help with goat fencing question

[Barnyard]

hi all, ok, now don't laugh okay. we had a goat a year ago. kept her 6 months, moved, gave her back. she was no problem. had her in a small paddock with high hog/cattle panels. she got out to browse on long lead and to milk. the horses would not let her in their pasture. other than that, we had no problems.

now. enter a year later. we are in new place with more land. 2 days ago got 2 does. one is couple years old, milking like crazy, other is her doe kid, 4 months old.
we got posts put up and electric fencing, 5 strands. fence tests at 4000 volts.
this is what they are used to. got from same friends who raise goats and we got first one from. these 2 are alpine/nubian mix. sweethearts..but..
we have spent the day first putting up the fence, then trying to train them to it, then chasing themd own after they jump it, go through it, etc. they seem to just take the shock.
their pasture area is about 1/4 acre. very nice grass and weeds. i got so fed up last night with this situation, i put them in the corn crib i keep the chickens and ducks in, for the night.

should we make the paddock smaller? i read that attching coke can to the fence, which they then go and inspect, and get shocked, will train them. hubby has 2 more days off work and we have to get this problem settled.

help anyone?

[barelahh]

if it'll hold water, then it will hold a goat

[Barnyard]

very funny! LOL
since we can't put an inground pool in, any other ideas?

[barelahh]

Originally Posted by Barnyard

very funny! LOL
since we can't put an inground pool in, any other ideas?

Sorry no i don't. I use field fence and keep them in with that and no electric fence.

[Minelson]

Did you try the coke can? I also heard of putting a metal chain on them that hangs down so it's sure to give a shock. Can you tell that they are actually getting shocked and just taking it? I don't think they are getting shocked for some reason...go touch it and see if you get shocked (I don't trust those meters). Just close your eyes and wack it with your hand.

[tmfinley]

I don't know. I use only 2 lines of electric fence and they have learned to respect it. It is easier if you can train them to it in an enclosed area first. I have an area that has welded wire with an electric line running at the bottom, this way if they get shocked and panick they can't run through it they learn to go backward. The only goats I have had problems with are the younger ones. It does take them a little longer to get it, but only a couple of days.

Check if it is grounded too. If not it won't give out enough shock. I wonder if it is shocking them too, because all of my goats HATE the shock. Or they are getting shocked and running through it to get away.

I wouldn't make it any smaller. In my limited experience they will try to escape only if they are unhappy with the browse. If they are content with whats there there is no need to escape.

Tiffany

[Nancy_in_GA]

How are getting the 4000 volts? Are you using a two pronged tester with one in the soil and one on the fence?

[steff bugielski]

I have had goats crash the electric fence if they are new and afraid. They do not know where home is especially if they are the only goats there. Try keeping them in the barn for a day with hay and water so they know this is a good place.

[Barnyard]

well, first off, thank you to all who replied! i am grateful.
today i went and put coke cans on one short side, and then yellow caution tape on the other sides. hubby and son made them a little enclosure. we decided to stack them in the paddock for a few days until they get used to it. they are well loved, we even had them in the house for a couple hours. (bad storm). the momma put her foot on the fence and got a good shock, jumped back. the baby stays with momma until the bad storm came up and then she ran the fence and through it. hubby is sick of fixing it! we will have to go out and train them to it, let them sniff and poke and so on. the other alternative is elk fence hubby says??? we are limited on funds so have to use what we have. they are in the little shelter, have plenty of browse and water close. i am almost scared to let them loose to train them as we've fixed the fence about 5 times now.
does anyone have an idea how expensive woven wire is? their paddock is about 1/4 acre or just under.
thank you again for all your feedback!

[barelahh]

Originally Posted by Barnyard

well, first off, thank you to all who replied! i am grateful.
today i went and put coke cans on one short side, and then yellow caution tape on the other sides. hubby and son made them a little enclosure. we decided to stack them in the paddock for a few days until they get used to it. they are well loved, we even had them in the house for a couple hours. (bad storm). the momma put her foot on the fence and got a good shock, jumped back. the baby stays with momma until the bad storm came up and then she ran the fence and through it. hubby is sick of fixing it! we will have to go out and train them to it, let them sniff and poke and so on. the other alternative is elk fence hubby says??? we are limited on funds so have to use what we have. they are in the little shelter, have plenty of browse and water close. i am almost scared to let them loose to train them as we've fixed the fence about 5 times now.
does anyone have an idea how expensive woven wire is? their paddock is about 1/4 acre or just under.
thank you again for all your feedback!

woven wire i guess is field fence. Its running around here about 140 or so for a 320 foot roll. 1/4 acre, hmmmmmm that will take 400 feet.

[fishhead]

I think that they just haven't accepted that they are "home" yet. Maybe confine them for a few days until they get used to you and their new surroundings.

I've only got 3 strands of electric for my goats and it works great most of the time. For a while they would jump through the top strand and break it but I just replaced that section with stronger wire and they haven't gotten out since.

For training stray dogs I put tin foil smeared with peanut butter on the wire. Some people hold the goat against the fence to train it.

[Barnyard]

thank you for the replies! ok, yes had heard about PB. will try that too. LOL..our one dog we actually had looked for a home for, turned out to be a pretty good herd/companion dog for them. he also doesn't bother the birds or cats. the other mutts are in a chain link pen. so i'm glad we opted to keep him. he naps with them too. so what i did today was stake them in the yard. as much as i hate to do it. but they have a long lead each and are close to eachother. and they are now munching. the milking didn't go well. i got about 1/2 gallon but then the momma kicked it (even with leg straps) so the dog drank it. hehehaha..i am going to keep them staked for a few days, let them off and follow me around yard at will while i'm outside. move them as needed. even if i just get a gallon a day i will consider it good. my main concern is getting them relaxed and feeling safe so they will eat and drink. so they toll around the yard with me or Dh/DS while we're out. they are so sweet and smart. if nothing else i can put them in garage. it has a dirt floor. and can be easily closed off. was trying to save on hay but maybe i can just put them in at night. the paddock is well built so can be used for other animals if needed.
milking before coffee is somewhat overwhelming. haha
i made homemade ice creme with the 2nd batch of milk. chocolate and walnut, yummy! this goat has a high butter fat so it was wonderfully creamy! i can't believe we waited so long to get goats, the milk is splendid. fresh, clean tasting, delectable when cold.
thank you all again for your help and i'll be back to give an update.

[SignofWater]

Hi, read your problem. I know how your husband feels..LOL We had this problem and went searching on the internet. We came across this plan on High Tension Fencing. It's thicker wire, but this design works. I have copied the info to apply to this posting. Feel free to email me or IM me.. and I can give it to you also in PDF. formmat.. with much more info.

Electric Fence for Sheep and Goats
Sheep
Sheep are relatively easy to contain with electric fence because they tend to be docile. However, they present some unique challenges because wool does not conduct electricity and predators are frequently a problem.
Depending on a variety of factors, the number of fence wires can vary from four to six, depending on:
• life expectancy of the fence
• whether you will keep lambs and ewes together
• if predators are a problem

Sheep require a fence controller that can maintain 4,000 - 5,000 volts on the fence line. Voltage levels are impacted by vegetation on the fence line, length of fence and type of wire. Note: A minimum of 5,000 volts on the fence line is required to keep out predators.
As intense grazers, sheep tend to deplete vegetation in their pasture and frequently attempt to graze outside the fence. We recommend a minimum of 4 wires starting low to the ground and spaced to an overall height of 32" - 40".
In some areas, sheep may be attacked by predators such as wolves, coyotes, or stray dogs, requiring your fence to deter predators.
Goats
Goats have an attitude - they tend to test fences by pushing against them, squeezing between the wires, and jumping over them. In addition, some species of goats have thick coats that insulate them from electric shock.
To safely contain goats, you need a fence controller that maintains 4,000 - 5,000 volts on the fence line.
Goats require closely spaced fence wires that start low to the ground and are high enough to prevent jumping over the fence. We recommend using five to six wires spaced to an overall height of 40" - 46".
Sheep and goat fencing options
Zareba recommends the following wire configurations for sheep and goats.

Use the Fence Builder™ fence planning tool for assistance in planning your fence.
Frequently asked questions about Livestock fencing.
Protect Your Livestock Investment
Considering the investment you have in your sheep and goats, you'll want to know they are safely contained. The Zareba electric fence alarm will warn you when your fence voltage drops below a preset level.

Good Luck,
Cheryl
Cottage Grove, Oregon

[manygoatsnmore]

Is putting in field fencing along with the electric an option? The field fence keeps them from running through when they get shocked, the electric keeps them from climbing the field fence and breaking it down. That's what I'm going to, as the horses have done a number on our field fence.

My goats seem to be split into 2 groups - those that stay put, even if the fencing isn't great, and the escape artists that seem to find their way out of all but stock panel fences (which are dreadfully expensive for any area at all). There are 2 LaManchas and an Alpine that will not stay in anything but a stock panel corral or a stall! These are the ones that are tethered out frequently to browse - but need to be checked constantly to make sure they aren't tangled or LOOSE!! The other end of the spectrum are the LaMancha and Oberhasli bucks in a pasture they could walk right out of if they wanted, yet they stay in and hang out near the barn most of the time. The far end of the pasture has a section I absolutely must get repaired (procrastination is my middle name), and they can see fresh browse beyond, yet they leave it alone. Go figure?!

The only thing predictable about goats is that they are totally unpredictable, lol.

[Barnyard]

thank you ladies..oh the pain, the pain of it all..

well, i took them out to the paddock, stayed in there with them for 1/2 hour, had them go up to the fence, but they didn't touch it. momma has been shocked once. next i stood outside the fence, and gradually made my way over the course of an hour, a little farther each time, talking and calling to them, let them know i was nearby. eventually they settled down and have been in there for over an hour. it is clear that the fence is too short. i think what we can do is get enough high tensil wire like you said, and just string it right on the other stuff. but we'll have to figure out what to do for a top wire. it needs to be at least another foot high, and we just used step-in posts at first. DH doesn't want to have dig post holes, though it may come to that. DS is convinced an xbox 360 elite game system along with halo 3 is a better purchase for the family..(grin)
the goats do not like the coke cans, i can see that, so perhaps its working? its a headache for some fresh milk, but hey its the principle of the thing.