# Goat Transport Pen for Pickup Truck



## What Have You Herd (Jul 14, 2011)

I'm getting my goats soon and don't want to tow a trailer for such a small load.  I've decided to build a transport pen out of goat panels, but I'm not sure about the bottom of the pen.  I saw a pen with a wood floor (old privacy fence boards), but my concern is for traction.  Would a rubber floor mat make better flooring?


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## ksalvagno (Jul 14, 2011)

I would definitely put a rubber mat down. You could even put some pine shavings over it to soak up any urine.


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## What Have You Herd (Jul 15, 2011)

Karen - Thanks for your input.  The rubber mat will make the trip safer and more comfortable for the goats.  Pine shavings are an excellent idea as well.


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## jodief100 (Jul 15, 2011)

I have a piece of old carpet with about 8 inches of pine shavings on top.  This is in the back of my pickup with a camper shell top.  The goats do fine.


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## What Have You Herd (Jul 15, 2011)

That's a great use for old carpet.  Wish I had a camper shell to provide some shade.  I've considered making a fitted tarp.  I figured a snug tarp wouldn't flap.


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## jodief100 (Jul 15, 2011)

What Have You Herd said:
			
		

> That's a great use for old carpet.  Wish I had a camper shell to provide some shade.  I've considered making a fitted tarp.  I figured a snug tarp wouldn't flap.


Camper shell was $40 on Craigslist.


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## greenfamilyfarms (Jul 15, 2011)

We made a wood box out of scrap 2x4's as a frame and attached a pallet to the top (measure you pallet first to see how big your box needs to be). It does really help to have a rubber mat in the back of the truck and a tarp just in case of a downpour.


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## SheepGirl (Jul 15, 2011)

I don't have goats, but when I need to transport just one or two sheep, I get out the dog kennel (bull mastiff size), put it in the back of the truck, tie it down with bungee cords, back up to the loading chute, and load the sheep. I put about one flake of straw down per sheep I have in there, which helps to absorb the pee and hide the manure.


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## What Have You Herd (Jul 15, 2011)

A big dog crate sounds like a great alternative when only moving one or two.  Thanks!   
Since two adults will load and unload, and the goats are only five months old, I was planning to lift each goat into the truck.  Does anyone have any advice/thoughts/opinions about loading this way?  Should I build a ramp?


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## Pearce Pastures (Jul 15, 2011)

What kind of goats are you getting?  Lifting them into the bed should be fine so long as they aren't huge (don't want to hurt yourself).  I wouldn't bother with a ramp at this point but my goats only weigh about 70 pounds full grown.  I also doubt mine would have willingly tramped up and down a ramp when I first picked them up (they were a little freaked about leaving their home, poor things).  Good luck and I hope we'll see pictures of your new goats soon.


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## Beekissed (Jul 15, 2011)

I built lightweight and sturdy truck panels from cattle panelling and 2x2s.  Just light enough I could place them on the truck by myself and sturdy enough that they could contain sheep.   One could zip tie a great goat cage out of a cut down cattle or hog panel and the wires that compose the floor would provide good traction.  Those panels can also be bent without too much trouble, so forming them into a cube isn't hard.


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## What Have You Herd (Jul 15, 2011)

I'm so glad I found this forum.  Everyone has such good ideas.  We had goats when I was a kid, and I loved them then, so having my own goats as an adult is really exciting.

I'm picking up my three doelings at the end of the month, once our fence is finished.  I'm getting a La Mancha Alpine cross and two purebred La Manchas.  I do not plan to keep a buck.  I am pretty sure I can trade for the services of a buck later on.


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## What Have You Herd (Jul 16, 2011)

Beekissed said:
			
		

> I built lightweight and sturdy truck panels from cattle panelling and 2x2s.  Just light enough I could place them on the truck by myself and sturdy enough that they could contain sheep.   One could zip tie a great goat cage out of a cut down cattle or hog panel and the wires that compose the floor would provide good traction.  Those panels can also be bent without too much trouble, so forming them into a cube isn't hard.


Tell me more about bending cattle panels.  Can one person bend a clean angle, or does it take two people to do the job?  I've bent lots of cage wire for chickens and bunnies using a table, couple of clamps, a 2 X 4, and a mallet.  I'd like to make some things out of cattle panels without cutting them, so please share your bending secrets.


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## jodief100 (Jul 16, 2011)

I use a large dog plastic sided airline crate when I only have to transport 1 adult or 2-3 small goats (boers and kikos).  I put it in the back of my car!  It just fits through the center of the hatchback.  

When using the pickup with topper, we lift them up through the window while the other person holds the window up and is ready to close it quickly.  We have done 125lb does that way.  Not fun but it works.  You have to make sure you get all the legs through first.


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## Beekissed (Jul 17, 2011)

What Have You Herd said:
			
		

> Beekissed said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You can do it with one person and a surface for leverage, like the ground or a wall.  It helps, of course, if you have two people because those panels are so big and bulky.  The angles are as clean as wire that guage can be, if you know what I mean.  I was surprised at just how easily they were to bend with just my hands to guide and some weight/leverage.  I'd just experiment with a small piece of panel to see what angles you can manage...surprisingly they bend right back with only a little ripple where you compromised their lines.


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## What Have You Herd (Jul 17, 2011)

After reading the post about using a camper shell, I found one for sale but couldn't make the drive to see it.  My son-in-law drove up to look at it, pronounced it sound and fair priced, so he bought it and is keeping it until I pick it up tomorrow.  If I can get my hay feeder finished and hung this week, I'll have my new babies before the end of July!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





The drive from the breeder is about an hour.  Should I have apples or watermelon for the doelings to eat, to keep them hydrated?  It's been over 100 every day for three weeks.  I'm going to go up early, early.  As early as my wonderful goat breeder will allow me to arrive to avoid driving in the worst heat.


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## jodief100 (Jul 18, 2011)

I make sure they have buckets of water in the back.  If your camper shell has windows- open them up and fix them at about 2 inches open, enough for air flow, too small for little goat heads to fit through.  Make sure the windows are fixed so the goats can't shove them open further.    If it doesn't have windows, I recomend you drill a few 2-3" holes in each side.  I put 6- 4" round soffit vents on each side of mine, works great!


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## What Have You Herd (Jul 18, 2011)

jodief100 said:
			
		

> I make sure they have buckets of water in the back.  If your camper shell has windows- open them up and fix them at about 2 inches open, enough for air flow, too small for little goat heads to fit through.  Make sure the windows are fixed so the goats can't shove them open further.    If it doesn't have windows, I recomend you drill a few 2-3" holes in each side.  I put 6- 4" round soffit vents on each side of mine, works great!


Yes.  The shell has side windows.  I'll make a couple of bumpers a few inches wide and secure both windows so they act as vents.  There are two small vents that face the cab, but they are only about three inches across.  I have a 5 gallon pail with a lid.  Could I cut a section of the lid for access to the water but leave enough to keep splashing to a minimum?  I'm sure I can secure a bucket of water inside the truck bed with the nylon straps that I use to secure boxes and hay bales.  I'm hoping to be on the road while it's still dark.  A lot depends on the breeder.  She may not want to be up loading goats before dawn


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## What Have You Herd (Jul 27, 2011)

I picked up our three doelings today.  With the horrible heat, I decided not to use the camper shell for transport.  Instead, I managed to find an antique goat tote at a small engine repair shop nearby.  It was the strangest coincidence.  I was picking up a string trimmer and the clerk, just out of the blue, asked if I knew anyone who needed a goat transport pen.  It was fate!


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## maggies.family (Jul 27, 2011)

Look how cute they are!!!

That's awesome about the pen!  You lucked out!

congrats!


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## RPC (Jul 27, 2011)

That pen looks awesome I want one.


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## Goatmasta (Jul 27, 2011)

Good find!


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