# Normal or abnormal?



## Alexz7272 (Jan 3, 2017)

So I walked out this morning to my goats and sheep sleeping outside of their enclosures and covered in snow. I'm use to the Alpacas sleeping in the open (crazy boys) and sometimes the sheep but not usually the goats. Is this something I should be worried about? There was plenty of space and multiple structures they could've gotten in/under so I know no one kicked them out. Literally everyone was out in the snow. Maybe my animals are just crazy  
Thank you!


----------



## Alexz7272 (Jan 3, 2017)

Horrible Pictures


----------



## NH homesteader (Jan 3, 2017)

I would guess your animals are just crazy! I can't get the pictures to show up on my phone...  You have weird goats, lol


----------



## Goat Whisperer (Jan 3, 2017)

Ours don't leave the shelter if they think it's about to rain. Occasionally they'll go out in a drizzle to eat hay out of the feeder. 

Get down low and get a good whiff of what the shelter smells like. If it has a strong ammonia smell that could be the issue and cause respiratory issues ( I remember you said you had several sick with pneumonia recently). 

How often are the shelters cleaned? Are they muddy? Hard to get in or out of? Have they used the shelters before? Have you moved the shelter since then? 

I'd be looking for a reason why they are doing this. Sometimes the Kikos will go out but not the dairy breeds.


----------



## Alexz7272 (Jan 3, 2017)

@farmerjan 
I just cleaned them and put new bedding, been doing it twice a week, so they have new straw. They also have used these shelters lots of times before, which is why I am perplexed  
Nothing has changed, they used them the night before last but notast night. About to get 10 inches of snow tonight, hoping they go in them again.


----------



## Alexz7272 (Jan 3, 2017)

So I went ahead and put a **** ton of bedding down and they started to go inside  
I was outside for 8 minutes and I still cant feel my fingers after being inside for 10 minutes now. They'd be insane not to use it tonight!


----------



## Mike CHS (Jan 3, 2017)

It may not be a solution for you but when we clean out our shelters we first put down some barn lime and then add the straw.  There isn't any odor and we have had 10 ewes spend the night in a 10x15 shelter.


----------



## Alexz7272 (Jan 3, 2017)

@Mike CHS I will get some tomorrow and try that, thank you!!


----------



## Goat Whisperer (Jan 3, 2017)

Definitely still try and see if there is an odor build up. 

We don't use lime, but that might be a good option. 

I have had great success with sweet PDZ and Stall Dry. Both are safe and work well. 

My all time favorite is Bye bye odor! We don't generally use it in the winter though. It  WORKS. I'm always skeptical of these "natural" products- but this stuff is awesome. A little goes a long way and it actually does what it's supposed to. I can't say enough about it. Best odor control out there.  
https://www.spalding-labs.com/products/odor_control_products/default.aspx


----------



## Baymule (Jan 3, 2017)

Goat Whisperer said:


> Definitely still try and see if there is an odor build up.
> 
> We don't use lime, but that might be a good option.
> 
> ...


Does that stuff smell like Ivory soap? I've used something like that for dog and cat pee before but couldn't find it again.


----------



## farmerjan (Jan 4, 2017)

Besides the possibility of an odor, there may have been something lurking around that made them feel like they could be trapped if they went inside the shelters.  As for the goats, they may have felt safer to be out with the rest of "their herd".  Were they shivering and looking like they were uncomfortable?  They looked pretty laid back in the pictures....You may never know what their reasoning was to be outside.  You may have to put up a game camera or 2 to see if there is something stalking the area at night to see if there is a "reason" for unusual behaviour.   Can you move the shelters? are they on skids?  I would thing that if there is an odor problem that you could move them to "new ground" if they are moveable, then bed them.  If not them putting down lime or and odor kill would help.  We have always used ag lime for odor problems and to just sweeten the ground. We would clean out and then put down the lime and leave it open for the day then bed late in the afternoon so it had a chance to air out.  Don't know much about the newer type products.


----------



## norseofcourse (Jan 4, 2017)

I don't know anything about goats, and you've been given good advice about possible reasons, but just an observation: I see snow on the backs of all the animals, and that means they're so well insulated that not even enough of their body heat is escaping to melt that snow.  I see that on my sheep and ponies all the time (seen it on deer, too).  So that's a good thing


----------

