# Alternative barn door idea



## Bansil (Jul 23, 2015)

At so I am building a small sleeping/feeding/stay warm spot for winter, the door will be a half door so we can keep top closed to aid in heat retention and the bottom open(36"high) for them to come and go.

Instead of locking them up on cold nights/days we have thought of using heavy duty vinyl door strips,so they can come and go and still have a wind/snow break.

I don't think they can eat it, what are thoughts?

Like this









Just picture a 36x36 goat door;-)


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

I have been thinking about the same idea for a couple of years .......i would LOVE to see if anyone else has tried it and what their comments are 
That is such a great idea IMO , if the goats don't eat it , and then get sick from it , like goats would do ......:sigh:


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I wonder if they would even go through it...?? goats are strange like that..


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Your right , lol....^^^ I think some of mine would , the others would be hyperventilating , :ROFL:

But , i think after a few times of making them have to go through it for their grain , they will be able to figure it out. I would love to see that on video , lol...
Nothing comes in between my herd and their grain.......NOTHING !


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I think they would think you are trying to keep them out so then would make sure they do go in lol 
But seriously (although I was kinda serious there) I think that if you kept their main food source in there it would work. If your just now building the building I would keep it off for a week so they know where the door is but they should figure it out. As for the plastic it's self I'm not sure how long it would hold up in the sun. I would make sure to take it off when you really don't need it and store it out of the sun


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

maybe when you are ready to install the plastic sheets...do one side first and leave it...after a week or so add the other one? let them get used to it


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

People use carpet. You could at least try it.


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## Bansil (Jul 23, 2015)

Oohhh...I feel like 8th grade...science project 101......will do it and post results


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Bansil said:


> Oohhh...I feel like 8th grade...science project 101......will do it and post results


YAY !!! :clap:


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## Jasmar (Mar 28, 2015)

We've got an outdoor dog house that originally came with a clear plastic flap like that. It worked great for the dog. That was long before we had goats, so I can't give an opinion on them :book:


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## heater (Jun 21, 2013)

I do something similar to that with a canvas tarp and it works great. My goats go in and out just fine.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

I use an old rubber belt from a silage wagon in the buck barn. They learned to go in and out. I wish I had the plastic 
sheeting, but I think they would eat it. Summer time I use grain sacks, as they get torn up, I replace them.
It helps keep the rain out, but air still goes through-


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## NWIndianaBoers (Mar 18, 2013)

I use the plastic strips just like in the orignal post. They come in different thickness and i don't recall the exact one I got but out in the open country of Northwest Indiana when that winter wind blows it will go through them even as you overlap them. This is mainly dependant on the way the barn faces and that particular storms wind direction etc. Overall I highly recomend them but they aren't perfect either. Heading back out shortly and I'll grab some pics of my new barn design with smaller stalls and individual outdoor runs for each stall using the flaps since it is also my kdding barn and I like to keep in as much warmth as I can.


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## Bansil (Jul 23, 2015)

cool, thanks


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

Great idea


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## NWIndianaBoers (Mar 18, 2013)

Here are some pics of some of the doors I have it on. The tops of the door have plexi glass as a window. The best quality sheets from menards. Goats have jumped right into them with the hooves and they are good to go. Helps with getting light in for the wintertime when everything is closed up!






















This is one from inside 







Flaps are also removable. I had a buck that I brought to my place to use and he wanted to scratch his horns on it so I had to remove them. They will go back on soon with temps dropping.








In summertime both doors stay open for better airflow. Sometimes I open them during the day and close at night during sudden weather changes like in the fall when it goes from 70's to below freezing etc


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

LOVE this idea ! ^^^
Thanks for sharing the pictures


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

NWIndianaBoers , how are they attached to your barn ?
Is it one strip that you can put on and off ?
I would love to see a close up of how yours is fashioned


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## NWIndianaBoers (Mar 18, 2013)

I have it on several different barns and styles vary so you have to get creative. I'll show the most difficult one to give an idea.
Barn in summer







Top Sliding doors as the weather starts to cool or if a storm is coming in the summer etc







Those sliding doors made strips a lot more compicated. Here is how it was done for this one.







A close up of how it is attached. Each strip is attached to the 2x4 first with little tiny screws. Thenm the strip put on top to distribute the pressue so they don't tear off being plastic and all.







Slots are in the barn to fit that 2x4 with strips attached onto














From the outside with the strips in







Of course the question how do you get in and if you have to duck down. That's the beauty of the slots it fits in. Easy to pop out and twist a little to get in.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

That is just a awesome idea :clap: 
Thanks so much for sharing your ideas and pictures :hi5:


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## NWIndianaBoers (Mar 18, 2013)

You're welcome. Some and actually most goats do need to be trained to them when they are first used. Usually helping force them through a couple times is all it takes and they get the hang of it. Just don't put them up before a big storm for the first time haha. Best to do it on a nice day so if one is stubborn it won't get stuck outside in bad weather and get itself sick.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

NWIndianaBoers said:


> You're welcome. Some and actually most goats do need to be trained to them when they are first used. Usually helping force them through a couple times is all it takes and they get the hang of it. Just don't put them up before a big storm for the first time haha. Best to do it on a nice day so if one is stubborn it won't get stuck outside in bad weather and get itself sick.


Thanks for the advice , good points


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## AncientBlue (Dec 21, 2014)

We have a doggie door for the goats to use. They do have to be shown how to use it. It's the extra large size 'Pet Safe' brand one. It's a really similar material to what is being discussed.

We originally installed it to keep the chickens out of the goat area. Now it just helps keep their space bug free, well as bug free as you can keep a goat area. We don't really have much cold to deal with here in Florida but I swear the mosquito is our state bird.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

ancientblue said:


> i swear the mosquito is our state bird.


Too funny

:ROFL::ROFL::ROFL::ROFL::ROFL::ROFL:


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