The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: ScotsGirl on August 30, 2012, 08:23:48 pm
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I have had 3 Boer and 1 Anglo Nubian kids for 2 weeks now. They have all at least once caught their head in the stock fencing. 2 however are repeated offenders and my 'trying to help' neighbour decided to cut them free instead of phoning me today. They are not animal people and couldn't grasp how to turn the heads to free them.
Anyway, does everyone have this problem? I have now taped some pipe across those 2 although worried about it causing pressure on back of head. But will this make them realise they shouldn't do it? I am hoping to get some more females and am dreading the thought of constantly worrying about trapped goats.
Any longterm suggestions before they all end up in a stew?!
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How long is your fencing? Could you attach plastic sheeting / perspex type thing to fencing?
Goats are a blimin nightmare for keeping themselves in place! We had to release ours from picket fencing by taking the fence to pieces with a crow bar :rant:
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Oh no, don't say that! I have two strips approx 50m long. I could understand them wanting to get through to my neighbour's side as long bits of grass not cut when hay making but the other bit is just between my paddocks and the stupid things can get through the gate if they walked down the fence a bit!
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This is the very reason we changed to post and rail fencing, they are a nightmare always sticking heads where they shouldnt and tearing their tags out :o
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My goat kids seem to do it for a week each, the weeks not coinciding! A piece of dowel or pipe taped across stops them doing it and then I think either the horns grow a bit more and make it more difficult or the fascination for sticking your head through stock fencing wears off. Either way, they grow out of it.
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I hope so. I coverd a gap in the gate with chicken wire and they broke through it so now I have a piece of pipe tied across it. The gap is now far too small but still Cloud tries to squeeze through the gap every time I go out.
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(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y190/jinglejoys/Goats/goathornproblemsolved.jpg)
Whatever you do don't use red tape or people will forever be ringing to say your goat has cut its head! ;D
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That is a really cute little goat. How did you manage to get that stick stuck on so neatly. Ours was a bit like something off generation game! One still hanging on but other got rubbed off. Anyway so far no more problems.
Only a matter of time though! The AN has sussed how to turn her head and free herself. Luckily her small horns go straighter.
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Its not my goat its a photo someone posted on goatwisdom but its the method I use occasionally
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I have used electric fencing for year, the mains type as I was constantly forget to charge the battery type.
All I used for my Toggs is 1 strand of electric wire anchored on each post, this also stops them from standing on the stock fence.
Earlier this year when we were not able to finish fencing a section of field, all there was in place was the posts with 3 strands of wire, this was enough to stop them getting through.
I hate to say this because it is tempting fate, but I don't have any escapees or stuck heads
Hope this helps :fc:
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Goatwisdom jinglejoys!! now that sounds like some sort of wizardry.
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http://goatwisdom.proboards.com/index.cgi (http://goatwisdom.proboards.com/index.cgi)?
https://www.facebook.com/groups/goatwisdom/ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/goatwisdom/)
Useful site
I usually keep the goats away from the fence with electric fencing but the kids can drop lower and if I lower it for the kids it gets shorted easier so its easier just to crossstick the occassional awkward little sod for a few months till the horns grow too wide or it gives up
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We have stock proof/sheep fencing on post and rail and then 2 levels of electric strips. One above and one along about shoulder height on our 5 month old kid.
While we've been away the little sod darling has disconnected the red bulldog clip bit with his mouth and got into the habit of sucking (!) the electric fence. I am a wicked person, today I reconnected it and waited.... :innocent:
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;D ;D ;D
By the way I found this from another group(probably GW) http://www.luresext.edu/goats/library/field/hart01.html (http://www.luresext.edu/goats/library/field/hart01.html)
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Our kids were poking their heads through the stock fencing to get to some of the lush grass on the other side, so we sprayed off the grass around the pen and now they have no reason to poke their heads through!, and fingers crossed we haven't had any more stuck heads...seems simple but it worked for us
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We have stock proof/sheep fencing on post and rail and then 2 levels of electric strips. One above and one along about shoulder height on our 5 month old kid.
While we've been away the little sod darling has disconnected the red bulldog clip bit with his mouth and got into the habit of sucking (!) the electric fence. I am a wicked person, today I reconnected it and waited.... :innocent:
Don't keep us in suspense. What happened?
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Hmmm, me thinks my neighbour might not be impressed if I spray the edge of his field!! Mind you it might be worth the risk rather than worry about his unruly alsations killing my poor goats if they can't free themselves.
I am going to try electric first. They haven't done it since I stuck pipe on...and it fell off, but then I have restricted their access. Another job for the weekend.
...and plumseverywhere you are wicked!! What happened? Mine touched the electric last week and I think the whole village heard them scream.
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He made a noise not dis-similar to a duck and ran. Only problem was, when I went back for 'Willow- time' he thought I was just trying to trick him again and it took some luring ;)