Cold Weather and Kids

[Stacykins]

Alright, I haven't really been able to find specific answers though the use of google fu.

So I live in the UP of Michigan. It is cold in the winter here. Like, dark side of the moon cold (ok, not literally, but close!). And do I need to mention how long it lasts? Brr! Anyway, the dwarf nigerian kids that I am getting are due in early March, so I'll be picking them up a few weeks after they are born. Should I err on the side of caution and have them be house goats until the weather warms up? Shelter will be built (I'm thinking small shed type building), just not one hooked up to an artificial heat source. I'm afraid several week old kids won't be able to handle our extreme temperatures, even with dry shelter. I found some easy patterns online for goat coats, which I can definitely make the kids. I just don't want those little ones to get any cold weather injuries or freeze to death, you know?

And does anyone know any good, simple designs for a goat shed? I've built a 6x10 chicken coop, so building isn't difficult for me at all, except I am doing it alone (last time I bribed friends to help for grunt labor, but I am on my own this time because I moved).

 

[zzGypsy]

we lived in the high desert, which means 3 months of 30-45 degree highs and 0-20 degree lows, with wind. we usually have lambs starting right at the end of december, going through end of february.

here's what we did in that climate:

we deep-bed the shed (don't clean it, let the litter build up, pick out any seriously wet areas, fork through it a bit and add fresh litter on top when needed) so the bedding composts a little, generating a small amount of heat.

we use 3-sided sheds, not insulated, with most of the open side closed off with a tarp to reduce wind chill. for the adult goats, you might need more insulation because of the lack of wool.

we use small dog coats on the lambs - these are often available at walmart for $7-15, and sometimes cheaper if you wait for the styles to change and buy on clearance. added side benefit is we've got lambs in argyle, cammo, pink with a fur-trimmed hood, fleece with skull and crossed bones print... it's quite adorable overall. and the coats are generally in dirt-resistant and washable materials, with velco closures to adjust the fit. there are knitted dog sweaters too, these also work well and are somewhat lighter coverage. on especially cold nights, we'll put on layers - a knit sweater then a poly-filled jacket.

we did the same for our kids in oceanside, it's not nearly as cold there but we got more winter rain. baby lambs are more cold resistant than you'd think, but we can tell a difference in their growth rate if we keep jackets on them during the coldest days/nights... without the jackets, they spend more energy staying warm and less energy growing.

I've made lamb and kid jackets out of hand-towels or fleece, which works ok, but I've found the dog jackets work better, are more easily ajusted, and provide more warmth than the towel jackets, and really are cheaper when you consider the cost of my time to make them.

 

[zzGypsy]

BTW, if you deep bed like this for goats and sheep, expect to do a major cleanout in the spring before the flies really get started. the flys *really*really* love the deep bedding. and when you do this clean out, if you've got neighbors downwind, do everone a favor and buy them a weekend hotel stay while you clean it out.

the bedding doesn't stink untill you start to open it up as you clean it out... and then if it's been composting as it should, it's pretty rank.

but hey, it keeps the critters warm over the winter and it can go directly on your garden without any further composting!

 

[Queen Mum]

BTW, if you deep bed like this for goats and sheep, expect to do a major cleanout in the spring before the flies really get started. the flys *really*really* love the deep bedding. and when you do this clean out, if you've got neighbors downwind, do everone a favor and buy them a weekend hotel stay while you clean it out.

the bedding doesn't stink untill you start to open it up as you clean it out... and then if it's been composting as it should, it's pretty rank.

but hey, it keeps the critters warm over the winter and it can go directly on your garden without any further composting!

How do you manage to pick it up? It must weigh a ton... per square inch...

 

[zzGypsy]

BTW, if you deep bed like this for goats and sheep, expect to do a major cleanout in the spring before the flies really get started. the flys *really*really* love the deep bedding. and when you do this clean out, if you've got neighbors downwind, do everone a favor and buy them a weekend hotel stay while you clean it out.

the bedding doesn't stink untill you start to open it up as you clean it out... and then if it's been composting as it should, it's pretty rank.

but hey, it keeps the critters warm over the winter and it can go directly on your garden without any further composting!

How do you manage to pick it up? It must weigh a ton... per square inch...

well, not quite that much... unless you soak it down...

but yeah, it's dense. we usually pitchfork it out - it comes out in layers and below the top 2" of fluff it's pretty compact. I can fork out a 3" flake of it at a time, my hubby can dig a deeper patch out per pitchfork full.

or you can rent a bobcat.

the amazing thing to me is that until you start to dig it up, it really doesn't smell - it's got that "barn" scent, but it doesn't stink at all.

but did I mention that when you open it up it'll be rank? :/

 

[elevan]

Is your breeder in the same area as you? If so, then find out what they do. If you're picking the kids up at a few weeks old you want to try to stay as constant as possible. Going to a new home is stress enough without changing the way that they live too.

 

[20kidsonhill]

My biggest advice, is to not bring the kids home unti they are well past the weaning stage, and eating well. In my opinion atleast 2 weeks pasta weaning if not 3.

I don't have much advice for you up there in Michigan, I can tell you that even when it is in the teens here, the mommas take the 1 week old and older babies outside to lay in the sun in the fields. But once there is snow on the ground they wont lay outside, They will walk on the same path to the waterer, but that is about it. They hate getting wet. and they can handle being wet and cold.

but they shouldn't be kept too warm either. being too warm and not having enough fresh air or good ventilation can cause respitory problems.

I beleive in the winter I have read a good tempurature for a barn is around 40 to 50 degrees. We don't have any heat in our barn here in Virginia, so if it is 10 degress outside it may be 15 in the barn, I now it will freeze water buckets over night. But I realize -20 or or -30 is another whole story. I grew up in WI.

 

[that's*satyrical]

I think I'll make sure the wind is blowing in the direction of the neighbor that shoots the semi-automatic weapon every week-end.... Just sayin' lol

 

[chicken pickin]

I see that this is a very old thread and maybe I should start a new one but thought I would try.

I have 2 Nigerian dwarf goats about 10 months old. The have a shelter and tons of hay as bedding though they don't have a door that fully closes they do have a slight windbreak in front of the door. My question is what is the coldest they can with stand before I need to intervene and help them with heat or relocate them etc? Tomorrow is going to get pretty nasty out and for 2 days we are to get snow which is common, but my concern is the temp. All day tomorrow with windchill it is going to be -10degrees, and through tomorrow night with windchill it is going to be -25degrees. I am quite nervous for them and not sure what to do.

 

[SillyChicken]

I'm also in MI like Stacykins... I have an open barn that we blocked off all but one opening, and built a straw stall for them to hunker down into, though they spend most of their time on top of the bales. I sure hope this is enough for them. It's darn cold out there!