Things You'll Need
- Field fencing (330-foot rolls of 12 1/2-gauge wire 47 inches high)
- Brightly colored spray paint
- Wooden posts
- Steel T posts
- Fence stretcher
- Nails
- Steel fencing staples
- Cross braces
- Posthole auger
- Concrete
- Gravel filler
- Shovel
- Wheelbarrow
- Screws
- Hinges for the gate
- Commercial gate
Instructions
Measure
Measure the perimeter of your property to determine the amount of fencing you will need.
Divide your measurement by 40-foot increments to determine how many wooden posts you should purchase. You will need wooden posts for every corner, plus one at every interval of 40 feet and a post on either side of the gate. Mark the spot at each interval by spray-painting a large X on the ground in bright orange paint.
Measure out intervals of 6 feet around the perimeter of your field to determine how many 6 1/2-foot steel T posts you should buy. Mark your T-post area with a smaller X, using the spray paint.
Decide where your gate will be and how wide you want it. Four-feet to six-feet gates allow plenty of room to cart goats and supplies through the opening and are a common commercially available size if you plan to install a prefabricated gate.
Supplies
Purchase the amount of field fencing you need from a farm-supply store. For about $100, you can buy a 330-foot roll of 12 1/2-gauge wire fencing that is 47 inches high. The openings should be 6 inches high by 8 inches wide--small enough to keep the goats from getting their horns caught, should they attempt to put their heads into the holes. The holes should be smaller on the bottom of the fencing to keep dogs, foxes, and other potential predators from entering the goat field.
Purchase the amount of 8-inch-diameter, treated wood posts you need. They will be placed at 40-foot intervals around the entire perimeter of the field, at every corner, and on either side of your gate. Since the bottom third of the posts will be underground, be sure to purchase posts that are the height of your fencing (47 inches), plus one-third (15. 6 inches).
Purchase the number of steel T posts you will need to place one at each 6-foot interval within the boundaries of the wooden posts, which will be placed at 40-foot intervals.
Purchase quick-set cement, a bucket for mixing the cement, and the amount of loose gravel that you will need to fill approximately 6 inches in every wooden posthole. If you do not have a large shovel, purchase that as well.
Dig, Mix, and Fill
Use a posthole digger or auger to create holes one-third the height of your wooden posts in depth. Do this at every large X marked and on either side of the place where the gate will be. Save the dirt in a wheelbarrow or on a tarp to be used as filler after the posts are set.
Mix the quick-setting cement according to the instructions on the bag.
Have a partner hold the wooden post upright in the hole, and make sure that it is perpendicular.
Use a shovel to fill the bottom half of the hole by alternating gravel and dirt.
Pour the quick-setting cement into the top half of the hole, and secure the post in place until the cement dries. Repeat this process at every large X and on either side of the gate location.
Place the steel T posts into the ground at 6-foot intervals between the wooden posts.
Unroll and secure the wire fencing by using sturdy steel staples or nails at four foot intervals on the wooden posts. Be sure the smaller openings in the fence are located at the bottom. If necessary, stretch the fencing tight by using a fencing stretcher or strainer. Use ring fasteners and wire to secure the fencing to your T posts.