# Goat Housing



## alba

Please post pictures of your goat housing and fencing.


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## wynedot55




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## m.holloway

so you have goats. Weclome to the herd!!!!


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## PotterWatch

We have our goats in the middle of a city so our setup is unusual.  Our goats have a shelter on one side of our house where they are locked in at night with a gate.  During the day, they have the run of the backyard.


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## barefoot okie

Very nice... how many goats do you have PotterWatch?


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## alba

Neat  and easy setup, just like for family dogs 
What kind do you have?  I can't wait to see some more housing to get some good ideas


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## wynedot55

you have neat setup there.they have lots of grass to eat as well.


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## Chirpy

My Nigis share the chicken run - we put in some 'toys' for them although they free range with the chickens everyday so they are only in there at night for protection:













Here's their very ugly and cheap but extremely functional goat house:





There's actually an igloo dog house under all that straw at the backend.  The two sides are just two old shed doors with a piece of old plywood screwed over the tops.   

My large size dairy goats are in an inside/outside barn stall with an added fenced area until we get the 'real' goat fencing up .. hopefully sooner than later.


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## alba

Where do you get those cute spools? I want a couple of those


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## wynedot55

you have a nice goat setup.if i had all those spools my goats would jumping over the fence.oh wait i do have a goat that goes over the fence.


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## Chirpy

Around here they are free if you go pick them up.   I've found them on Craigslist (both by putting out a wanted ad and by watching free ads) and companies that lay the cable often have them laying around.  I saw some in a field one day (at a business, not at a farm/personal residence) so I stopped and asked - the guy said take whatever I want.. he didn't know what to do with them.


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## barefoot okie

heres what my young goats sleep in.. a barrel 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			











 this one is for the bigger goats


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## wynedot55

wow lots of nice goatie houses.


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## m.holloway

Potterwatch where in the city? That is so cool!!!! And Chirpy you have Nigerian Dwarf? How are they for milking???? I already have 2 cows (beef) and chickens and ducks coming soon. 1 rabbit and 2 cats and 1 dog. 15 grandkids LOL .  Anyway I have to talk my hubby into getting a goat that won't be to much troble with the milking. Since he said the dairy cows would be to much. Why I'm doing this now only god knows, but I do enjoy the farming. So I 'm looking for a goat. Well it will be 2 cause I herd they do better???


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## Aidenbaby

I asked this on my SS journal but maybe I should ask this here.  How much space do you need for a milking goat?  I would love to have one but need to get my dearest husband used to the chickens first.

Potter - Are your goats undercover (illegal) goats?  My chickens are (my neighbors are all okay with it).


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## RedStickLA

alba said:
			
		

> Where do you get those cute spools? I want a couple of those


While shopping at Home Depot I noticed a spool with just a very small piece of electric wire left on itI asked a worker what they did with them and he said they throw them away so I asked if I could have it for my goats.  He went ask the manager and they said yes.  He even brought it to my truck and loaded it for me!  Then one day I saw two more on the way home from church on the side of the road for the trash collectors to pick up.  I had my husband pull over and load them into the truck.  

You could try calling some electric companies and see if they will give you one.

Mitzi


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## pattyjean73

Wow... those seem so simple.  I'm looking forward to getting some goats sometime soon.  But I was trying to save money to build a big goat barn... thought that's what they'd need.  But out here we have coyotes and I really love the idea of locking them in at night for security purposes. Lock them in and let them out at the same time that I do the chickens!  Very cool.  *Grins* I may be getting goats sooner than later. Lets see some more.


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## GrassFarmerGalloway

pattyjean73 said:
			
		

> Wow... those seem so simple.  I'm looking forward to getting some goats sometime soon.  But I was trying to save money to build a big goat barn... thought that's what they'd need.  But out here we have coyotes and I really love the idea of locking them in at night for security purposes. Lock them in and let them out at the same time that I do the chickens!  Very cool.  *Grins* I may be getting goats sooner than later. Lets see some more.


You are a little bit like me:  Wannabe goat owner.  I just can't because of coyotes.  Can't care for a guard dog, can't afford fencing to keep out the coyotes.  I either have to be there 24/7 or keep them around the barn, away from all the good brush that would be the reason we get goats anyway.

Grrr...


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## alba

Why not keep them around the barn most of the time but take them to the brush when you can hang around.


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## Chirpy

m.holloway asked:  





> And Chirpy you have Nigerian Dwarf? How are they for milking????


Yes, they are for milking.  However, they just turned a year old so I won't be breeding them until this fall - so I won't be milking until next spring.  If you go with a Nigerian as a  milker make sure you spend the time and money to get one from a great milk line.  Their teats are already so small that you need to give yourself all the advantage by getting the better genetics - which will also give you more milk.

You are also right... you need to have at least two goats together for company.  They are very social and need to have a goat playmate to keep them healthier and happier.    You don't need two milk does though, you could get a doe and a wether (don't get a buck) so you only have to milk one.


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## m.holloway

Sorry I'm new at this too! One thing I learned fast was to do your home work before you get the animal. I was very blessed when I came across this group. My hubby surpised me with 2 heifers last christmas(07). And I knew nothing about cows, I knew I loved them but nothing on caring and rasing. My heirfers has been in good health so far, and the small things that I did come across were able to be talked over this group. With pic's and advice , What I thought was so bad was only small stuff. They even came 4th and 5th place this year at the fair. My grandkids are in 4-H. They were small for their age. But again with the advice I think they are closer to the weight they should be. At 15 months they were only at 450 and 475 give and take. Now they at close to 700 and looking good. So Back to the question. Wether is that a boy goat. I thought a buck was. Or wether is like a steer????? It has been fixed??? Thanks


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## pattyjean73

I have a pre-existing goat pen of approximately 2 to 3 acres.  Already fenced in and everything.  There is a lean-to type building out there too... fairly new and in great shape.  But it only has two half walls. I don't see that as offering much protection. I may build it in or at least put some heavy duty fencing over it. I'd like to build in at least the third half wall if nothing else.  The pen is divided into 2 sections of 1 to 1.5 acres each. I've been letting the vegetation grow all spring long in hopes of getting some goats. There is already a hay feeder present too and some watering troughs although I don't think the troughs are worth a dang.  I'll have to replace those.  I turned the large metal one upside down to give the goats something to jump onto and play on.  There are also two large piles of boulders for them to play on. 

I think what I'll do is leave the lean-to as is so that the goats has a bit of protection from rain and sun during the day when they're out grazing and use that for the feeding area of grains and minerals but then build some dog house style "Stables" to lock them into at night when they're unsupervised. I'm looking to get 2 to 4 does and just lease a buck once a year or so. 

Any opinions?


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## Aidenbaby

A wether is like a steer.


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## Chirpy

m.holloway asked:  





> Wether is that a boy goat. I thought a buck was. Or wether is like a steer????? It has been fixed??


A wether is a castrated male.

A buck is intact.

pattjean said:  





> But it only has two half walls. I don't see that as offering much protection.


The biggest thing with goats is that they need to be able to get completely out of rain and snow.   Most goats hate being wet; and a stressed goat can get sick.   It's also good to have wind protection for them so I'd at least make a good three sided structure with a roof.  I find that mine prefer a 'real' shed with a small door where they are completely protected from wind and all moisture... but we also live in Colorado with serious thunderstorms and snowstorms.


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## freemotion

Mine are in a horse stall.  In our New England winter snow storms, I fix the door so it is open just wide enough for the little goaties to squeeze in and out, but not Old Man Winter.  I close it all the way at night if it is windy.  The door is on the south side and there is some wind protection with nearby brush and a shed on the neighbor's land.

I latch the door wide open most of the time, so they have free access in and out.  A second stall is divided into a smaller stall to confine and separate a goat for kidding or for feeding the lactating girl the good stuff overnight.  Right now, the baby is in there at night or in bad weather to protect her from possibly being kicked out by the bigger girls.  

I am already looking at how to re-divide the space to fit in more goats!!!  Eeeek!


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## Thomas423

We built this goat house in 100 degree weather.   It was so hot but we love our girls.   The whole thing was only about $600.

We built the front porch and they love to hang out on it.   We are going to expand (widen) the porch since the girls have expanded since we first built it 2 years ago.  LOL

The roof overhang was because they don't like rain but it still took them well over a year to figure out that they could step out of the hut and not get wet.   They used to stand in the doorway looking out.   They are so funny.

Their food bowls are on the right side and bedding is on the left.   We use (plastic) coffee cans as water buckets since we are constantly having to give them fresh, "warm" water.   They don't like cold water, even in the summer.   We usually put the water cans on the front porch and by the gate (when it's not raining).


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## Chirpy

Thomas423 - that is one nice goat home.  Nice job.


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## wynedot55

i agree thats 1 nice goat shelter.


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## barefoot okie

Awesome looking goat house


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## alba

Thomas423 that is a mighty nice shed you have there.
I want a child's Playhouse to use in a similar way. I think it would be the most adorable shed for dwarf goats.  Except I want a big one. 
Does anyone have any pictures of big playhouses that are reasonable?
Thanks

PS please tell me how wide it is, how deep the house part is and how tall.
How many of what breed can fit in there? I am thinking about an 8'x 8' playhouse.  I will probably end up making one since it might be a lot cheaper. Ive got some left over vinyl siding, roof shingles and stain I can dress it up with. Or maybe just 2 colors of wood stain. One for the body and one color for the trim.
Can't decide yet.

I would LOVE to figure out how to dress up a shack/shed to make it look like this playhouse


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## Carolina Chicken Man

When I first got chickens, I built a pretty large run for them.  But, I have an acre fenced in, so the run does not get used.

So, when I decided to get goats, to save a little work, I used part of my run to make there house.


Here is the Coop and Run






And here is how I built the goat house





I've added a gate to seperate the goat space from the chicken space.


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## momto5lilrascals2angels

Nice goat house.  Does anyone use a dog kennel for their goats?


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## ksalvagno

I use a 12x14 stall in my barn and 10x40 overhang space. In about a week or so we will have about an acre fenced in for the goats. By the end of the year we will probably take the stall next to the goats and also make that for goats since we have 3 more coming.


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## lupinfarm

Karen, I love your goat space. We have a large bank barn and I was contemplating having a local welder make me goat panels for it to make "goat stalls" rather than use my little pony stall for them.


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## ksalvagno

Thanks!

We use the blue corral panels from TSC and then put fencing over them. We already had the stalls up for alpacas but of course had to add the fencing so that the goats couldn't just walk right out of the stall. The alpacas prefer to be able to see everyone and we figured the goats would like that too.


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## lupinfarm

Awesome, We can't get those at our TSC... Theres a guy locally who makes horse round pens, cattle panels, and so on so he can make us goat panels if we ask. I'm dying to get goats, we've got a field set up with buck fence and 5 lines of electric, and will have a barn yard for them.


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## ksalvagno

I bet that guy is cheaper than TSC! Hopefully you can get your goats soon. I am loving mine.


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## momto5lilrascals2angels

We don't have a barn yet what is a good alternative for goats then?


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## Chirpy

> We don't have a barn yet what is a good alternative for goats then?


Goats need a draft free, dry structure to keep them out of the weather and some good fencing to keep them safe but give them a place to play around.   Depending on the size/breed of your goats even a large dog house can be used for two or three Pygmies/Nigis.   Something larger for large breed goats would be needed.

Many people never have a barn - they just have a shed of some sort for their goats.


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## lupinfarm

I am using a massive wire dog crate with plywood attached to it  Photos coming tonight!


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