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Feeder pen question #5765759 05/30/15 03:13 AM
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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?


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Re: Feeder pen question [Re: kmkellar] #5766073 05/30/15 01:38 PM
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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.


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Re: Feeder pen question [Re: kmkellar] #5766605 05/30/15 09:59 PM
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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



Re: Feeder pen question [Re: artrios60] #5768050 06/01/15 01:53 AM
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Originally Posted By: artrios60
40 x 40 is certainly large enough, and you'll want atleast 3 wires and support t post for strength. Cattle are stubborn


X2

Re: Feeder pen question [Re: kmkellar] #5816106 07/03/15 03:22 PM
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We're on a new lease in northern San Saba County this year...rancher has ~30 head of cattle on ~1500 acres. Was hoping they would avoid my feeders.

No such luck. Spent the last two days building a 30' radius circular feed pen (12 x 16' panels) around my feeders. Still need to get back out and run a strand of barbed wire around the top. Hopefully the hog panel will keep them (and the hogs) out until I can get back out there.

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Re: Feeder pen question [Re: kmkellar] #5818389 07/05/15 07:29 PM
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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


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Re: Feeder pen question [Re: kmkellar] #5819213 07/06/15 12:18 PM
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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.


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Re: Feeder pen question [Re: hoof n wings] #5820083 07/06/15 09:17 PM
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Originally Posted By: hoof n wings
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.

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Re: Feeder pen question [Re: kmkellar] #5823218 07/08/15 07:38 PM
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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.



Re: Feeder pen question [Re: kmkellar] #5824384 07/09/15 02:09 PM
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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


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Re: Feeder pen question [Re: kmkellar] #5824491 07/09/15 03:12 PM
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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 grin 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.


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Re: Feeder pen question [Re: kmkellar] #5824574 07/09/15 04:15 PM
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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.


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Re: Feeder pen question [Re: kmkellar] #5830786 07/14/15 12:36 AM
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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


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Re: Feeder pen question [Re: kmkellar] #5831253 07/14/15 01:18 PM
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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.


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Re: Feeder pen question [Re: Slow Drifter] #5848074 07/25/15 11:15 PM
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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 smile

I built it in a day(12 hours) by myself, hand dug the post

Originally Posted By: Slow Drifter
Originally Posted By: hoof n wings
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..


Originally Posted by ImTheReasonDovesMourn
I'd ask him if he's pregnant. He missed a s__tload of periods.

Originally Posted by Hancock
I'll take "things that look like a uterus" for $200 Alex.
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