Size matters

[David Proudfoot]

Hi, we are getting ready to buy goats this spring. What size milking pail should we get and where?  What size fence do I need to build?  How big should the area be for two does and their kids?

Thanks,
Dave 

[Janel Rickey]

We have the 4 by 4 horse fencing and are realizing that I don't think its going to be strong enough by this spring to keep our buck in.  He so forcefully puts his body through the holes that I think he could break the fence by next spring.  We are looking into running an electric fence wire half way to keep him off of that particular fence.  I know that the cattle panels are expensive so that why we went this route.  Also on that same fence line we are going to have to run chicken wire or I saw some garden mesh or something to keep the babies out of the buck pen. 

[April Keller]

Now small kids will get through the cattle panels. I don't know how small yours are but they will go through it.  If that happens you could put some chicken wire at the bottom. I have done this before.  The problem with wire fencing is that goats like to rub. I have yet to find a good enough fence to stand up to mine so cattle panels are a sure thing. Plus with the horses it is an all around fence for my purposes.

[David Proudfoot]

Thanks April.  I will get some cattle panels!  do your goats destroy woven wire fencing?  Wow.

 

[April Keller]

I bought a little 2 quart sized stainless steel bucket  http://www.caprinesupply.com/shop/?page=shop/flypage&product_id... It works great for me but i guess if you have a large producing doe it might not be so great. As for fencing, that can vary, depending on how hard your goats want out. With mine its only a suggestion. I have the does I milk in a board fence. Bucks are in Cattle panels. I have seen pictures on here of several different kinds of wire used, but mine will destroy it. I'm not sure how big of a pen you should have per goat. I only know horses :-) Mine run loose except for the ones I am miking and they are in a 32x32 pen.