Hi-tensile fencing ?

[Mango]

Do any of ya'll have this?

I have another half acre that I would love to fence in for my pygmys. It's our half acre hole...it was dug as a pond but has never held water for more than a week. And that was once in our 5 yrs out here. There was still lots of area around it. The guy that lives behind us said it was dug out 20 yrs ago.

I overheard someone today talking about eletric hi tensile fencing and it got me to wondering if that can be used with goats. I don't want them getting out and really don't want coyotes or the loose dogs that run out here getting to them.

Although, when we fence it in, we will put a gate up between my backyard where they stay now and the other side so at night, we can close them up in the back yard. So far the coyotes stay away from the house.

 

[lupinfarm]

cmjust0 uses it, he should be in sometime i'm sure

he's the poster-boy for high tensile electric.

 

[cmjust0]

Have it...love it...six thousand volts of awesome.

What do you want to know about it?

 

[Mango]

So, I guess it keeps goats in and everything out. How much would it cost to fence in a half acre? Does alot of clearing need to be done. We have pine trees that outline and lots of grown up brush. Would it be to strong for pygmys? My biggest girl is 40lbs.

 

[cmjust0]

So, I guess it keeps goats in and everything out.

As well as any other fence, in my experience.. Naturally, things that REAAAAAALLY want in or out will find a way to make it happen.

How much would it cost to fence in a half acre?

A 4000' spool is like $100 at TSC.. You'll need some tools -- but not all the tools they tell you you need. Overall, though, it's very cheap -- probably the cheapest fence you can build. Requires very few wood posts, considering it's not a physical barrier....t-posts work just fine except for ends and corners, and possibly big dips.. The tension of the fence tends to pull them out of dips, but then again...I've pulled a wood post out of a dip or two.

Does alot of clearing need to be done.

Pre-fence...you'll need to clear the way just like you would for any other type of fence.

Post-fence...you'll want to keep an eye on it to make sure you're not getting SUPER overgrown, but not really.. I fenced half of 25 acres with it and didn't touch it for several years.. Got overgrown, insulators got knocked off, etc.. Voltage was way down, though I didn't know it because the goats were still respectful -- except the kids. They didn't know any better.

So, I spend like 1/2 a day working on it and went from a few hundred volts to 6,000 or more. No biggie. Repairs are extremely easy -- much more so than woven wire. Overall, maintenance is very, very low if you do it right the first time.

We have pine trees that outline and lots of grown up brush. Would it be to strong for pygmys? My biggest girl is 40lbs.

Let's put it this way... If you're familiar with an h-brace, they're basically designed to take lateral force applied to the TOP of the end post and apply it to the top of the brace post.. The top of the brace post is then connected, by a heavy wire, back to the corner of the end post.. So, when you get pull on the top of the end post, it translates into an upward pulling on the bottom of the end post...very stable. The only way it can fall over is if the end post is lifted out of the ground.

Well...I know of a guy who let his tractor get away from him, and it rolled downhill straight into a hi-tensile fence. As the weight of the tractor pulled on the wires, the tension on the h-brace of the end of the run became so great that it shot the end post out of the ground like a rocket.

The wires didn't break.

So, ya...I don't think a 40lb pygmy is going to break a hi-tensile fence.

In fact, the goal is that when she gets trained to it and comes to respect it...she won't get NEAR it.

 

[lupinfarm]

So, ya...I don't think a 40lb pygmy is going to break a hi-tensile fence.

Haha me either! I have a 40lb and a 60lber in plastic chainlink and just the other day saw a small herd of full size goats and sheep in plastic chainlink on t-posts, happy as clams.

 

[glenolam]

I must say I love the electric fence, too. I had a jumper and an escape artist and put up the electric inside the field fence, never had a problem since.

I have about 3/4 - 1 acre fenced in for my goats (I'm really bad with figuring spaces and such) and probably spent around $400 for the electric part. The charger was the most expensive, but that's because I originally started with some cheapo type because...well...I was cheap, then when it didn't work and I brought it back to TSC the gal laughed at me when I told her it was for goats. I ended up buying one for about $120, the spool of wire cost just under $100 (and I have a lot left), and the other misc parts made up the rest.

I've even allowed the vegitation to grow and it still delivers a good whack - my fence goes through some really dense wetlands, too.

Good luck with your fencing....do a search for CM's "funny thing" that happened to him with his fence!

 

[lupinfarm]

Good luck with your fencing....do a search for CM's "funny thing" that happened to him with his fence!

hehehe..

 

[cmjust0]

Yeah...really funny. :/

( ok...it was pretty funny... )

 

[Mango]

Ok, that helps alot. Thanks for the info Although I guess I should have reworded the part about my 40 pounder.....I was wondering about it shocking her too hard but if you've got kids then the answer would be no....hahaha