New and fencing decision

[crazyfarm]

So I'm planning on getting lamancha goats this spring. I'm now trying to decide if I can put them out on a tether or if I should do a moveable t-post electric fence. I have 40 acres that is fenced for cows and horses with 3 strands of smooth wire. Obviously wouldn't keep a goat in.

I was also wondering about housing. I have a nice big barn that I'm currently keeping poultry in. Can I throw the goats in there with them?

[crazyfarm]

I should have added I'm not worried about predators because I've an akbash raised on a goat farm that will be going out with them. He's currently head chicken watcher, he's about to be promoted.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Welcome to goats!

Tethering is not a good idea unless you are able to observe them full time. They will get tangled and choke.

Look into Premier 1 electric net fencing. Economical, movable, easy.
http://www.premier1supplies.com/goats/species.php

[crazyfarm]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Welcome to goats!

Tethering is not a good idea unless you are able to observe them full time. They will get tangled and choke.

Look into Premier 1 electric net fencing. Economical, movable, easy.
http://www.premier1supplies.com/goats/species.php

Thanks! Looks like a good plan to me. Will it keep out predators or am I going to have to watch the dog get fence trained?

[Alice In TX/MO]

The dog won't hit the fence more that twice, normally.

[Alice In TX/MO]

About the chickens..... you don't want your goats eating chicken feed.

[crazyfarm]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

The dog won't hit the fence more that twice, normally.

Unfortunately this dog has surprised me many times with just how unintelligent he is. Stupidest dog I've ever owned. lol

[crazyfarm]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

About the chickens..... you don't want your goats eating chicken feed.

My barn has a run in area with an attached tack room. I've converted the tack room into the coop and the run in area of the barn is where they all hang out during the winter or when it's super windy. So I could easily shut the tack room door and simply cut a chicken door into the wall so the chickens can get in and out and eat but the goats couldn't get into the coop. Would the goats hurt themselves attempting to get in the chicken door or not? I should clarify the door would actually have to be large enough to fit a peacock through.

[o&itw]

Better wait for some more comment before you procede.

There was a thread on here a month or so ago showing goats going through a chicken door. I think some others showed a design that would stop the problem but I don't remember for sure.

[Backfourty,MI.]

If the door is big enough for a peacock then some goats might figure out how to squeeze through too, especially younger goats.

[Doug Hodges]

Originally Posted by Backfourty,MI.

If the door is big enough for a peacock then some goats might figure out how to squeeze through too, especially younger goats.

Goats can go anywhere.


Living the good life

[forphase1]

I too can testify about goats and the chicken doors. Similarly to you, my property had a nice, but old, horse barn. I converted 2 of the stalls into a large coop, along with a door leading outside. I open in up in the morning and close it at night, and the chickens are free to come as they please. At first my goats has access to the chicken area too, but after catching my Nubian goats crawling into the chicken coop and eating the chicken feed, fences were erected keeping the goats in their own area. I don't know how they do it, but for the most part if a chicken can get through it, so can my goats. Baffling.

[crazyfarm]

Originally Posted by forphase1

I too can testify about goats and the chicken doors. Similarly to you, my property had a nice, but old, horse barn. I converted 2 of the stalls into a large coop, along with a door leading outside. I open in up in the morning and close it at night, and the chickens are free to come as they please. At first my goats has access to the chicken area too, but after catching my Nubian goats crawling into the chicken coop and eating the chicken feed, fences were erected keeping the goats in their own area. I don't know how they do it, but for the most part if a chicken can get through it, so can my goats. Baffling.

My barn is kind of perfect in that it has this nice fence all around it as we used to use it as the dog run. It would be absolutely perfect for winter containment of goats. The divider in the barn for tack room/run in section does not go clear to the ceiling. My birds will often fly up and over. Perhaps a door large enough for the peacocks won't be necessary. I'll just have to decide if I want to do turkeys again. We have turkeys right now and the giant white can't fly and is the same size as our great pyr so he'd need a door for sure.
Pics:


So the tack room is to the right. and looks kind of like this:

I've added some nesting boxes and such but pretty much unchanged.
I was kind of wondering if goats were smart enough to stay out of a pond. I built a pond and connected it to the poultry run for our ducks.

This is a photo with the edge of the pond showing and the duck hut I tacked onto the barn. The duck pen area can be gated off but I have not as of yet as the other poultry like to go over and drink from the pond which is rather convenient for me honestly.

[Backfourty,MI.]

My goats won't go in our pond at all, goats hate to get wet.

[Doug Hodges]

I want to build a small pond for our geese and ducks but my wife associates ponds with snakes and bugs. Sigh...............

[jennigrey]

My goats won't even get close enough to standing water in order to drink from it. They prefer their water civilized, tame, corralled and slightly elevated.

[jennigrey]

Tethering isn't a viable way to confine goats full-time. Too risky.

[CAjerseychick]

Yeah we are having a real problem with goats and chicken feed (goats were moved in initially into the chicken yard and they love it, its built back of our house and half under our back porch very contained and snug)... Currently hens are getting hand fed by me the 4 days I am home (all animals come out and forage on our 2 little acres during the day).....We are getting very few eggs
Goats love chicken feed and will do all sorts of things to get to it, that is what I have to contribute....

[crazyfarm]

Originally Posted by Doug Hodges

I want to build a small pond for our geese and ducks but my wife associates ponds with snakes and bugs. Sigh...............

My 2 cents on pond building is it sucks. lol I did half cement and half pond liner. Pond liner for the biofilter section the ducks wouldn't have access too. Both suck. The cement has settled and cracked even though I laid down metal under the cement to prevent it. The pond liner has ripped. My pond has been more headache than anything. Sadly, I still like it. lol Ducks love it so I'll keep repairing it I guess.

[crazyfarm]

Originally Posted by CAjerseychick

Yeah we are having a real problem with goats and chicken feed (goats were moved in initially into the chicken yard and they love it, its built back of our house and half under our back porch very contained and snug)... Currently hens are getting hand fed by me the 4 days I am home (all animals come out and forage on our 2 little acres during the day).....We are getting very few eggs
Goats love chicken feed and will do all sorts of things to get to it, that is what I have to contribute....

Well it seemed ideal what with the barn having electricity and running water but if they're going to go nutso for the feed I'll scrap that idea. My other idea for them was actually going in with the dogs. They're livestock guard dogs an they've got a massive dog run so maybe I'll see how they all get along.

We've had 2 deaths and an addition so we have a great pyr, akbash and weim right now. The weim is my big concern. I'm unsure if he'd harm a goat or not.