# DIY Small Livestock Scale & Chute?



## Cedar Point Kikos (Oct 16, 2013)

Has anyone made a livestock scale for larger goats? I don't want to buy one and would like to try make one, any ideas?

I have a hanging scale with a 110lb capacity that I use to weight smaller does and kids.
But my buck will max that out - plus I won't be able to get him into something to hang on the scale 

So I'm looking for options & ideas!

The other thing I'm looking into is a small head locking chute - any ideas on how to make that?


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## ShireRidgeFarm (Sep 24, 2015)

:nice thread:Following! I don't have any ideas, but I'd love to see what everyone has to say.


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

I've been searching for this same thing. Hopefully someone enlightens us.

The closest thing I've found is setting a piece of plywood or osb on three bathroom scales and then adding the weights together. Which would work great for tame, treat motivated goats...but others..... may have to have it set up in some sort of pen setting.

I've also been considering how to make a head gate type system. But then I thought, well, the only reason I would really need a head gate (in addition to giving shots to wilder goats) would be to trim hooves, which would require access from both sides.

So I have a master plan, that I'm going to start this weekend. I'll try my best to explain how it works, will try to make a picture too.


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

So if this makes any sense at all. I know it doesn't really answer your question completely...but that's the idea I've been building on for awhile now.

The alley way, with the sorting gate is something that I remember my grandparents having with their sheep. One person stands by that little gate and just sorts them with that. I think it would, in theory be simpler to use with goats because one person just has to walk down the alley with a bucket and they are going to pile through it.

So I figure with the headgate at the end; you can catch one if you need to, open the gates on each side, and have full access to hooves or whatever you need to get at.

To actually make the headgate, I plan on using a similar or very close to the same as the pattern used for a milking stand, just a bit larger and more sturdy. (I made the milking stand, and used to lift my big/not so tame does up on it, to trim hooves until one snapped the headgate right off!)

http://fiascofarm.com/files/Milk_Stand_Plans.pdf


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

Sorry, kind of went overboard on that without really answering your question. Just an alternate use for your chute , may give you an idea how you want to plan it out.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Well what I was going to do before I got my scale was use my hanging scale from premier 1, and the sling for large sheep/goats and then get a hoist.....I guess it's called, it's a round thing that you pull on the rope or chain and it lifts things up lol but that was the plan. I've heard of the bathroom scale idea as well.
Ok head gate. I'm not sure what your plan for this is what I have a blocking stand that people use for cattle to fit them and I use that for my goats I just lead them to it and push their heads between the bars and shut it. Another thing I was thinking of getting was a calf table and rig it up so I could do feet but found q actual tilt table for goats, but around here I can find calf tables for free or junk steel prices so maybe look at craigslist......if that will work for what you have planned. A lot of people are tossing calf tables, at least around here


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Well, you could just bust out about $300-350 for a floor scale and save yourself the trouble :lol:


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Little-Bits-N-Pieces said:


> Well, you could just bust out about $300-350 for a floor scale and save yourself the trouble :lol:


See that's what I ended up doing lol I have to say it is so dang nice. But hey now that I'm thinking if your good at making things which I'm assuming you are with the DIY title here lol if you look up A and A scales they have all the goodies to make a scale and all you need to do is make the floor. That's what we did with the cattle scale and I don't remember the exact price but it was WAY cheaper then my dinky little goat scale and goes way higher too lol


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Ok maybe not all that much cheaper I didn't take into consideration I got the cage with it too but here's this 
http://www.palletscales.net/scale_kits.htm

And this

http://www.palletscales.net/vs-550_with_cage.htm


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## teemogoat (Mar 14, 2016)

If you know of somewhere that weighs trucks, you could have them weigh you with the goat in the bed, then again with it out of the bed. Our local sawmill and salvage yard both have one.


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## Cedar Point Kikos (Oct 16, 2013)

Lol, Jessica! Yes, we're good at DIY over here  Will look that up.


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