# Fencing Nigerian Dwarf Goats



## Squires

I plan to bring home a couple of Nigerian Dwarf goats, and wanted to ask about fencing.

Right now I have cattle panel fencing -- the openings look to be about 6X8 inches -- not positive on the exact size (they are from Tractor Supply -- cattle panels). Will the Nigies get through these openings? (They are full grown).

Should I put hog-panels inside the cattle panels to make sure they stay in? I've read that the 4X4 inch hole type panels are better, but would have to be special-ordered.

Someone told me that Nigies jump. What is the minimum height fence I need? Just want things to be safe, rather than sorry.  

Chris


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## NWgoats

My full grown Nigies do not get out of my cattle panels. However, the kids do
until they are about 2 months old. I have never had a problem with them jumping
out. I do, however, have a doeling who can (and has) jumped them easily
when she wants to. (She is leaving soon.) 

I have overlapped panels so as to make the openings half the size they
normally would be. That is what fences my kidding pen/paddock. It keeps
the littles in.

As to the jumping, just hope you don't get a jumper.. :/ Hope this helps
a little.


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## Squires

NWgoats said:


> As to the jumping, just hope you don't get a jumper.. :/ Hope this helps
> a little.


Are you kidding me? :groan
Those little goats can jump a cattle panel fence??? :crazy

Chris


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## mabeane

Most Nigies are easy keepers. I strung an orange snow fence across the dooryard to keep one small baby buckling from making his herd mates chase him into the street. It fell down if you barely touched it but none of the goats went through. The little buckling raced to the edge of it and then put on the brakes.
My outside pen is tied together with baling twine. It's their spot and they stay there for me.


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## Guest

I have never had a jumper in 10 years.. so they must be few and far between.. Now getting out of the cattle panels yes. they do while they are little.. I line mine on the bottom with hardware cloth or chicken wire.. the hardware cloth works best tho.. I love my little girls and boys.. easy to care for..
Barb


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## NWgoats

As I said, this particular doe is a pill. :crazy She is actually a Miniature, not
a ND. But she is only 23 inches high at the shoulder. 3 times she has jumped
out of my fencing. Twice it was out of my stall (3 sided barn with a cattle
panel on the 4th side) And there is no room to get a running start, she did 
it from a standstill right next to the fence!

My crazy Alpine has jumped them, but only once and NONE of the other
ND's has even acted like they wanted to. Decided I have to get rid of her
before the others get any ideas!


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## Feral Nature

My MiniManchas which are derived from Nigerians and LaManchas are escape artists. They can go through little cracks in between the fencepost and the gate that seem to be only inches wide. So after I close the gates tight, I have to wire them tight and snug with bailing wire...every time!


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## Hollybrook

Chris be safe not sorry get some hog panels or few strands of electric down low thier not going to jump it they will go under or though it. We got our second ND 3-4 wks ago she's still finding ways to get out our first one has given up, decied to stay put I suppose weve had him since Feb. 

FYI weve had Alpines, La mancha's, Sannan and brush goats by far these little Nigerian's are escape artiest they will put thier lips up to an electric fence I guess they can smell or feel the current? Ive also seen them get stuck in the those panels at shows becareful especially when you first bring then home !!


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## rebeccasminis

HA!! I have eleven of the wee little buggers and my one white buck can jump 6 and a half feet high, higher actually as that is the height of the fence and he clears it. No running start he just cocks back like a spring and BOING right over he goes!! I am at a loss as to what to do with him. I dont really have any neighbors to worry about and he cant get to the does but if he does this at night he may very well end up a coyote snack...i tried electric, barbed, nothing works, I am putting another 2 foot of fence on the top....he cant jump that!!! watch me eat my words..... but this isnt a common thing, never happened before and the black guy he wont jump he just watches his buddy go out then hollers for someone....


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## Faithful Crown Nubians

Rebecca, wish you could get that on video! I wanna see a little goat spring over the fence! lol


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## milkmaidranch

I have to agree with most here. For the most part, they don't but you do get the one that will teach the rest to do it. I use the hog panels and cattle panels both. My ****** are sold now but the Mini-Alps can jump also. Electric fencing is worthless with goats. Mind do stay in with the hog and cattle panels. Kids will be out of anything. 

If you can fence in a gold fish, you can fence in a goat.


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## rebeccasminis

Well I wish we had gotten it on video, jethro isnt very big but he is muscular and apparently is springloaded, I put a piece of fence on the top that angles inward so he hits his head when he jumps, this so far has deterred him.... I will say my prayers and eat all my veggies and maybe God will smile and keep my goat in!!!! This strategy seems to work for my son when he really really wants something so here is to hoping!!! :biggrin


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## Rose

They also watch your every move and figure out how to open gates. If they had thumbs, they would rule the world.


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## rebeccasminis

Rose! Do you have Nigerians? Mine can open the feed tote, which "locks" but is no match for a pair of Niggie does and they can open the porch door as well which means sometimes i go out to be greeted at the backdoor....It is funny though, My husband says he just knows one of these days he will wake up to one in his bed!!


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## hsmomof4

Rose, :rofl


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## Poverty Knob Goats

Rose said:


> They also watch your every move and figure out how to open gates. If they had thumbs, they would rule the world.


 :faint
Too True! J.L.


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## Squires

Well, Sadly, the deal fell through with the Nigies . However, a neighbor has a baby pygmy goat for sale . . . a bottle baby . . . I feel so vulnerable! The mini-goat bug has bit me! :help2

What do I need to keep a PYGMY goat in? A large goldfish bowl? :rofl


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## hsmomof4

The pygmy requirements would be roughly the same as the ND. If you got a pygmy buck, you could always breed Kinders with your Nubian.  They are a lot of fun, hardy, and good milkers for their size. And the milk is very yummy, just like with a mini.


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## Dana

I just wanted to chime in and say I haven't had luck with electric fence and goats either. We even bought the most powerful fencer at Tractor Supply and the goats still find a way through! Of course they're scared to come back through. The only jumper I've ever had was a 4 year old Alpine. She drove me crazy. And now I have, among other breeds, 2 little Alpines and guess who is starting to jump fences? 

I did have a Lamancha doeling who would scale the 6' high dog kennel and get out. I wished I had videoed her doing that...


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## Faithful Crown Nubians

Squires said:


> Well, Sadly, the deal fell through with the Nigies . However, a neighbor has a baby pygmy goat for sale . . . a bottle baby . . . I feel so vulnerable! The mini-goat bug has bit me! :help2
> 
> What do I need to keep a PYGMY goat in? A large goldfish bowl? :rofl


aww I love pygmys! If they were actually worth something in my area, I wouldn't have the dairy goats....I'd have a whole herd of Pygmy goats!!  Keeping them in while they are kids can be a bit difficult....and with all of the kids/adults I never had a jumper.


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## Hearts In Dixie

Our minis can be quite the little handfuls too. Usually it is the young bucks we have trouble with. We run all the goats in five strands of elctric fence. Trust me the fencer is "HOT" to the touch. We usually have to put a yoke on them to keep them in the fence until they get a little bigger and have more fear of the fence. The yoke will break a goat from going through the fence. 

Marla


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## tendermeadowsnigerians

I have a ND buck that will clear a cattle panel like its nothing. So I thought I would outsmart him and make the fence 6 ft high, about a week later he was out again. He had figured out how to take a running start and jump to the top and climb the rest of the way over. He is the only jumper we have had in our 20 years with goats. I fixed this by running a hot wire about 6" from the top of the fence just low enough he would hit it with his nose, I know it sounds mean but he doesnt jump fences anymore.


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## Epona142

My goats must be wimps, because I put up four strands of electric fence, with the most powerful charger (50miles) at TSC. I was mean, and made them each touch it.

This is the FIRST fence I haven't had escapes with. Now they have three lovely acres and no more waking up to find my favorite goat (and smartest) snoozing on the porch.


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## doublebowgoats

I am curious as to how you make a yoke for a goat? Putting a cone on my dog "untaught" him how to get out of the fence but I never thought of that for goats.


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## Lazy J Dairy

I must really have lazy goats.

I have had one goat jump the fence and that was a MM that did not want to be in with the buck. In my doe pen the horses have squished the fence down in one area, so now it is only about 3 ft tall, not one escapee yet.


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## Sunny Daze

Mine climb through the cattle panels and some can squeeze through well beyond 2 months. I use plastic poultry netting along the bottom of the cattle panels, about 2 feet high, and zip tie it on there. ND's are total escape artists. I have one spring doeling I have given up on. Every time I think I found how she was getting out I turn my back and there she is again! She thinks she is so special now because I have pretty much given up and she gets the whole roam of the place! :crazy


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## judyvansmith

We use Red Brand "No-Climb Horse wire". It is right on the label on the wire. It is a 2" X 4" wire that keeps in the babies and adult Nigerians nicely. Keeping out dogs is a big thing here and it works well for that as well.
I have had one jumper. A buck that could clear 6" with no run room, just bounce right over. We put electric wire around the top inside and about 6" out from the fence. That worked. He stoped jumping around the age of about 12 months, when he got full grown and heavy.
I sold him but have kept in touch with the buyer, he is doing well and not jumping. Well he needs to jump a little, he is the sire for a MiniNubian farm and many of his does are 100% Nubian dance: he takes his job very seriously. You will LOVE Nigerians, they are a breed of goat like no other. Just like people...no two are just alike.
Good luck !


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