Nigerian Dwarf Goat housing

[stevepax]

We have 2 nigerian dwarfs in our suburban backyard, too - 1/4 acre, just like you. I have a shed, it's for keeping my mower and a couple of bales of hay in (and a bunch of other junk that won't fit in the garage, but that's another story). The goats have a separate fenced off pen, about 20x30, and their shelter in the pen is just one of those cattle panel and tarp shelters, with one end blocked off (search for cattle panel . I guess we don't really live in a very harsh climate here in the pacific NW (maybe gets below freezing once or twice a year, rarely snows if ever, and my yard is well sheltered from wind by all my trees). They do just fine in there. We only have wethers, so no milking, but you could just set up a portion of your shed just for your own comfort while milking, and have them actually live on a dirt floor elsewhere. We let ours out to wander the yard and browse around when it's not raining.

Good luck! Keep it simple, and it's all going to work out fine.

 

[lipazron]

I would be tempted to use the existing shed. It looks great and building another one is hard work - just did it. We lay large cardboard box covered in straw where they urinate and clear it every morning/sit it outside to dry while another one is in use. In CA, with heat, it works well for us. Nigerian Dwarfs are fantastic! Enjoy!

 

[Southern by choice]

For what it's worth... I've had both cement and dirt. I like cement. I have Nigerians also. We started with a building that had concrete, cinder wall on three sides and open font that we closed in. We used fine pine shavings bedding over the concrete, I loved it because every morning it was scooped the pee had been absorbed into "spots" so it was easy to scoop along with the "berries". Once a month all the bedding was changed and I would take bleach water pour it over the whole floor then suck it up with a wet vac, let it dry, then replace bedding. The building was divided to house chickens too. Everything on our farm multiply!!! That building houses some of our chickens now about 100-125 (the rest are all over the place). The chickens/goats range all day. Sooo we built a loafing shed attached (open right now- we will close it when weather gets cold). We also have stall areas on another part of the property... needless to say dirt. Gross, alot more work, smelly, shoveling dirt, sometimes adding dirt, and always adding straw. Some pictures- some were in process of being worked on- if this helps. Just make sure you have good ventilation. The glass window is scary because my girls love to play and jump off the side of the walls, I'd be afraid they'd have leg go through. My goats are out and about now and can go where they want at night our LGD's took care of that, we don't have to lock em up at night. The last picture isn't updated, my DH was putting in a drain in the rain.