Goat Housing Question

Discussion in 'Breeding, Raising, Feeding and Caring for Animals' started by Pakanohida, Oct 27, 2013.

  1. Pakanohida

    Pakanohida Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2011
    Messages:
    2,984
    Likes Received:
    20
    Trophy Points:
    38
    I am smoothing out the land for a goat house that will be used just as a housing area for 1 dairy goat, 1 meat goat (unsure of variety) and the kids they make. I plan to milk the dairy goat (Oberhasli or Toggenburg?) closer to the house so it does not need to be part of the housing. So, since I can't find a ready answer to this question.... HELP!!

    What floor size housing is needed? Metric or Non-Metric sizes ok with me. :) I swing both ways. :rofl:HA! ;)
     
  2. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2007
    Messages:
    2,721
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    inland Otago, NZ
    Climate:
    Inland maritime/hot/dry/frosty
    What is the housing for? ie can the goats get outside, or is this their permanent home? Why do you need a goat house?
     
  3. mouseinthehouse

    mouseinthehouse Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2012
    Messages:
    782
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Goats just need a good shelter from the elements. It is very important and they will use it readily in inclement weather. A lot of people here who have goats use a corrugated iron water tank cut in half vertically and one end cut out. You also need to have good bedding in there in very cold weather. It doesn't have to be very big - a three sided lean-to type arrangement would be fine. I am guessing 2-3m squarish?
     
  4. andrew curr

    andrew curr Moderator

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2010
    Messages:
    1,194
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    38
    regularc housing may break the parisite cycle!?
     
  5. Pakanohida

    Pakanohida Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2011
    Messages:
    2,984
    Likes Received:
    20
    Trophy Points:
    38
    I am in a temperate rainforest where winds are in excess of 60mph very often, I need a safe steady home for them to go to at night. :)

    Mouse, Thank you, that helps a lot. :)

    Andrew, Huh?! :think:
     
  6. andrew curr

    andrew curr Moderator

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2010
    Messages:
    1,194
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    38
    im assuming you would have a grating floor for poo collection poo may contain parisites
    that may affect your critters
     
  7. mouseinthehouse

    mouseinthehouse Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2012
    Messages:
    782
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    I wouldn't worry about going to the trouble of a grating floor - just fork out the bedding or rake out the poo on a regular basis. Same as horse stables.
     
  8. chook-in-eire

    chook-in-eire Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2012
    Messages:
    118
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Pak, I can tell you that here in Ireland under EU animal welfare regulations the *minimum* internal floor space in slatted houses for sheep (goats aren't specified but would need about the same) to be allocated is 1.1-1.2m2 per ewe and 0.75,2 per lamb. 10% to be added for straw-bedded houses. Bigger is nicer of course. For goats it's also nice to provide a wooden lying platform or similar 'toys' such as bits of tree trunk etc as they like to climb.
    Ours have an old dry-stone built shed about 4*4m internal. We currently have 5 girls and 2 kids and had an additional 4 kids up to the age 3 months there until July . They do however have pasture and yard access at all times day and night so they are never confined in there unless it is actively raining - in that case they "confine" themselves as they hate rain and are not built to get soaked (they have neither water-repellent wool like sheep nor a thick layer of subcutaneous fat like cattle. A wet goat is a miserable goat). If they are to be fully housed, say over the winter, I'd go as big and as bright as possible.
    They do not need to be mucked out regularly if *sufficient bedding* is provided. Deep litter systems have the advantage of providing "under-floor heating" - very handy in the winter. Parasites in faeces in the bedding are not an issue. Goats are extremely careful about what they touch with their mouths and have an excellent sense of smell; they avoid anything edible that has been contaminated.
    Speaking from 20 yrs living with goats ;)
     
  9. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2006
    Messages:
    1,519
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Goats are extremely careful about what they touch with their mouths and have an excellent sense of smell; they avoid anything edible that has been contaminated.

    You ain't kidding (if you'll pardon the pun) about that! My goats refused to touch anything that hit the ground, even if I grabbed it straight up, before anyone had even moved, let alone stood on it! And with lucerne hay at $17.00 a small square - that hurts.
     
  10. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2006
    Messages:
    1,519
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Take whatever the size you think you need Pak & double it. It always comes in handy :) When it's been raining/snowing/hailing/windy/biting flies forever, you will never think "Gee I think we could have gotten by with a smaller goat shed." And besides, when you see how cute the babies are you're going to have to keep this one, & then that one & then you'll have another one that is too adorable/friendly/"needed treatment as a baby so it got to live in the house for a while" to part with :)
     
  11. Allyson Bird

    Allyson Bird New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2013
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Hello All,

    Pleased to 'meet' you all. I'm new to the forum today (live on the north island) and found you discussing goats so I though I'd ask a question.

    I have three lovely rawhti/saanen cross females. They are wonderful to have and I've sorted their paddock/housing. My problem is how to secure them for hoof trimming and injection...also perhaps in the future for milking. But first things first. It is their hooves and injections which are the priority. Well holding them still for injections mostly as we only have to trim the placid goat's hooves (the other two seem to wear them down on the boulders at the moment) and we put a collar and lead on the quiet female and simply tie her to the gate. She is fine with that...but the other two are too hard to catch. I could lure them into something (like a race) with food and secure with head brace but who on earth makes these things?
     
  12. Allyson Bird

    Allyson Bird New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2013
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Just to add to my last post...a milking stand for the goats serves all my needs actually ...for holding them steady in the bale for hoof treatment and injections. Anyone know where I can get one?
     
  13. adiantum

    adiantum Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2012
    Messages:
    121
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Be sure to have enough space in the shelter for a feeder, since when the weather is wet goats will stay inside and go hungry, unlike almost every other animal. I enclosed two corners with some field fence so I could stand cut branches in there for them to eat on. Ideally there would be one feeder for each goat, to prevent squabbles. At need, I would tie bundles of stuff and hang it up as well.....
     
  14. Bryant RedHawk

    Bryant RedHawk Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2014
    Messages:
    607
    Likes Received:
    83
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Arkansas Senior Appraiser
    Location:
    Vilonia, Arkansas, deep in the woods
    Climate:
    USDA zone 7b,8a.
    The best milking stands I've seen (and have) are home built. google Mother Earth News and search for Goat Milking Stand Plans. they have a good one.
     

Share This Page

-->