Size Helps the Adults; It Does Nothing for Newborn Kids
Boer goats are substantial meat animals, and a mature Boer doe with horns, weight, and herd mates around her is a risky target for a coyote working alone. The losses Boer keepers actually suffer come at kidding and in the weeks after: twins and triplets born out on pasture, a kid that cannot rise quickly, or a doe separated from the herd by brush while she gives birth. Loose dogs are the other major threat, because Boers browse widely and a dog pack that gets among them causes panic, fence crashes, and injuries far beyond the animal it catches. Plan your protection around the kidding pen and around keeping the herd settled, not around the strength of your biggest doe.
Kid Boers in Jugs, Then Turn Out by Strength
Small kidding jugs inside a secure barn or shed give each Boer doe a private, predator-proof space to bond with her kids, and they let you confirm every kid is nursing before the family faces the open pasture. Keep pairs in the jug until kids are steady on their feet and following their mother reliably, then move them to a small nursery paddock with your tightest fencing before they join the main herd on browse. Avoid kidding on large, rough pasture altogether during the season when coyotes are feeding their own young and hunting hardest. If a doe kids unexpectedly outside, move her and the kids in as soon as they are found rather than leaving the new family out for a first night.
Fencing for a Goat That Pushes, Rubs, and Tests
Boers are powerful rubbers and leaners, and a fence that sags under their attention soon develops the low spots and loose corners predators exploit. Well-braced woven wire with solid posts handles both the outward pressure of the herd and the inward pressure of a coyote testing for a way under. Pay special attention where the fence crosses dips and drainage lines, the natural travel routes predators use to approach unseen. Walk the line after storms and after any day the herd has been frightened, because a panicked Boer herd can bend wire that looked perfectly sound in the morning. Keep brush cleared back from the outside of the fence so nothing can approach the herd under cover right up to the wire.
Night Lots and Browsing Schedules
Boers love to browse into the evening, but dusk is when the herd should already be walking into its night lot — a smaller, highly secure area near the house or barn where the goats settle within strong fencing and, ideally, within earshot of the household. Train the herd to come in for a small evening feed so gathering them is a habit rather than a roundup. Water and mineral in the night lot reinforce the routine. If you use a guardian dog or donkey with the Boers, make sure it comes in with the herd at night rather than staying out on the pasture alone, since the guardian only protects the animals it is actually with. Rotate browse areas so the herd is not predictably in the farthest field on the same evenings each week.
When a Frightened Boer Breaks Out
A Boer that has been chased can clear or crash through fencing and end up a long way from home, frightened and hard to approach for strangers. Start searching along browse lines, thickets, and fence corners where a goat would pause to feed, and let neighbors know quickly with a description of the goat's markings and size. Speed widens the net considerably: KinsLe's Lost Pet Alert System sends a free alert to nearby Circle of Love members when your Boer goes missing, and a finder can message you directly through KinsLe instead of guessing who the goat belongs to.