# kidding pen design



## 20kidsonhill (Jan 23, 2011)

Hello: I had someone ask me for better pics of our kidding pen design.  An upclose bracket photo is posted on: Goat Barn Design by Melissa'sDreamFarm  on 1/19.   sorry I don't get how to link it to that specific post. 

These pens measure 4x6 and the boards are cut 3 feet high, At One end of the board the brackets are attached 4inches from the edges and the other end of the board the brackets are attached 9 inches from the edges to offset them to make the pens.  We used rebarb for the rods.


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## helmstead (Jan 23, 2011)




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## Ariel301 (Jan 23, 2011)

Very nice! For those building kidding pens, if you don't have or can't afford that much plywood, wooden pallets work nicely too, a lot of hardware stores will let you have them free. I use a similar configuration to this one, with pallets fixed to fence posts, the good thing is that they can be taken down or rearranged as needed all throughout the year.

You just have to check the pallets over for loose nails.


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## cindyg (Jan 23, 2011)

I think I see how this works, are the brackets specifically for this purpose, can you get them at the hardware store?  The end without the rebar is where you swing the piece of ply back and forth as a door?  So, the doe goes in there when she is ready to kid, is it just to keep them isolated?  I know nothing about goats, but want to get some this year.


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## Shootingstars (Jan 23, 2011)

Ariel301 said:
			
		

> Very nice! For those building kidding pens, if you don't have or can't afford that much plywood, wooden pallets work nicely too, a lot of hardware stores will let you have them free. I use a similar configuration to this one, with pallets fixed to fence posts, the good thing is that they can be taken down or rearranged as needed all throughout the year.
> 
> You just have to check the pallets over for loose nails.


My pen is made out of pallets and it is very sturdy.  It has held a weiner pig for 6 weeks, baby chicks and it is now all cleaned and ready for the momma goats and kids.


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## ksalvagno (Jan 23, 2011)

That is a really nice design. You did a great job!


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## freemotion (Jan 23, 2011)

Oh, I get it now!  You can just step over the walls to get in and out, and you can slip the rebar out to open the front if you need to let the doe out for any reason....right?

Very cool!


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## 20kidsonhill (Jan 24, 2011)

They open fairly easily, but I set a bucket on the outside of the pen and step over. 

The brackets are hand made, I have no idea if there is anything like this available at stores. I can tell you this is so easy to move around, stack and stor, set up in different configurations through out the year for sick pens and so forth. 

Hope you all have a nice day.  I should be putting goats in mine in the next day or two, It ws 9 degress last night. Goats have to be due, I am just wondering where is the snow storm?


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## PattySh (Jan 24, 2011)

I like your design.  One thing makes me nervous tho. I would cut the rebar to the level of the tallest piece of plywood tho as goats can jump and could get impaled on that or get their collar caught.  OR you could take a t-post electric fence topper and use  spray foam to attach it to the top.  My smallest goat right now (nigerianX) jumps right out over a 4 ft gate. Had to put another top gate up!


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## 20kidsonhill (Jan 30, 2011)

Hope everything is going well  for all of you.


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## freemotion (Mar 1, 2011)

I just had a hard time finding this again, so I am putting some phrases here that I put in the search....sorry!  I know I'll want to find this again in the future, so here goes:

rebar

kidding stalls 

kidding stall

stall divider 

stall dividers


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## Livinwright Farm (Mar 1, 2011)

Is it wrong to just clean out and use their normal stalls? 
_Edited to add: _ Or should I clean out 1 stall and not have anyone in it until I have some sort of "Here they come" sign?


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## 20kidsonhill (Mar 1, 2011)

Livinwright Farm said:
			
		

> Is it wrong to just clean out and use their normal stalls?
> _Edited to add: _ Or should I clean out 1 stall and not have anyone in it until I have some sort of "Here they come" sign?


We use the same barn area for everything and just put fresh bedding on top and put the kidding pens up as needed. We don't even clean our barn out, but one time every year or two. We have dirt floors and the build up helps to keep it dryer and warmer for the winter. 
Except for the sick pen, that is outside under an extension of the roof.


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