# What to use in goat yard?



## estaswick (Sep 26, 2013)

We have a small goat yard for 2 nigerian dwarfs. The yard is about 16'x20' I am wondering what to put down as a substrate for them. I don't want it to turn into a mud hole. I was wondering about woodchips or sand? I assume the goats will eat down any sort of grass in an area that small too quickly to make it viable? Thanks for any advice.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Where do you live, how rainy is it? I'm near Seattle and the ONLY thing around here that will really prevent mud is gravel. However, I've found that goats don't chew the grass down quite as much as larger ruminants, and since they're small there also isn't as much damage from their hooves. I once had 4 goats in a space about the size of yours and it was only slightly muddy, not sloppy. 

I would probably lean towards wood chips. They can end up ingesting sand which causes intestinal blockage. Anything you put down will have to be maintained as the poop will gradually accumulate, but it probably takes a while with goats.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Let's make this easy for you! I would tend towards sand rather than wood chips. LOL For about the same reason....I've seen goats eat wood chips and it doesn't work well for them. My goats tend to eat the grass when there isn't anything else for them to "graze" on so I would lean toward them to eating the grass down quickly too. But....that also depends where you live and how much rain you get. And, again, depending on where you live that small an area will take around 6 months to a year to become a dirt floor pen. That's not a huge area and it doesn't take long. Is their shelter included in that area or is that just the pen and the shelter is separate? 

Actually, going with Wild Heart on the goats injesting the sand, you'd probably be better off going with a gravel. And, I don't think I'd get in a hurry to put it down until they actually DO eat down the grass in the area.


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## estaswick (Sep 26, 2013)

I'm in chicago, I think our average annual rain fall is nearly the same as seattle. Maybe it would be worth trying to put down sod and see if it lasts?


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## estaswick (Sep 26, 2013)

Shelter is seperate but it is small, 70 sq feet. so they will be spending alot of time in the yard.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

No, it won't last in that space; I just meant they don't seem to tear it up the way horses or cows do.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Wild Hearts Ranch said:


> No, it won't last in that space; I just meant they don't seem to tear it up the way horses or cows do.


Exactly. It will last longer...but not forever

Carmen, Oleo Acres LLC, NW Ks


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## estaswick (Sep 26, 2013)

Ok, got it. I'd hate to bring in gravel as it'd be a nightmare to remove down the road. We are on a city lot so it may need to go back to yard in the future. But if they eat wood and sand then it might be my only option. Maybe I'll just wait and see how bad it gets this year before making a decision.


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