Fencing Opinions for Goats (Does) and Hogs

We have a one acre pasture with 48" no climb perimeter fence with smooth wire along the bottom and 3-rail western dowels. We feel pretty comfortable with the exterior set-up. We are trying to figure out what to use for interior paddock fencing. We currently have one paddock set up with four strand electric fencing. Our 70 pound american guinea hog walked right through it with 14000 volts going. She did get shocked but it didn't seem to bother her enough to keep her from doing it repeatedly. The larger and calmer 120 lb hog respected it from day 1 (but he had it at his previous home). We are a bit worried about when we pick up our nigerian dwarf doeling next month. We need a new fence system. We plan to end up with our guinea hog breeding pair (including future piglets) and a nigerian dwarf doe and a lamancha or alpine doe (and their future kids) sharing these paddocks. To be clear, we will NOT have bucks. We are also definitely open to the idea of a farrowing/kidding pen to contain the smallest animals until they are ready for the paddocks. We really don't like having the electric fence if at all possible.



We have thrown around the idea of getting hog panels and putting a couple smooth strand wires above it to raise the height to 48" (to contain the full size goat). Do you think this would work? Would they just climb it?

We have considered 48" combination panels as well. This is a more expensive (though much simpler) option. Would it be better?

We have considered 50" cattle panels with chicken wire along the bottom 24" to make the holes smaller for the kids/piglets. Would chicken wire be strong enough?

Is there a forth option that would contain small pigs and goats all the way up to full sized does?



What do you all think our best, most economical option is? We really don't want to deal with escapees or broken fences. We will end up with about 700 feet of interior fencing.

(Also, with any option above, do we need the T-posts at 8' apart or could we do 16'?)

Once a critter of any kind gets it's head past an electric wire, it will push FORWARD when it feels the shock rather than back up. It must touch the wire with its head, and preferably its nose/mouth, to learn what the wire is for. The very best way to teach them is to bait the wire. Hang little tags of aluminum foil every few feet along the wire and smear something yummy on the tags. Peanut butter is the default, most animals love it. They will give it a lick and get a really good shock! This will keep deer out of an area, and goats inside of it, for months....with only a single wire.....provided it is hung at nose height and the critter takes the bait. The way to start is to set up an enclosure of physical fence and run the electric just inside of it until they understand what it's about.