# Portable Goat pen (Goat Tractor?)



## RKAcresGoats (Apr 8, 2014)

I'm trying to devise some way to make a portable goat pen for my Nigies. It can't be more than 20' and I have to be able to by myself move it. I've heard of chicken tractors (portable chicken pens) but these have wheels. I'm not wanting anything to extravagent right now (maybe next year). Any ideas?


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## PBJfarm (Jan 10, 2014)

What about a portable hot fence. They make them with the posts already secured to the fencing. Just step the posts in and hook the charger up. I do use a good size chicken tractor occasionally for bottle kids when I am introducing to the other goats 


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PB & J Farms
Home to Nubians, a few LaMancha, and the rest of the farm menagerie
Oktaha, Ok


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## swgoats (May 21, 2010)

We use 6 cedar picket fence panels to create a temporary pen for reenactments. On the long sides we have 2X4s with bolts to secure two panels together. At the corners they drill into short cedar posts. One short side is not drilled together - it is out "gate". We use black tie down straps to create a hinge on be side and a strap on the other side to close it. It's pretty sturdy. In the past my husband has hammered in a few t-posts for support, but this past weekend, we skipped the t-posts, and it was fine (we used it during the day only). I have thought this would make an excellent pen for rotational grazing. Have to be comfortable using bolts, but we have the holes per drilled and everything marked, so it goes together really quickly.


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## ksalvagno (Jul 8, 2011)

Premier 1 has portable electric fencing. Should be very easy to set up.


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## swgoats (May 21, 2010)

Just be careful what you buy if you go with electric net. I sold a goat that strangled in it last year. Apparently she stuck her head through, panicked and twisted herself all up. I'm not sure exactly what kind that lady has, but the stuff makes me nervous.


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## PBJfarm (Jan 10, 2014)

Not a net fan but have seen the pre made pens with the wide tape. We are planning to use similar to divide a large pasture this year. We are changing over slowly from field fence to goat fence as funds come available. I don't like fence with holes they can stick their heads through.


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PB & J Farms
Home to Nubians, a few LaMancha, and the rest of the farm menagerie
Oktaha, Ok


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## Epona142 (Sep 2, 2009)

We also had a goat get tangled in that electric netting and die.

Saw this on FB - something like this might work if you have time to move them from place to place to browse. Maybe with a hanging water bucket and something over it for shade.


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## jdavenport (Jul 19, 2012)

How about 4 cattle panels in a square, tied so you could fold it up to move it, with a tarp over it for shade and a hay rack and bucket attached to 1 of the panels? 

I like my electric net fence, but critters can easily die if they get tangled. I train mine by walking them on a leash around the charged fence and every time they go to touch it say "NO" loudly and tug the leash. They usually get the message after a few days. The goats like to test to see if the electric is on by flicking their tail against it, or pushing their favorite sister against it. When the babies are little, I turn the electric off, because they could easily fall on the fence touching their head to the ground and kill them.


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## RKAcresGoats (Apr 8, 2014)

Epona142 said:


> We also had a goat get tangled in that electric netting and die.
> 
> Saw this on FB - something like this might work if you have time to move them from place to place to browse. Maybe with a hanging water bucket and something over it for shade.


We are hoping to do something bigger like this next year. Right now we are going to do the cattle panel idea, if this works then next year we will build a 20' version of this. Thank you for the picture!


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## RKAcresGoats (Apr 8, 2014)

Thank you for all of your reviews on the electric fence and all of your ideas. This has really helped!


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## donadavis (Mar 20, 2011)

I have a buddy that uses six stock panels. She can move it herself and it keeps the goats in. You have to be strategic though because they need shade. The stock panel will hold a water bucket and they can get their heads out for an easy feeding strategy.

We set this kind of panel up as pens at our goat show this year. I used clips (my kids call them carabiners) so I can open it anywhere. We didn't have any escapes but some of the nigerians with large horns got their heads stuck from time to time and one owner used chicken wire to stop them from putting their heads through and one of her goats got stuck, panicked and fainted. My nubians without horns had no problems but this year, in my barn I set up a stock panel pen and when the babies were really small they could get out of the pen.

Dona Davis
Nubians Vermont


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## Catalytic (Jul 10, 2011)

swgoats said:


> Just be careful what you buy if you go with electric net. I sold a goat that strangled in it last year. Apparently she stuck her head through, panicked and twisted herself all up. I'm not sure exactly what kind that lady has, but the stuff makes me nervous.


Yes, please, please, PLEASE be careful with electric netting. I lost a 2 month old Dexter calf (cow) because she got tangled in it and died. I'll never use it again.

(I don't have goats anymore, as we've moved, but I saw this topic in an email and had to reply.)


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## donadavis (Mar 20, 2011)

Thanks to everyone who posted about the electric net. I have used it a lot and nothing terrible has ever happened but I have had goats get caught in the netting and I think I've just been lucky that they didn't get caught by their necks. I won't be using it any more.

Dona Davis
Nubians
Vermont


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## Hersheys Handmaiden (May 27, 2014)

*Don't recommend premier net fence*

We used it for chickens. Nightmare to put in, take put of our hardpan clay. Hard to keep it from shorting out on ground or tall weeds when you move frequently. Several hundred dollars.worth is rotting out in our field because we were worn out .


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## Rose (Oct 26, 2007)

I have used electric net for years with no problems. I spray Round Up along the base of the net to control weeds and grass.


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