# New go goats...



## new2goats14 (Mar 22, 2014)

I have been tossing the idea around of getting my sons 2 or 3 pygmy goats. I was thinking 2 does and a wether. They are to young to do boats at this year 4h but will be able to do it next year. However I don't have a large yard or space that's why I was thinking pygmys since they don't require as much space as other animals. What is the smallest house they can live in? Can they live in a 4 ft by 6 or 8 ft house? Smallest play yard that they need? Will a 8 by 10 or 12 ft pen be OK?What kinds if toys? I have seen tires, 3 or 4 logs together different height for jumping games, a teeter totter, and tables. Will a 4 foot fence be high enough? I have looked online and some people say OK to feed grain, corn or oat to feed all year. They will be mostly feed pellets and hay all year. Will that be OK? Hay rack mounted on the wall inside their house seem like the best idea. it keeps the hay dry and off the floor. also what do most of you guys do when your on vacation? normally the longest we go away is for the whole day but planning a overnight trip to a zoo and water park this summer. I have neighbour that looks after my dogs and just give the chicken extra feed before we leave. I have a drinking bowl with bubbler for water to keep it moving and clean. just not sure if I can leave goats that long.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Do you plan on having kids? What is your weather like? Do you live in an area that gets snow or some type of bad weather that you may have to lock the goats in their shelter? Will they only have the 8x12 pen area to be in or will they have a larger pasture to be turned out in?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Honestly, for 3 Pygmies, I would go no smaller than 30 x 30 feet for their yard and that will be all dirt that needs cared for and raked. A 4 x 8 house will work IF you never plan to breed the does.


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## new2goats14 (Mar 22, 2014)

The pen size is the only area that they will have. The only other area that i have is a chicken run that 14 by 40. I will have 18ish chicken that have that area. But what i have read that chicken and goat cant live together. I live in Michigan and normally only get a little bit of snow. This year it has been crazy cold with lots of snow. Normaly the summer gets to be in the high 80, and winters in the 30. I normaly dont have a lot of snow. I never had to shove the chicken pen and my chicken refuse fo walk on snow. To being with no I don't plan to bred them. However if I do I will add them another house. And we would not keep the kids. Their would be for the market at our local 4h or to sell to other 4h-ers. I do not plan to have any males. I already found someone 30 mins away that does stud services.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That is too small of an area for goats and chickens to live together. That really is too small for goats to be permanently living in. You will have constant parasite problems. The housing would be too small too.


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## new2goats14 (Mar 22, 2014)

What would be a good size then?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would do at least an 8x10 shelter for the 3. If you are planning to have kids then it will need to be larger to accommodate kidding stalls for the shelter. Then area to live in, I would want at least an eighth of an acre probably more like a quarter of an acre.

I have 3 goats and they have a 15x26 shelter which I felt they needed that size when I had to keep them locked in during bad winter days and that gives me plenty of room to do any separating that I need to do. Plus the poop and pee smell didn't get too bad. We had to give them a small area but this year we will work on giving them half an acre for their field area.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

As for feed, a good quality hay year round is great, and browse in the summer if it's available. If they're just for pets they won't need grain, especially a wether because it can cause UC . maybe just a little grain as a treat or when it's really cold.otherwise they'll just get fat! You can also feed fruits and veggies , sunflower seeds and raisins as treats.
Oh, and they'll need a loose goat mineral. It's very important for their overall health and happiness. 
And you can be gone from your goats for awhile if someone experienced with animals watches them. Just write down how much feed to give a day and any treats they can have. Have a vet ready to call case one gets sick or injured while you're gone.


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## new2goats14 (Mar 22, 2014)

I own just less than an acre and I have a double wide trailer setting on a diagonal and a 4 car garage setting on and opposite day agoon it, along with a driveway. My kids have a fenced in area right behind my house out the backdoor and the chicken have the area behind the garage to the neighbours fence...it only 13 or 14 ft.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

I'm going to go against everyone else and say that sounds ok. Not ideal, maybe, but ok. As long as you get the goats out and walk them or let them run in a larger area at least a few times a week, I don't see a problem. You will need to watch for parasites in that small an area. Keep your hay up off the ground as much as possible. Keep the area as clean as you can. They will have it down to bare dirt fairly quickly so layering some sand or gravel in will help with the mud issues. We have a 4x4 tote that 3 mini goats fit into pretty snugly. They can sleep in there but if the weather is nasty, they won't get much exercise.


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## IvyMayPygmyGoats (Jan 24, 2014)

I must second the above! I have (i think) a 6x8 or 6x10 shed for 4 pygmy goats, i have it plit into half, and then two quarters on one side for my kidding mummies. My goats go out every morning and are put in bed every night no matter what the weather (obviously they can get into the shelter). I give them hay from those "bags for life" of which i cut holes in the bottom of, i hang this up and i know there is no way that any hay could get into the floor... I think your area is fine, my goats also run with the hens everyday. the hens learn to avoid whichever one is in a bad mood, but don't let the goats near the hen food...


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## new2goats14 (Mar 22, 2014)

OK...will the goats stay in the yard with us if I let them out of the pen? A lot of time were out in the yard with the kids and don't mind if their with us.


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