# $10 Goat shelter



## sawfish99

We try to recycle materials whenever possible and actually use a lot of pallets to build farm stuff. Using pallets for the base (at a minimum) allows me to use the forks on my tractor to move the items around the farm.  It's amazing how much free plywood or OSB you can get with an ad on craigslist.  I always check the OOPS paint at Home Depot for exterior paints.  
This 4x6 goat shelter cost me less than $10 which was the paint and 3 new 2x4s that I needed.  Everything else was free (except the nails that I already had). This took about 8 hours to build.






































Our newest Oberhasli checking out the shelter (before bedding was added).


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## autumnprairie

That is awesome Thanks for sharing


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## Queen Mum

Nice JOB!


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## pridegoethb4thefall

Cool! I'll be referencing this thread when I try to build my own shelter! Looks like something a smaller gal like me could handle almost by herself! 
Course, Ill get the hubby to do the heavy liftin'


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## Ms. Research

Awesome job.  

Thanks for sharing.

K


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## Roll farms




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## 20kidsonhill

It is great to see people not wasting.


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## DonnaBelle

You and my DH would get along fine...He absolutely HATES to waste building materials.

That is really making a silk purse out of a sow's ear. LOLOLOLOL....

Excellent job. 

DonnaBelle


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## Stacykins

I love seeing DIY projects and how people can turn extra wood into something beautiful. I personally used a lot of wood salvaged from an old ice fishing shanty when I built my chicken coop! Sure, it is more challenging than starting with new (lengths of wood not the same size, thickness, etc.) but it definitely more fun.


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## SuburbanFarmChic

Very cool!


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## SmallFarmGirl

Cool!


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## Vumani

I used old pallets to create a goat pen but never thought to use then to make a shelter.  This is a great idea I am going to try out!  Thanks.


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## terrilhb

That looks fantastic. How many goats live in it? Can you lock them in? We are getting ready to build our goats new houses. Always looking for great ideas like yours.


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## sawfish99

terrilhb said:
			
		

> That looks fantastic. How many goats live in it? Can you lock them in? We are getting ready to build our goats new houses. Always looking for great ideas like yours.


Right now, it is just for 1 doe that we recently acquired and have separate from the main herd.  In the future, I expect it will be for 2 bucks (as long as they get along).  I think 3 goats could share it without too much problem.  I'm going to make 2 or 3 more to add options to our pen/shelter/fencing plans.

I did not build any kind of door on it, but it wouldn't be too hard to put on some brackets that can hold a pallet across the opening.  I didn't make that provision because we are building a separate stall in the goat barn for isolation if needed and in a crisis, could use a horse stall as well.


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## elevan




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## peachick

Very nice!!  
I showed it to hubby,  he said....  "save that page for me"
Thanks for sharing...


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## southpaw1964

What a great idea!


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## dianneS

Good job!


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## enolderman

Great post sustainable practice is the most efficient, thanks so much for posting.


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## greenbean

That looks awesome!  I would have never thought of doing that.

I do have a question though, I showed this to a friend and she asked if you've ever had one get a leg caught up on the inside since there's the spaces in the pallet?


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## sawfish99

greenbean said:
			
		

> That looks awesome!  I would have never thought of doing that.
> 
> I do have a question though, I showed this to a friend and she asked if you've ever had one get a leg caught up on the inside since there's the spaces in the pallet?


We thought about that.  First, the pallet boards are oriented vertically, to minimize the potential hazard.  Also, if the spacing was small and suspect, I took off a board to make the gap wider so or added a board to close the gap off so there are no places left I think a leg can get caught inside the shelter.

That is also why the outside has plywood over all the surface.  So far, no issues.


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## Beekissed

Are you worried that repeated urination in the shelter may start to dissolve/break down the flooring?


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## sawfish99

Beekissed said:
			
		

> Are you worried that repeated urination in the shelter may start to dissolve/break down the flooring?


Not really.  We have shavings on the floor.  Every time we clean it out, I'll check the floor.  If it starts to degrade, I'll put in a new sheet of OSB on the floor.  Also, since the goats have lots of space, they don't spend a lot of time in the shelters, so I don't think there will be a significant amount of urine on the floor.

I don't really consider these to be 20 year shelters.  If I have to replace every 5 years, that's ok.  I am intentionally not using any treated lumber on the project, so I know the parts wil degrade faster.


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