Author Topic: fenceing for pygmy goats????? (Read 15587 times)

littlemisspiggy! · « **on:** April 06, 2011, 10:44:58 pm »

hi,im getting 5 pygmy goats in a couple of weeks and wondered what fenceing people on here use? im not wealthy and cannot afford to spend a fortune on 5 ft post and rail,lined with stock fence and electric...etc... but i know i have to spend money on it so i want to get it right first time!!

any advise will be greatly appritiated!

as i have 2 mums and their 3 kids coming! i have my large shed ready so that sorted,the pen is mared out so i just have to but the stuff and errect the fence now...cant wait though it been years since ive had goats but then i was renting land from a farm and my goats 'free ranged' as it were!
thanks for reading

Roxy · « **Reply #1 on:** April 07, 2011, 03:51:14 pm »

I have kept pygmy goats for a number of years, but have always had the larger breeds as well. Pygmy goats may be small, but they are able to jump as good as - if not better than bigger goats. When we went to pick up some pygmy females we were buying they were in a horse stable. One came right over the stable door with ease !! I have found that sheep netting with two strands of barbed wire on top holds them in, but if there is a slack bit of fencing, they are small enough to crawl under - likewise if your gate sits a bit high and there is a gap at the bottom, so thats something to think about.
Also, if they find a weak bit in the stock netting, they will push until they have it loose enough to climb over.

Fencing is expensive, but you will have to see how yours are - they may not be escapists if they have grass to go at.

jinglejoys · « **Reply #2 on:** April 07, 2011, 04:19:36 pm »

Yep,your pygmy's will probably free range too thas why I stopped keeping them,found my O.E.s,even the ferels much easier to keep in(and you can get milk too

)

john2708 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 07, 2011, 04:29:51 pm »

they are very good at escaping littlemisspiggy lol there pros at it even if you think its to high be sure they will find a way doing good so far had no escapes in over a month

littlemisspiggy! · « **Reply #4 on:** April 07, 2011, 07:53:30 pm »

....deep joy!

we are doing the fence this weekend and have.....4ft posts(above ground) stock wire and a rail at the top of it to stop the stock wire saging,ground pins to stop them going under and we are having elec tape top and bottom on extended bars about 22 cm to stop them reaching the fence in the first place! we'll see how that goes..lol..

Brucklay · « **Reply #5 on:** April 07, 2011, 08:29:41 pm »

We have pygmy's and all stay in apart from 1 limbo dancer, she knows the spots the ducks use and therefore cause a dip in the ground!! - stock wire fencing with one row of wire at the bottom and 2 at the top - your plan sounds pretty good and I'll wish you luck too just in case xx

fruitfarm · « **Reply #6 on:** April 08, 2011, 07:44:30 pm »

We have pygmies and use 4ft stock wire with a single strand of electric wire about 1ft above it. We started off with a rail all round the top but it's amazing what good balancers they are. Our little billy would regularly jump up and stand quite happily with all four feet on top before leaping elegantly off the other side.

Roxy · « **Reply #7 on:** April 09, 2011, 11:21:13 pm »

Finlay who is 4 weeks, can get on top of the dry stone wall, run down the top of it, then take a flying leap off when he's had enough. He sleeps in a large plastic water tank lined with straw, and from two weeks of age, he could jump up. balance on the top of the tank, and down to the floor.

littlemisspiggy! · « **Reply #8 on:** April 10, 2011, 01:44:04 pm »

fencing is nearly done! stock wire then 2 strands of wire above it,will be lining with elec fence tomorrow.cant wait to get my goats next week end! just sorting a hay rack out this week aswell!

Old Shep · « **Reply #9 on:** April 11, 2011, 11:37:09 am »

Hi good luck with the pygmies! We used to have 3 but rehomed them due to not being able to keep them in - they used to jump the fence - then walk along walls get onto the stable roof - then the garage roof 20+feet high! Hope you have better luck. You have done the right thing by putting up good fencing first - if they think they can't get out they might not bother. We thought we'd just repair where they got out - but by then they had the taste for freedom and outwitted our every move

littlemisspiggy! · « **Reply #10 on:** April 18, 2011, 11:56:27 am »

there in and so far so good!...no escapies yet

..they really respect the electric fence

princesspiggy · « **Reply #11 on:** April 18, 2011, 12:44:03 pm »

just beware if ur using chicken wire at all (mine share with hens) cos the round eartags are about the same size and my goat got hers caught and ripped her ear.