Author Topic: How can I raise a fence? (Read 5781 times)

dennd1906 · « **on:** July 21, 2011, 07:15:41 pm »

Napoleon, my 2 1/2 year old pygmy goat has decided to leave his friend Nelson and join our neighbours goats. After a puzzling few weeks guessing how he gets out, I spotted him taking a run down the hill and flying over the fence at the bottom. I'm impressed how clever he is but frustrated that I cant find a way to permanently raise the fence. The fence is only a couple of years old so I cant afford to re-fence but I have to keep my errant boy in.
Has anyone any ideas please as to how I can raise the height of the fence without changing the posts. I have electric fencing as a temporary solution but I need something permanent. Any ideas?

manian · « **Reply #1 on:** July 21, 2011, 07:52:49 pm »

we had a similar prob with turkeys flying over....
not sure how feasable for you it is but we battened wood onto the fence (upwards)
and then used chicken wire netting . it worked for us
HTH
Mx

Anke · « **Reply #2 on:** July 21, 2011, 08:13:16 pm »

We have donme something similar, put battens on and strung wire along it. The wire just over the sheep netting is electric, so they will not touch the higher wires (not tensioned). You should be fine with something highly visible and possibly some electric wires. If he is not trained to electric fence being a bit mean and putting a wet leaf/babana peel or similar onto the wire will do the trick, although he will scream.

One of my (bought-in) shetland ewes did manage to jump the fence after taking up momentum from running up a big heap of grass that (non-sheep owning) neighbour had left to rot close to the fence.

Roxy · « **Reply #3 on:** July 21, 2011, 11:59:05 pm »

Its amazing how the smaller goats can jump - having watched ours take a run at a fence and clear it with ease, I can well believe your pygmy escaping.

Batons on the top of the fence posts, and chicken wire should do it!!

dennd1906 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 22, 2011, 02:59:22 pm »

Thank you for your replies. Thought we would try keeping our neighbours 2 goats with ours, as they seem to like being together, so brought them all into our field. Twenty minutes later I was left with just one of our neighbours goats. I think this may have turned into a game

Off to buy more wire and a new battery for the electric fence.

wytsend · « **Reply #5 on:** July 22, 2011, 05:23:58 pm »

Forget battery fencer with goats.... only a mains fencer will ensure the voltage stays constant.

The moment they discover the battery is low... and they will... the electric fence idea is lost.

I would only ever use mains and set on the highest setting.

Roxy · « **Reply #6 on:** July 22, 2011, 11:56:06 pm »

At my old house, we had the top of the fence wired to the mains, and had no escapees..... the jolt it gave you was I am sure, worse that the battery operated fence!!

I remember one day, ny hubby and a neighbour were trimming the goats hooves in the corner of the field. Heidi the large BS, and she was LARGE, gave the men a shove. They and the goat they were holding fell against the fence, Alan the neighbour held the fence for support ....eeekkk......he got a blast. The worst of it was, he was holding the goats collar, and Rick was working at the hoof, so all of them including the goat felt the force of the electric!!

I had quite a giggle watching them all squeal and shout (including Heidi)

princesspiggy · « **Reply #7 on:** July 23, 2011, 10:50:07 pm »

we use 6 ft rails nailed onto original post. we found a goat size hole in our chickenwire today, the only part of the fence that didnt have stock fencing too. little monkeys!

littlemisspiggy! · « **Reply #8 on:** July 25, 2011, 07:55:35 am »

we use a battery and its fine,we have boer and A/N goats, we dont live at our field and so dont have mains so no choice..as long as you have 2 batteries and swap them over before getting low you'll be fine..i couldn't afford to use mains at the prices their charging for electric these days!!

wytsend · « **Reply #9 on:** July 25, 2011, 09:48:02 am »

Use solar power as a means of electric.

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #10 on:** July 25, 2011, 10:30:11 am »

we are the same as little miss piggy in that we use battery and make sure battery never runs low. only problems we've had are where the (very well insulated) sheep have shoved the strip fencing down, thus allowing goats to leg it. Problem now solved by sheep living in separate paddock

I've had shocks on this fence that made me cry, one threw me backwards and I thought my heart had stopped! so if that's just battery, I'd hate to encounter mains

fifixx · « **Reply #11 on:** July 25, 2011, 08:47:45 pm »

For the first time since getting the goats, I have put mains electric all round the top of the stock fence.

For the first time since getting the goats.......I know they will still be in the field in the morning!