My new electric fence is working too well...

Wildwood · #1 06/17/08, 09:45 PM

We just got our first goats week before last and we are already pretty attached.

There is lots of wooded area behind the house that we wanted to be able to let them browse without teathering which means we spend the whole day babysitting. The plan all along was electric fencing so DH got it all finished up and we turned them out this evening thinking we were about to make them very happy. Before they even made it to the good stuff, two of them hit the fence and were not even able to move out of it...it was horrible because they fell into it once they got shocked and DH had to turn it off to get them out...I'm not sure it wouldn't have killed them if they had been out there alone and couldn't get out. This seems contrary to the usual experience I've read about in all my research. Has anyone else had a similar experience? There was a goat on the box the charger came in so apparently it was made for goats.

DH and I felt horrible becuase the poor things ran staight back to their pen taking the other two with them and nobody even came close to the gate after that. BTW, these are grown goats...two nigies and two nubians. One each got in the fence.

whiterabbit454 · #2 06/18/08, 11:21 AM

poor babies i hope it gets straighted out for them

Gailann Schrader · #3 06/18/08, 11:51 AM

You need to train them FIRST before you set them loose!

When they hit that shock? They go FORWARD and then either learn to run through the fence or get tangled in their frantic, dazed, state trying to get free.

Make a small enclosure with PANELS or woven wire or SOMETHING behind the electric fence. It trains them that if they get shocked to BACK AWAY. Once they understand what is required? THEN you can turn them out into the bigger area with just the electric fence.

Imagine yourself in a big, lovely open field. You decide to run... and then get tangled in something that shocks you that you can't really see very well because you AREN'T LOOKING FOR IT. You would (if you were a prey-animal, i.e. a goat) KEEP RUNNING. You MUST train them to back off.

And also mark the fence clearly. Ever run into a cobweb or wire at night? You don't know which way to go to get out... Same with goats.

Wildwood · #4 06/18/08, 11:53 AM

That charger is going back and we will look for something else...not gonna subject my babies to that thing again.

Wildwood · #5 06/18/08, 11:58 AM

Thanks Gailann for the tips. You are right of course but I think we still need a different model. DH called the company this morning and they felt we needed a model that pulsates so that if they do get tangled in it, it will give them a chance to get out. We weren't able to find one in this area so will return this one and order what we need.

Pakalana · #6 06/18/08, 01:14 PM

I agree with the pulsating fencing, that's what we've got (6 strand high tensile), I'll warn you though, some of those babies learn to scoot through (especially if there's a gap just large enough for them) between the pulses and if really upset they will sometimes just eat the shock and get through anyway. On ours, the bottom three strands are 6" apart which means babies can't scoot through it.
There's also a plastic tape in bright colors that you buy to tie onto the fence so the animals can see where it's better. Helps me too, I've missed it a few times if I'm not paying attention.

We took an afternoon and trained ours to the fence (adult took one hit, the baby took 4 then they figured it out and set to some serious grazing). The other thing is once they're trained you will probably need to trim a few inches of the fence line as they won't usually graze there. Mine stay away from about the first 4-6 inches closest to the fence.
If they break out, put them back in right away, mend if you have to and keep that up until they back away from the fence. The power of that fence is more psychological than anything else, even if it's not on mine will stay clear of it, they see those little tape flags and back off.

Bearfootfarm · #7 06/18/08, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wildwood

That charger is going back and we will look for something else...not gonna subject my babies to that thing again.

There's no problem with the charger, and any you replace it with will be exactly the same.
Once they LEARN about electric fencing, they wont have troubles with it.

Wildwood · #8 06/18/08, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

There's no problem with the charger, and any you replace it with will be exactly the same.
Once they LEARN about electric fencing, they wont have troubles with it.

I agree there is no problem with the charger other than my ignorance and inexperience but I'm going to exchange it for a pulsating model just to make me feel better and then I'm going to spend the weekend training those goats

.

Gailann Schrader · #9 06/18/08, 04:16 PM

Guaranteed they won't touch a wire anymore...

I have a horse that will turn himself inside out to get away from a wire.

Even if it's just a wire...

Next stop? Training my PBPigs... Three lines: nose high, ear high, and dog high...

Nothing better than to be able to corral critters with brains over brawn...

Bearfootfarm · #10 06/18/08, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wildwood

I agree there is no problem with the charger other than my ignorance and inexperience but I'm going to exchange it for a pulsating model just to make me feel better and then I'm going to spend the weekend training those goats

.

When I posted I didnt realize it didnt pulsate.

Youre correct in thinking a pulsating one would be better
Sorry!

Shazza · #11 06/19/08, 06:45 AM

You need to walk with them around the paddock so they see where the fences are...electric or other kind.

minnikin1 · #12 06/19/08, 07:04 AM

We decided we wouldn't get electro-net after hearing about too many cases of entanglement.
We wound up getting the polywire rope and I love it. It's cheap, visible and strong.
They all learned very quickly not to touch it.
I can set it up semi-permanently or move it daily.
I still only use when I'm home, when I can check on them often, but it sure beats chasing them away from every tree or bush I don't want them to eat...

Wildwood · #13 06/19/08, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

When I posted I didnt realize it didnt pulsate.

Youre correct in thinking a pulsating one would be better
Sorry!

Not a problem...I'm just getting started so need all the feedback I can get.

BamaSuzy · #14 06/20/08, 09:03 AM

I have had goats for about five years. I have moved my BIG Nigerean/Boar crosses to a back "pasture" because I am phasing into smaller goats (Pgymies and Nigerean Dwarf Dairies) because I am getting OLDER and need to be able to work with the smaller goats.

My other much-beloved goats are HUGE. There are five of them. We have one strand of electric wire about 18 inches to two feet and another near the top of the fence (the fence is 2 x 4 dog wire).

We have a pretty powerful charger because the goats are so big. I think it pulsates but I'm not sure.

One large buck was already in that pasture and we moved the five others in the day we finished the fence. They mainly burned their noses the first couple of times and now just avoid it altogether.

We didn't see any of the free range chickens get in it or the ducks but I noticed as I was throwing them all their "treats" of bread scrapes that first night, that even the big Muscovey ducks avoided the wire at all costs!!!

It may be that ours were used to the dog wire fence first but we haven't had any problem with anybody getting into ours and not being able to get out.

My son-in-law did have a big chicken get between his electric fence and the dog wire fence at his house and he had to "rescue" it....but this was a rescue chicken from a commercial chicken house and was not the brightest chicken in the world.

best wishes! and THANKS for being so concerned about your goats' feelings!!!!