How to Build a Portable Electric Fence Using a Step-in Post for a Goat

A portable electric fence that uses step-in posts serves as a prime goat fencing option for livestock owners who plan to move the fence regularly for rotational grazing or other purposes. Lightweight and plastic, step-in posts come equipped with multiple built-in insulators along the entire height of the posts, so they save on installation time by eliminating the need to purchase and install separate insulators. Although step-in posts can serve as line posts in a temporary electric fence for goats, your corner posts must be steel T-posts, which are stronger and can withstand the constant two-directional pulling from the electric wires more easily than the plastic posts.

Things You'll Need

  • Mower
  • Spray paint
  • Steel T-posts
  • Post driver
  • Wrap-around plastic T-post insulators
  • Polywire electric fence wire
  • Step-in plastic fence posts
  • Insulated cable
  • Wire cutters
  • Grounded fence energizer
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Instructions

    • 1

      Mow a 3-foot-wide strip of grass along the perimeter of your proposed electric fence. Spray paint on the ground to mark the corner points of your electric fence.

    • 2

      Place the base of the first steel T-post against the ground at the first spray-painted area. Pound the T-post 12 to 18 inches into the ground with a post driver. Repeat this process for each of the remaining corner post locations.

    • 3

      Clip a single wrap-around plastic T-post insulator around each of the corner T-posts, positioning each insulator 5 inches from the ground, as recommended by Gail Damerow, author of "Your Goats." Install three additional insulators on each post, positioning each insulator approximately 8 inches above the previous insulator. Run a strand of polywire electric fence wire through the bottom insulator on each corner post, pulling it taut to provide a straight line for placement of line posts.

    • 4

      Measure 10 feet out from the first corner post along the outside edge of the marking wire. Position the base of a plastic step-in post against the ground at that point. Place your foot on the plastic step-in tread and push gently to force the metal stake at the bottom of the post completely into the ground; the step-in tread should be flush with the ground.

    • 5

      Grasp the marking wire and slip it into the step-in post's built-in plastic insulator that is approximately 5 inches from the ground. Install additional step-in posts along the entire fence perimeter in the same fashion, positioning them approximately 10 to 12 feet apart. Run three additional strands of polywire through the corner post insulators and the built-in insulators that correspond to the heights of the corner post insulators.

    • 6

      Connect the individual electric fence wires together with insulated cable at the corner post closest to the fence energizer. Cut a piece of insulated cable long enough to reach between the bottom two wires and peel back the first two inches of insulation from both ends of the cable. Wrap one end of the exposed cable around the bottom wire; wrap the second end of the exposed cable around the second wire. Repeat this process twice to connect the second wire to the third wire and the third wire to the fourth wire.

    • 7

      Measure out a strand of insulated cable that is long enough to reach from the bottom strand of polywire to the fence energizer. Strip back the last 2 inches of insulation from both ends of the cable. Wrap one end of the cable around the bottom strand of polywire and wrap the second end around the positively charged fence terminal on the fence energizer.