The Best Way to Fence a Goat

Goats are very good at finding holes and gaps in fences. Keeping goats confined to a camp or pen is one of the greatest challenges of goat husbandry. A Texas adage states that whatever you can blow smoke through or see through, a goat will find a way through. However, with the right materials, a farmer can erect a 1/4-mile goat-proof fence without spending a fortune.

Things You'll Need

  • Shovel
  • 35 posts, 7 feet long at 12-foot spacing
  • Two diagonal stays
  • Cement mix
  • Hammer
  • Wood nails
  • Four rolls of high tension wire
  • Staples
  • Pliers
  • Four rolls of sheep and goat wire, or goat net wire (10-47-10-12 1/2) with integrated barbed wire -- enough for a 1/4-mile-long
  • Hog ties
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Instructions

    • 1

      Dig holes along the perimeter of your proposed goat camp that are a foot deep and at intervals of between 10 and 25 feet. The exact pole spacing will depend on the stocking pressure and the contours of the land. Place 7-foot wood posts into the holes. Secure the two end poles -- the poles at each end of the fence -- by filling their holes with cement. Allow the cement to cure for several days. This length of fence is designed to be erected in a half-moon shape against a barn or similar building, from which the goats gain access to the camp. Although goats are less shelter-dependent than other farm animals, they require a dry and warm place to shelter.

    • 2

      Secure five horizontal strands of binding wire to the poles.

    • 3

      Secure goat net wire to the horizontal wire strands with hog ties. Do not use conventional field fence (8-35-6), because goats can get their horns tangled in this size wire, leaving them vulnerable to death by starvation or predator attack.

    • 4

      Place the goat net against the ground, leaving no gaps under the fence. This will prevent very young animals from creeping under the fence.

    • 5

      Ensure that you secure the goat wire correctly to the horizontal strands. Although there a different materials that are available for fencing, goat net wire is designed specifically to confine goats. Even so, it must be erected properly to be effective.