setting up a SOLID electric fence

[TroutRiver]

I just bought a 10 mile fence charger to set up my *fool proof* system for this summer, and I'm looking for some advice/opinions.

The area that I have to fence in is about 1 acre, maybe even smaller. I will only be grazing 3-4 goats this summer, so don't need a lot of pasture space. I am thinking (feel free to correct me if you have better ideas) that I will set up a perimeter with 5 wires (ideally 14 gage aluminum wire), and use 1/2" polytape to set up smaller paddocks within that perimeter to rotationally graze the goats.

My main questions...will 5 wires be enough? I know that fiasco farm only uses 4 wires, but I have a small yearling and a nubian who is an escape artist and a jumper, so I'd rather over-do it than risk them getting out (I live on a vineyard and if they get out and eat my landlord's grape vines...I will be in BIG trouble!). Any tricks on the spacing of the wires?

Is the difference between aluminum and galvanized steel so drastic that it's worth paying almost double the price for the aluminum wire? I don't want to skimp on the materials because I want this fence to be really good...but 14 gage aluminum wire is EXPENSIVE! Can I use galvanized wire instead and still have good conductivity? What about using thinner wire?

[Backfourty,MI.]

I don't have any answers for you but thought I'd Bump this so someone that knows will see it.

[Bearfootfarm]

Can I use galvanized wire instead and still have good conductivity? What about using thinner wire?

No matter how good your galvanized is, it will start to rust.
Steel has MUCH more resistance to the current and smaller wire makes it worse

Aluminum is pretty much forever.

I'd use 12 1/2 Ga and at least 6 wires.

It seems like a lot of money, but if you build it RIGHT to begin with, it could be there 40 years

[ghmerrill]

I would add that a ten mile charger is probably going to give you disappointing results if you have goats that are already escape artists. We had to upgrade to a 150 mile charger.

[CarolynRenee]

We had six wires, three of them lower to the ground (sorry, I don't remember exact spacing as the electric fence is gone now) because the little guys would slip right through. We had just under 3/4 of an acre fenced, and urs was only a 10 mile charger and I found that everyone, kids and adults, would get out if they really wanted something on the other side. An ice storm took out the electric fence in too many places in 2009, so we went with cattle panels for a temporary solution, albeit a much smaller area.

But what we are working on right now is using a woven wire GOAT fence with a hot wire at baby-nose height & adult-nose height to keep them from standing on the fence. I just don't trust the electric fence, but it could be because it just didn't have enough "OUCH" to it to deter the buggers from going through it.

[Alice In TX/MO]

As CarolynRenee points out, your plan won't work on escape artist goats. We went to seven wires, and they got out.

Electric NET fence with a six joule charger will work. Strands just doesn't for determined goats.

[yarrow]

Almost 5 years ago the neighbors took down our southern fence... got the posts put in for a new fence, but have never gotten the new woven fence up... so it's all electric on that side.. just 2 strands... we've never had a goat/dog or sheep even attempt to get near it.. (BUT.. all the goats have had a rather painful electric fence introduction ...it's how we train them to stay back & away from the fence that *BITES*..)

susie, mo ozarks

[TroutRiver]

The reason we are going to strands this year is because the netting did not work last year. It grounded out in too many places where it touched the grass and did not hold a charge, and the goats learned that they could walk right through it.

Thanks for the note on galvanized wire, I will definitely splurge on the aluminum.

I just had a thought...I have friends right now who are getting rid of/selling a HUGE amount of chicken wire. Would it be a better plan to just use 1 or 2 strands of electrified wire, and use chicken wire as the main middle part of the fence perimeter, instead of running 5 or 6 strands on a 10 mile charger?

[nigeriandwarfs]

Originally Posted by TroutRiver

I just had a thought...I have friends right now who are getting rid of/selling a HUGE amount of chicken wire. Would it be a better plan to just use 1 or 2 strands of electrified wire, and use chicken wire as the main middle part of the fence perimeter, instead of running 5 or 6 strands on a 10 mile charger?

Interesting thought I dont know but I would love to hear the answer...

[Alice In TX/MO]

If you use the electric net, you must have a high power output charger, and you must keep the weeds and grass out of it. Just good maintenance.

[couto_123]

I have Nigerians and use 3 strands of the wide tape. I got it at horse.com, was much cheaper than the local TSC.
Seems mine think the tape is scarier than the wire. Thankfully I don't have jumpers but this works for me.
MJ

[Bearfootfarm]

use chicken wire as the main middle part of the fence perimeter

You'll never be able to pull it tight enough, and you'll need 5 times as many posts.

With GOOD corners, you can space your line posts 50 ft apart just using electric wire.

If you use any type of field fencing or woven wire, you'll need posts every 10 ft

[TroutRiver]

hmmm...then I guess a more appropriate question would be...

I have a 1 acre pasture to fence in (it might even be less than 1 acre, honestly I haven't measured it, but it's a small space), and a 10mile/20 acre fence charger. What is the best and most secure way to fence in the pasture with this charger? I really can't afford a stronger charger right now, and I thought that this one would be more than strong enough for such a small space...

[Alice In TX/MO]

If the charger is still in the box, take it back to the store. Save for more effective fencing.

Seriously..... bad fencing leads to HUGE problems. Don't do something that you will just have to re-do again and again to try to make it effective.

Edited to add:
I went back to your original post. You said you will be *grazing* goats. Goats are not naturally grazers; they are browsers. If all they have is grass, they will eat it, but the prefer and will seek out browse. That is part of their motivation for escape.

[TroutRiver]

It's not. I bought it off of ebay (new, but no box).

You're really telling me that a 20 acre charger isn't strong enough to fence in a <1 acre plot, no matter how I set it up? What if I only fence in 1/2 of the space at a time?

I do realize that the "20 acre" measurement is for a single strand under ideal conditions, but I still thought this would be more than strong enough, even with 5 or more strands, since the space I have to work with is so small

Basically, this is what I have, so now I have to figure out how to make it work.

EDIT: I do know that goats are not naturally grazers, but we've got some really nice pasture here, lots of diversity in the forage...and I think that's still better than feeding hay all summer. I wish I could graze them through the grape vines...but my landlord wouldn't have it

[Alice In TX/MO]

It's the joules/output.

Can you post the info about the charger? Name, output, model number.... whatever is on the case.

[TroutRiver]

The brand is Guardian. It hasn't come in the mail yet, but the internet says 110 volt and 1.5 joule output.

Can I make it work for 1/2 an acre?

[Bearfootfarm]

a 10mile/20 acre fence charger.

Like Alice said, Joules is the only rating that means anything.

Anything less than three isn't very strong

[southerngurl]

If they learned to walk through e netting I wouldnt even try strands in your situation.

[Alice In TX/MO]

That's very true, Southerngurl.