Portable goat fencing
If you are looking for ways to set up portable goat fencing, this will get you started. My number one way to house your goats so you can easily move them around your pasture and property.
No matter what type of goat fence ideas you are using now, having a portable option is a great thing to have just in case.
Be sure to grab the FREE Dairy Goat Checklist below!
Introducing portable goat fencing to your family homestead is a great way to provide good, comfortable housing for your herd. This type of goat fencing offers practicality and convenience for goat owners, as it can be stored away when not in use, or moved around the farm with ease.
More Goat Fencing Resources:
As someone who has owned goats for years, I’ve learned to love portable goat fencing. Not only is it useful outside in a pasture but inside of the barn as well.
In this article, I’ll explain what makes goat fencing so great, how it works, and how you can store it away when not in use. If you’re looking for a practical way to keep your goats safe and secure – you are in the right place.
What is portable goat fencing?
In a nutshell, portable or movable goat fencing is any fencing that can be moved. This is helpful if you want to relocate your herd, do rotational grazing, or separate out different goats during the breeding season. By having fencing, you can move, and you can manage the care of your herd more efficiently.
Types of Portable Goat Fencing.
There are a few types of fencing that will work great as a portable option. Each comes with its pros and cons. Read through them all before you decide which will work best for your purposes.
Option 1. Electric Fence Netting
Fence netting is a woven electrified fence made of panels of about 8-10 feet, with the full length of the fence up to 160 feet or more. It comes in different woven sizes and heights. This allows you to install a smaller fence for miniature breeds or a higher fence if you raise larger breeds.
At each panel, there is a stake that you can easily push into the ground using your foot. The stakes have a rubber top so you can tough them without getting shocked. This type of fence is electric and requires a solar box to run power.
Electric fence netting is my top choice for movable goat fencing. I have been using fence netting since we got our first goats, and even though we have added more styles, this has always been our most effective way to house and segment our herd.
PROS: Electric fence netting is It is effective at fencing goats in a specific area and is easy to move, and comes in various lengths.
CONS: This type of netting does not hold up well in the snow, so it must be taken down and stored away for the winter. This can be a bit tricky as this type of fencing can tangle easily.
Extra Supplies Needed: If you do not have a power source, you will need to purchase a solar battery to electrify the fence.
How do you store electric fence netting?
To store electric fence netting, it is better to roll the fence to prevent tangles. We have found that PVC pipe works great as a base and allows you to roll the fence around it and store it away easily. Here’s how it works.
- Lay the fencing down on the ground.
- Fold it up using the sections as your guide.
- Once folded, lay the pipe at one end and gently roll the fence around it.
- Secure with hay twine and store up off the ground.
Electric Fence Netting:
Petween Electric Fence Netting for Sheep, Lambs, Goats, Dogs, 35
RentACoop Non Electric White Fence 48Starkline 42Andmon 10 Miles Solar Electric Fence Charger with Day or Night Mode, 0.11 Joule Portable Solar Fence Charger for Livestock, Preventing Predators from Intruding
Option 2. Wood Pallets
Wood pallet fencing is a cheap DIY option that you can use for sectioning off smaller areas for your herd. By repurposing pallets, you can create walled-in spaces that will work great for all breeds of goats. Stakes help to keep the fence in place, and nails or brackets attach the pallets to each other to create a wall.
PROS: Wood pallets are one of those things that just about every homestead has a collection of. This option is a great low-cost way to section off one or more areas, is easy to setup and will work in all weather.
CONS: This type of fencing is time-consuming to set up, so it may be best for small areas over large ones.
Extra supplies needed – heavy-duty fence posts or stakes to anchor the pallets in place.
Sadnyy 10 Pcs Ox Tendon Feeder Pan, 3 Quart Feed Pan Utility Horse Feed Bucket Rubber Dog Bowl Horse Feeder for Cats Dogs Goats Horses Chicken Dust Bath Container Animal Feeding, 10.2 x 3.1 InchLittle Giant® Plastic Mini Feeder | Fence Feeder | Goat Feeder | Durable & Mountable Bucket for Livestock | Made in USA | 6 Quart | Blue2 Pack Feed Trough and Waterer Bucket with Clips, for Goat Chicken Duck Sheeple Dog Piglets Deer Goose, Turkeys, Goat Feeder Supplies, 4.5 Quart (Appearance Patent Product)QVQE Hay Feeder Goat, 18 Gallon Multiple Sided Goat Hay Rack, Heavy Duty Iron Wall Hay Rack for Sheep with Detachable Grain Tray, Effortless Installation in Farm, YieldVCZONE 2 Packs Goat Hay Feeder Bag, Hay Feeder Bag with 1680D Oxford Cloth Fabric, Hanging Feeder Bag for Horse Sheep Donkeys Cattle (Black)
Option 3. Steel Fence Panels
Steel fence panels are a form of livestock fence you can purchase in 10-foot lengths or longer. They come in two heights, 3 feet, also called pig fencing, and 5 foot, also called cow fencing. They can be attached using zip ties, allowing you to quickly create fenced-in areas with little to no help.
This fence option is another favorite of mine because the strength of the panels will hold up well to goats. Goats like to stand on whatever they can find, and this option will hold up to repeated standing.
PROS: Relatively easy to set up, allowing you to do it alone. Durable enough to withstand the wear and tear of the weather and a goat herd. It can be purchased at your local feed store or Tractor Supply. This type of fencing can be manipulated to form a circular pen, which works well if you have a small area to work with.
CONS: The panels can be a bit expensive, something to keep in mind. Also, the panels are heavy so you will need to move them one at a time.
Extra supplies needed – Heavy-duty stakes to anchor the fence into place. You will also need zip ties to attach the panels and secure them to the stakes.
Where to use Portable Goat Fencing.
Portable means temporary, and when you are raising goats, I have found you need to be able to spin on a dime. These are a few times a temporary fence will come in handy.
Separating Goat kids from the herd
When you have young kids in a herd, it is helpful to have a separate spot to house them. This is called a goat kid pen and is a separate pen for young goats to play safely without upsetting the older goats in a herd. Having a kid pen allows you to separate the kids from the moms at night so you can milk full udders each morning.
What we recommend: Steel fence panels are your best option since they can be seen through which is calming for both the moms and the kids.
You can set up a corner in your barn with a low gate entry so only your kids can get in and out. This will keep that area free from mess and, in turn, keep a cleaner area for your young kids.
setting up a Sick Bay
If you do not have a stall available that you can use for goats that are injured or sick, you can section off a corner of your barn to keep goats separated safely that need time to heal. This helps the separated goat still feel a part of the herd without the risk of her being bullied or getting injured as she recuperates.
What we recommend: Since you only need a small area, steel fence panels or wood pallets are the best option.
to Control Breeding
If you have goats, you do not want to be bred, you can separate them from the herd with a portable fence. This may be young does that are not yet of age or older does that are past breeding age.
What we recommend: We find electric fence netting works best for this situation. If you choose to use steel fence panels, you may need to double the height to keep any determined goats in or out of the area.
Whatever portable fence you choose, be sure it is sturdy enough to keep the buck either in or out.
to implement Rotational grazing
To help keep parasites to a minimum, moving your herd around your pasture is crucial to healthier grazing ground. Portable fencing will allow you to section off areas in your pasture, giving the grazed areas time to recover and replenish, ensuring any parasite eggs die off.
What we recommend: For our setup, we find that electric fence netting works perfectly for sectioning off portions of our pasture.
When raising goats, having a system and setup that works for you and your herd is crucial. Portable goat fencing is a key component that gives mobility that you can use both inside and outside of your barn.
MORE GOAT RAISING RESOURCES:
- Turn an Old Shed into a New Goat Barn
- Build a DIY Goat Playground
- The Key to Great Tasting Goat Milk
