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Feeder pen question
#5765759
05/30/15 03:13 AM
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 840
kmkellar
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Joined: Apr 2015
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Our LO has a few head of cattle on our lease and I'm going to set up some pens around my feeders. My question is two fold: 1) is a 40'x40' area big enough? 2) I am just going to run barbed wire between t-posts, I was thinking 20" and 40" for the heights of the two strands of wire, does that sound good height wise or what would you recommend?
"A free people ought not only be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government." -- George Washington
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Re: Feeder pen question
[Re: kmkellar]
#5766073
05/30/15 01:38 PM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 15,991
Jimbo1
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I ran 3 wires with the highest at 40in, no cows inside since. Also make it more round than square and extra brace a few of the t-posts. GTG.
FJB - Lets Go Brandon BBB - Bring Back Better Awake - Not Woke!
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Re: Feeder pen question
[Re: kmkellar]
#5766605
05/30/15 09:59 PM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,987
artrios60
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40 x 40 is certainly large enough, and you'll want atleast 3 wires and support t post for strength. Cattle are stubborn
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Re: Feeder pen question
[Re: artrios60]
#5768050
06/01/15 01:53 AM
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,711
STXHO
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40 x 40 is certainly large enough, and you'll want atleast 3 wires and support t post for strength. Cattle are stubborn X2
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Re: Feeder pen question
[Re: kmkellar]
#5818389
07/05/15 07:29 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 12,987
hoof n wings
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This is the pen I built this spring, it's 45 x 45. Plenty of room for the deer to move around. I went with 39' No Climb fence, but should have put the t post in at 8' or less. Still need to add a strand of barb wire across the top
I'd ask him if he's pregnant. He missed a s__tload of periods. I'll take "things that look like a uterus" for $200 Alex.
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Re: Feeder pen question
[Re: kmkellar]
#5819213
07/06/15 12:18 PM
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,038
Western
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I would do 14" 30" and 40", remember, your fence will only be as good as your braces (corners) Round pens have more stress pulling in towards the center, sq pens the pressure is on the corners.
If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln Dennis
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Re: Feeder pen question
[Re: hoof n wings]
#5820083
07/06/15 09:17 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 5,561
Slow Drifter
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This is the pen I built this spring, it's 45 x 45. Plenty of room for the deer to move around. I went with 39' No Climb fence, but should have put the t post in at 8' or less. Still need to add a strand of barb wire across the top Three strands, first strand hammer-high off the ground, then 12 inches apiece. Look at this setup. See the corners? Each has a dead man pulling out, keeping the fence tight. You'll never get a t-post pen tight without an outside force unless you go to hobo brackets from TSC, and even then you may need some outside bracing. edited to add: Notice the tension system. He likely has wire run through a fence staple at the top of the wooden post to keep it from sliding down. The staple isn't nailed all the way in, just enough to catch the wire without crimping on it. The twitch sticks, well, I usually flatten mine out against the tension wire and tie them down, but they work. You can come back and adjust tension on the fence as wire stretches. I usually tighten my top strand with the twitches, couple turns on each until it's tight. I run the bottom two after and leave it loose. Don't fasten it to the posts or tie it tight to the t-posts, you want it to be able to slide and may even need to remove a few barbs. Get a couple heavy cedar sticks, get a wrap, take a few twists until the wire's snug and tie it off flat. This works best with quality wire like Red Brand, not so much with "high tensile" wire like Gaucho..
Last edited by Slow Drifter; 07/06/15 09:35 PM.
"I have no idea what WW-III will be fought with, but WW-IV will be fought with sticks and stones." A. Einstein
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Re: Feeder pen question
[Re: kmkellar]
#5823218
07/08/15 07:38 PM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,029
TexasEd
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I'm doing this in a couple weeks but think I might try to use some existing trees as corners where possible. Any advice on this method?
I'm also debating using hog panels instead of barbed wire due to hogs.
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Re: Feeder pen question
[Re: kmkellar]
#5824384
07/09/15 02:09 PM
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,038
Western
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Trees are good and generally solid, may need to adjust the connections each year as the tree grows so you dont harm the tree. I bet most use the cattle panels since they are basically "plug and play", just cut them down to height and wire to post. Barbed wire is far cheaper though, one roll is all you need and for less than $50
If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln Dennis
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Re: Feeder pen question
[Re: kmkellar]
#5824491
07/09/15 03:12 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
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Obie Juan Kenobi
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Posts: 60,296 |
Go with panels and it might be a bit more expensive. It won't take near as long to build and will be a lot sturdier in the long run. TSC has cattle panels for $19.95 everyday. You can cut them down in locations to allow easier access. If I used barbwire I would put bottom wire at 18"-21" so bucks have easier access....I think big bucks always Key with any pen is size to keep all the corn inside the pen to keep the outside pressure down. Also grass inside the pen and around the edges will cause cattle to reach over or thru a pen to get to it. I know this since I have a bull that continually jumps into the pen to eat the Bufflegrass and not touch any corn or the feeder.
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
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Re: Feeder pen question
[Re: kmkellar]
#5824574
07/09/15 04:15 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549
redchevy
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I second panels. Easier, sturdier, hog proof, in 2 years when you move leases you can take them down throw them on the trailer and put it up at your next lease, or move from location to location. A post at each joint has been plenty for us.
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Feeder pen question
[Re: kmkellar]
#5830786
07/14/15 12:36 AM
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 872
Brokedownhunter
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Built 2 this past weekend one was was 48x48 hog panels and cattle panels what I've been told bigger the better so it doesn't feel like a trap
Let em drop
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Re: Feeder pen question
[Re: kmkellar]
#5831253
07/14/15 01:18 PM
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 4,800
TexasKC
Extreme Tracker
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I built mine with 34" tall hog panels. 48' square with 6" posts at the corners with T-posts at 8' intervals in between. Got a crank-up Ultramatic feeder in the center and it slings corn outside of the pen. Haven't had a single hog in the pen as of yet but they do come along and clean up what few kernels of corn make it outside of the pen. I don't like a round feeder pen but that's just personal preference. I don't have cattle in that pasture so I can't comment on how effective it would be in keeping cattle out.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years.
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Re: Feeder pen question
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#5848074
07/25/15 11:15 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 12,987
hoof n wings
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Close....... I cut a notch in the top of the 4" post about a foot from the top, used 12ga galvanized wire and twisted it with the 1x2x3 stakes cut at 12" each I built it in a day(12 hours) by myself, hand dug the post This is the pen I built this spring, it's 45 x 45. Plenty of room for the deer to move around. I went with 39' No Climb fence, but should have put the t post in at 8' or less. Still need to add a strand of barb wire across the top Three strands, first strand hammer-high off the ground, then 12 inches apiece. Look at this setup. See the corners? Each has a dead man pulling out, keeping the fence tight. You'll never get a t-post pen tight without an outside force unless you go to hobo brackets from TSC, and even then you may need some outside bracing. edited to add: Notice the tension system. He likely has wire run through a fence staple at the top of the wooden post to keep it from sliding down. The staple isn't nailed all the way in, just enough to catch the wire without crimping on it. The twitch sticks, well, I usually flatten mine out against the tension wire and tie them down, but they work. You can come back and adjust tension on the fence as wire stretches. I usually tighten my top strand with the twitches, couple turns on each until it's tight. I run the bottom two after and leave it loose. Don't fasten it to the posts or tie it tight to the t-posts, you want it to be able to slide and may even need to remove a few barbs. Get a couple heavy cedar sticks, get a wrap, take a few twists until the wire's snug and tie it off flat. This works best with quality wire like Red Brand, not so much with "high tensile" wire like Gaucho..
I'd ask him if he's pregnant. He missed a s__tload of periods. I'll take "things that look like a uterus" for $200 Alex.
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