I tryed a 4 wire portable set up and after a shock or 2 they went over, under, and through it, I guess they figured the greener grass on they other side was worth the shock lol will try ney fencing this spring

meant net* fencing

We also use the net fencing from Premier1. It's kept in a buck, a cow and turkeys so far.

I called Gallegher (sp?) and that's what they recommended. Emily of Ozark Jewels Goats recommends 6 joules, too.

No adaptation required. Just hook it up, ground it, and that's it!

I love my net fencing; easy, peasy, lemon squeezy to use and its always kept the goats in.

Has anyone used nets from electricnets.com? I'm considering ordering from them because they are less expensive that Premier 1. I just want to make sure they work as well.

Their standard net is only 42". That's not very high for a full-size goat. Isn't Premier's taller?

Madfarmer

OK--just looked at Premier's site, too. Theirs is also 42, for the most part, although they have a 48". So you'll want to make sure about warranty & service. And most people seem to recommend a min. of 6,000 joules.

Madfarmer

Goats are in the 'plan' for this year. I've raised nubians in the past and had good luck using permanent livestock fence with 4 rows of electric wire. No bucks, only does who were very passive. Really expensive even for a small area, and not very healthy as they ate down the pasture in no time, so I'm hoping to range the goats this time using portable electric net. It's a win / win if I can - the goats get decent browse and remove some of the scrub brush so I don't have to feed as much or clear out the brush myself. Looks good on paper anyway.

Kencove and Premier both have 48" high fence:

http://www.kencove.com/fence/catalog...de=NPC&page=56

http://www.premier1supplies.com/deta...0226&cat_id=53

Actually, Premier offers a 68" fence which I'd have to believe will keep out almost anything that doesn't have wings or drop in by parachute...except for whitetail deer which I've seen clear an 8' hedge without breaking a sweat.

The net from Kencove has smaller spacing, 3.5" versus 6", meaning a few chickens could probably be free ranged inside the pasture as well. Still have more research to do on the charger. Solar units are typically low power (<3J). All the info I've come across says 6J is preferred. Might have to run some high tensile cable from the charger in the barn out to the pasture area. Still a work in progress...

Looks like there are three or four brands out there. They differ, it seems in set up on the verticles, and how heavy the ground spikes are. Can anyone contribute any experience on the pros/cons of the different brands?

We use the fencing from electricnets.com. It works fine for my two girls, and chickens. We just had an ice storm though, and parts of it are flopped over from all the weight.

If you're handy & can weld, you can fabricate your own posts/uprights. Cut re-bar to the desired length, weld a step & washer onto the foot end, slide a length of pvc pipe over the post, & you've got it.

Madfarmer

How do you do a gate?

The end of the net has an upright pole with a spike on the end. I pound a 6" piece of pipe in the ground next to the building or post or where ever I want the gate. The spike of the pole goes in the pipe. Rig up some sort of non-grounding latch/hook/catch from the building/post to attach and de-attach the top end of the fence end pole. I like zip ties or plastic dog collars.

Premier 1 has video instructions about various things:
http://www.premier1supplies.com/videos/index.php

I had the portable net fencing from Premier One and hated it. I found it very difficult to put up, always got tangled in some branch or tall grass. Sold it all. Now I use three strands of electric twine. I can run the three strands faster and easier through the woods. I keep a LGD with my girls when they are in the woods so they have added protection. It wasn't hard to break them to the electric at all.

I agree with not putting it where there are branches. :D I put it on the edges of the path surrounding forest, etc.

It's easy as pie to put up with two people. Slightly more challenging by yourself, but it can be done. There are videos to show the techniques.:)

I watched the video. I'm going to try some out before I buy it.

I'll come help you put it up if you'll buy lunch at the Thai restaurant by Harp's. :D

Lol. I've never been. Is it good?

OMG. Yes, it's good. It is THE place to eat when we go to Mountain Home.

Green curry chicken. To die for. :banana:

My wife and I love sushi but have never tried the Thai food. Holler next time you come and we will try to meet you there.

Wow! A 4 year old post resurrected from the mist!

I use and highly recommend the E'-stop 9/42/6 netting from Premier. It's the most economical option all things considered and I've have complete success with it on goats. I;m thinking aobut doing an article for Sheep! mag this fall outlining my experiences.

Any net fencing is going to catch on stuff. IMO it's worth it to be able to put my stock where I want them and keep my LGDs in with them. The alternative is dead lambs and fat coyotes. I had zero luck with regular electric fencing no matter how many wires I used.

I realize that this is an old post but it came up in my search ... what I am wondering is whether you need a separate energizer for the mesh fence or if you can simply hook it up to the electric perimeter fence?

We have a field fence with electric wire around the perimeter and the energizer has plenty of capacity to add more distance to it.

You can hook it to the existing fence.