# What size stalls for nigi goats?



## Mini-M Ranch (Jul 17, 2009)

Dear husband and I (actually, mostly me, but he seems agreeable ), want to get two or three nigis to use for clearing out brush and poison ivy, as pets, for milk (cheese, etc), and are not sure how much space we need for their housing.

Do nigis need their own "stalls" - I know we will need one for milking.  And I suppose maybe one for kidding (although I know we will not have any billies because we have neighbors that are too close) - (BTW, I am assuming that a doe has to kid every year in order to not dry out.  Is that correct?)  Do they need separate stalls for sleeping, or will they sleep together?  Also, how much space is needed per goat.  I don't want them to be crowded, but do want them to stay warm in the winter. 

I have read that it is best to put the door opening on the south side, but west facing would face the back of our house, so we could see them coming and going.  Is that a problem?  

Sorry, we are completely new at this and want to make sure we start out on the right foot.


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## Chaty (Jul 17, 2009)

Well I have Nigerains and larger goats too and they dont like to be by themselves. Even when its getting close to kidding they still dont like it but adjust to it. I would make a kidding stall so the mommas can bond with the babies and feel safer with them. I would have a separate area for milking and then a common area for them all to sleep. Yes its good to breed once a year and if you want to have milk all yr stagger the breedings and then you can have it all yr long. I dry my girls up after a while and about 2 to 3 mths before they are dues to kid so they can build themselves back up for the babies.
I do give some a much needed rest also and theis way it wont wear them out. I wean my Nigi babies at 8 wks and my larger bottle babies at 4 to 5 mths old.You dont want the door to the north as winter can be a stinker unless you have milk winters. West would work as I have mine open to the southwest and it works. Also you will need either alfalfa hay or pellets for milking and babies so the milk is richer for them. I feed mine whole oats , alfalfa pellets and goat chow (dont get the sweet feed) and hay. Its hard here to get alfalfa hay and I dont lose as much with the pellets and mine love them.
It takes time to find out what will work for you and what dont. Good luck


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## currycomb (Jul 17, 2009)

we have a small leanto built onto the side of the barn, open to the east with an entry door facing west. no permanet walls inside, just tie up wooden fence panels hubby made, allowing us to change pens, sizing, etc. winds in winter here from north and west, so really have to block the west door in bad weather. the open east allows for air circulation, although did hang heavy plastic when kidding, had heat lamps and did not want drafts. works for us. ponies can also use shed when goats are old enough to go out back to pasture pens. everyone had own pen, but could see and touch goats on either side. they felt quite safe. let them out on nice days, they would not go out on nasty days.


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## Chirpy (Jul 17, 2009)

I love my Nigis!  They were the goats I started with.  I also want to milk them, starting next year.   If you do want to milk your Nigis you want to make sure you get your does from a good milk line.  They can be hard to milk with their little teats... so starting from good stock/genetics will at least help in that area - it can still be a challenge..kinda depends on the size of your hands also.

My two Nigis share a large igloo dog house with two old shed doors and a board nailed down on top making a tunnel that is attached to the dog house for their shed.  They don't need much space at night - just a dry, wind free area.   They do need more space during the day, of course.  When we had a couple of really big snowstorms this last winter I brought them into the big barn and put them in a kidding stall for a few nights... just to make sure they were completely dry and had more room to move around until the snow melted somewhat.

Yes, a doe needs to freshen (have kids) to produce milk.  Although some does have actually been milked for well over a year it is generally the practice (and necessity) to breed them once a year.  With Nigis you can breed them any month of the year so you need to decide when is the best birthing time for you.  If you have two milk does you can stagger their breedings so that you have milk year round.  You do want to dry up your does two to three months before they are due to kid so they can put their 'energy' into growing babies and not producing milk for you.

If you can I would suggest having the kidding stall right next to their main stall so they can see each other when they are separated.  My girls don't like to be alone when they are waiting to kid so I built two kidding stalls next to each other and keep a friend 'next door' while waiting for births.  I have wire in between the two stalls so they can nose each other and see each other.

Putting a door on the west side shouldn't be a problem.   I'd build some sort of awning over the door so that the sun doesn't shine directly into their shed.  That will help keep it a little cooler there... if that is a problem where you live and it will help keep rain out.


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