How to Build a Goat Enclosure

There's an old saying that goes, "A fence that won't hold water won't hold a goat." While goats are often difficult to contain in enclosures such as pens, it is not impossible to build a goat-tight enclosure. Most producers who keep pens do so for the purpose of separating their breeding bucks from their does. In this case, a very sturdy pen should be constructed that allows at least 200 square feet of exercise space for a miniature buck or twice that for a full sized buck.

Things You'll Need

  • 4-foot tall utility panels
  • Bolt cutters
  • Metal t-posts
  • Post pounder
  • Fence post clips
  • Pliers
  • Zip ties
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Instructions

    • 1

      Carefully cut three to four feet from one panel's end using a pair of bolt cutters to make the gate. Remove as much of the material as you can with each cut to ensure that the gate will open smoothly.

    • 2

      Measure the area where your enclosure is going to be located. Utility panels generally come in 16-foot lengths. If you plan carefully, you can avoid having to cut these panels. Plant fence posts at 8-foot intervals using a post pounder, except for the planned location of the gate. The end section of this panel will need to have a 7- to 7 1/2-foot opening, depending on your panel, so the gate portion will have a natural stop. Posts should be set so the flat side is facing in, making it more difficult for the buck to destroy the enclosure.

    • 3

      Start nearest the goat housing and lean the utility panels against the fence posts, with the smaller openings near the ground. Use the panels to double-check your post-planting work and to make sure you purchased enough material.

    • 4

      Attach the panels to the fence posts using the fence clips and pliers. Push the panel tightly against the flat side of the post while you place the clip's triangular center against the raised part of the post. Clip the fence post to the panel by bringing the two looped ends of the post clip over the panel. Tighten the clip with your pliers. Use three clips per post for most goats -- one in the middle, one at the bottom and one at the top. Overlapping panels may need to be secured with zip ties before being clipped.

    • 5

      Repeat Step 3 for the other panels, except for the panel that you cut. Attach it as you did the others, but leave a gap roughly the size of the gate at the end. Attach the smooth gate edge to the smooth edge of the panel where it originated using the zip ties, so that it can swing freely. Align the other side of the gate so that it pushes against the flat part of the t-post and it opens inward. This way, the buck can't force the gate open from the inside.