Raising Goats For Dummies. Cheryl K. Smith

7 to find out more about getting your goats.)

      The number of goats you can adequately provide space for on your property depends on the answers to a few questions:

       How much fenced pasture or range is available to the goats? If you live in an area where you can’t let your goats range (roam over a large area), such as a desert area or in the city, you need about 20 square feet per adult standard-sized goat for sleeping and resting, plus another 30 square feet (outdoors, ideally) for exercise. This gives them enough space to move around and not be cramped or too confined.If you have a larger outdoor area in which to raise your goats — where they’ll have pasture, woods, or range — you need less indoor space per goat because they only rest and sleep there. The rule of thumb is 10 to15 square feet per adult standard-sized goat.

       How much space do you have for a sleeping area? Goats like to sleep together in small groups, and so the actual sleeping area they need can be quite a bit smaller than their living area. If you have a building with a lot of separate pens, keep the doors open so they are accessible to all of your goats. (Of course, the herd queen and her brood will take over the best spot anyway.)

       Will they have kids? A standard-sized goat needs at least a 4-foot-by-5-foot kidding pen. If you have more than one doe that you want to have kid, breed them at different times, and clean and sanitize the pen between kiddings.

Making Sure Fencing Is Adequate

      Goats need good fencing to keep them in and to keep predators out. You can also use fencing to protect your trees and shrubs from goats. (See the section “Making trees goat-proof.”) Goats are intelligent and curious, and if they spot a weakness in your fencing, they take advantage of it and escape.

      Adequate fencing means different things in different situations. If you have kids and adult goats, you need to make sure the kids can’t get through the fencing and the adults can’t get over it. Permanent fencing around the perimeter of the goat area has to be strong enough to last for many years, while temporary fencing that allows goats to browse in different areas only has to keep them in for a limited time.

Goats love to rub on walls, fences, and even people. If you put in new fencing, make sure that you set your fence posts deep enough so that they can withstand the weight of a goat dragging his body across the fence regularly. If you use wooden posts, they need to be at least two feet deep. If you are using metal T-posts, make sure to pound them in past the V at the bottom that holds them in the ground.

      If you have an area with existing fencing, walk the fence line and

       Inspect the fence for holes in or under it. Patch holes in the fence and fill or block holes under it.

       Check each fence post to make sure it’s solidly set. Replace, add a new post, or solidify the weak one.

       Measure to see whether the fence is high enough. The necessary height depends to some degree on the type of goat and the type of predators in your area. A 4-foot fence is adequate in most cases. If it isn’t, add a strand or two of electric wire or fence it higher.If the area you’re fencing borders a busy road, don’t skimp on fencing. Make sure your goats can’t get over it and cause an accident or get injured.

       Determine whether any trees need to be fenced out or around. Keep goats away from trees you don’t want eaten or that are poisonous. See the section “Protecting Your Plants” for more information.

      Running through types of fencing

      If you need to put in new fencing or replace fencing, you have a variety of fencing types to choose from. The most common types of fencing that people use for goats include:

       Field fencing: Field fencing, also called woven wire, attached to metal T-posts is probably the most common type of fencing for goats. It is moderately expensive and is sturdy if installed properly. A four-foot-high field fence will keep miniature goats in but isn’t high enough for a determined goat that is bigger. A strand of electric wire along the top and 10 inches off the ground usually keeps all goats in. I recommend field fencing. One downside is that it is hard to use in hilly areas.

       Cattle or hog panels: Galvanized cattle panel with graduated spacing (smaller to larger from the bottom) makes excellent fences for goats. The panels are 50 inches high — tall enough to keep most goats in (I say “almost,” because I had a Nigerian Dwarf buck with only three good legs climb one to get to does in heat). You can add a strand or two of electric wire along the top for larger goats. To keep in miniature goat kids you may need to reinforce with chicken wire or woven wire along the bottom.This fencing is easy to install; you can attach each panel to T-posts set 4 feet apart. The disadvantages are that the panels are very expensive, hard to work with on hills, and hard to transport because they come in 16-foot lengths and are heavy. If you can overcome these obstacles, I highly recommend using cattle panels for fencing.

       Electric wire: Electric wire is an excellent addition to any of the other types of fencing. The wire and insulators are inexpensive; the biggest cost is the charger and ground rod. A strand along the top helps keep predators out and goats and livestock guardian dogs in. A friend of mine uses three strands of electric wire about a foot off the ground with temporary posts in areas where goat escape isn’t a disaster. The advantage is that it can be moved if you want goats to browse different areas. The disadvantage is that some goats can walk right through it with seemingly no effect. (Or they get out and then are too scared to get back in.) You must train your goats to the fence prior to using it this way. You can do this by setting it up inside a fenced area and then watching them while they test it out. Normally they learn after only two shocks. Use a 4,000-volt charger for goat fencing. If your fencing isn’t near a power source, get a solar charger. Place the grounding rod in a location that is as dry as possible. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for grounding and charger placement.If you want the best electric fence, ideal for keeping coyotes out, you can invest in high-tensile electric fencing, also known as New Zealand fencing. It combines woven wire and electric in one fence, with alternating wires electric. It is more expensive than standard electric wire.

      

Avoid using barbed wire or wood fences for goats. Barbed wire fencing is less expensive than woven wire or cattle panels, but goats can get injured by the barbs. Wood fences, such as the white ones used for horses, are very expensive, don’t last as long, and are inadequate for goat kids, who can get out between the boards.

      Planning for gates

      Plan space for enough gates in the places you need them — highly trafficked areas, near structures, and between different pastures. Make sure they are strong enough to withstand goats. This means a good, goat-proof latch. If you use a hook and eye latch, make sure that it has the extra piece that locks so it can’t just be pushed out of the eye. I recommend that you install gates so they open into the enclosure, otherwise a goat can more easily get loose by rubbing or shoving on them.

      Make the gates as high as the fence, if possible, with no gaps underneath the gate. If you will need to drive or get a riding lawn mower or tractor into the area, make sure the gate is wide enough.

You can purchase premade gates of differing widths. If you use cattle panel for fencing, you can make gates from smaller pieces. If you make cattle panel gates, overlap them with the fence to give added strength, especially in an area that houses bucks.

Protecting Your Plants

      Goats don’t appreciate the aesthetics of a well-tended