Feedlot panels for fencing goats

[Crc310]

I am researching before getting a couple of small breed goats and see that TSC sells (feedlot) cattle and goat panels. The hole sizes are the main difference. They r both 4 g welded wire. The largest openings in the cattle panels are 8"x6" and goats are 4"x4". The cattle panels are almost 2/3 cheaper. If I won't be having baby goats, will this work long term for dwarf breed goats? We plan on rescuing so not sure if they will have horns. Thanks!

 

[NH homesteader]

I use cattle panels for my goats, they're awesome! I don't have horned goats though. If you don't have babies(which do fit through the holes), you should be good.

 

[Crc310]

I use cattle panels for my goats, they're awesome! I don't have horned goats though. If you don't have babies(which do fit through the holes), you should be good.

Ok, thanks

 

[Mini Horses]

Horns...they will wiggle & get heads through and then bawl until you rescue them. It can be hard to work them out.

So, plan to cover bottom 1/2 with cheap wire, chicken wire, add some hot wire, or attach a pole across their horns to prevent this. Just saying, it will happen...experience speaks.
These are just some options many have used.

Solar hot wire works well.

 

[Crc310]

Thank you! I have plenty of 1/2" hardware cloth and chicken wire

 

[Crc310]

Should I run a line or 2 of barbed wire to keep out coyotes or should I even bother? I prefer not to use electric fencing if I can avoid it. There's an under ground line near where we want to fence and if we lose power obviously it won't work.

 

[NH homesteader]

Barbed wire is not a good plan for goats. They would find a way to get themselves cut up with it. I don't have electric or anything on mine, my goats are close to the house so they're not in a prime coyote spot.

 

[Crc310]

As far as I know, no coyotes have come on to our property and we have free range chickens. I can hear them not very far from us on occasion though. Was thinking of putting it 8" about the 50" high cattle panels. Would the mini goats be able to reach that?

 

[Crc310]

If I don't put barbed wire or electric fencing, should they have a goat house that I can lock at night?

 

[Latestarter]

You can always build a very simple structure that you can lock them in at night if you're worried. It can be as cheaply built as pallets stood on end and held with T posts with a piece of plywood for a roof, or expensive as a manufactured shed type building... Good fencing is always your first, best, most important defense against escape or predation. A secure "home" for them at the most dangerous time for them (night) is the 2nd important consideration.

The thing with coyotes nowadays is that they've become much more "urbanized" to where they can be seen in suburban backyards during daylight hours... They've become desensitized to humans and therefore much more dangerous. You can read stories of people out walking their small dogs and coyotes coming up and grabbing their dogs and running off with them to eat. Even though you haven't had coyote issues with your chickens, doesn't mean you won't next week... It has never happened before...until the first time it happens...