# Does anyone put coat's on their goat's?



## iddybit acres (Feb 18, 2011)

http://www.goatcoatshop.com/home.html I found this website, but before i go nut's ordering more thing's i don't need i thought i would ask! Does anyone buy a coat for their goat's?


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## TinyHoovesRanch (Jan 16, 2010)

I have sweaters for babies, and also have some adults ones incase it gets really cold.


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## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

We had an old boer doe that decided to get thin for no reason in the middle of winter.(Was in seperate pen with old Saanen) She wore a mini (like 36inch) horse blanket. Kept her nice and warm But you have to be careful. Keeping the coat on them all the time, you have to slowly adjust them to go without it.


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## iddybit acres (Feb 18, 2011)

I was thinking more along the line's of the baby's it's super cold here in northern michigan im afraid that they will get a chill. I have a heat lamp on in the pen, 2 bale's of straw with shredded paper as bedding on the floor i just want to make sure i have everything i could need *just in case* before it/they come. Plus i have to go pick up a 3 month old buck and a one year old doe on saturday, i wanna make sure the little one's stay warm. So night time on daytime off?


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## TinyHoovesRanch (Jan 16, 2010)

I would then....if its really cold, it wont hurt to have one on them, just make sure they arent panting and getting too hot


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## 4kids (Jul 21, 2009)

Yes, We knit them coats (or have a friend do it)


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I use sweaters on newborns..I do not use a heat lamp, if you decide on goat coats, dont use the heat lamp as the goat will get too warm...it's either the coat or the heat lamp, not both together.


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## iddybit acres (Feb 18, 2011)

Id rather not use a lamp thanks :wave:


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## Chi Chi (Mar 7, 2010)

We have used coats on our goats due to our temps- actual temps getting into -30's with windchills that are unbeleivable. We use them off and on for the three older goats but our little darling who has been tiny and struggled with resp gunk when we got her has been wearing a sweater (and sometimes a coat too depending on the temps) for the last few months. We don't use heat lamps either. She has been doing so much better and is a little pistol. Thanks for the link- I am going to get some. We do keep a close eye on the temps and the goats status.


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## Bellafire Farm (Jan 5, 2010)

I'm SUPER cheap...gotta save every penny right now... so Ebay is a great place to look too.... like another person here said, check the mini or foal blankets too, in addition to the dog blankets. Be sure to measure the goat properly first, including the "side drop" length that you want. 
Oh, and I've found that goats LOVE to chew on Velco closures!! At our fair last year, it was cooler than normal so lots of goat blankets on...or atleast there were lots of them laying in the pens after their penmates had pulled apart the Velco for fun! :greengrin: Little stinkers!!


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Never needed any for my girls. I live in central KY and we had a very cold winter. Warm water, hay and some extra grain was all they needed. But I could see needing a blanket for sick or thin goats.
Myself, I'd just cut a sweatshirt to put on them....

For babies... I bought some toddler girls fleece shirts, cut the sleeves off, and sewed the neck area a little bit so it wasn't too wide....I used one of my daughters stuffed animal dogs to try and judge where the leg holes should be, :laugh: .
I folded it, poked holes ever so often and ran twine through it, so they aren't too long, and gives added warmth instead of cutting the extra off - also I can unfold it as they grow if needed.
I think it cost me $5 for 2 fleece shirts? But you can get them at the consignment/goodwill for less. You can 'customize' any way you want


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## Chi Chi (Mar 7, 2010)

I actaully bought a bunch of dog sweaters on clearance and scored even a dog coat. For the larger goats I went to Goodwill and bought down filled vest with snaps work best.


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## TinyHoovesRanch (Jan 16, 2010)

HoosierShadow said:


> Never needed any for my girls. I live in central KY and we had a very cold winter. Warm water, hay and some extra grain was all they needed. But I could see needing a blanket for sick or thin goats.
> Myself, I'd just cut a sweatshirt to put on them....
> 
> For babies... I bought some toddler girls fleece shirts, cut the sleeves off, and sewed the neck area a little bit so it wasn't too wide....I used one of my daughters stuffed animal dogs to try and judge where the leg holes should be, :laugh: .
> ...


OMG HOW ADORABLE!!!


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## Mon Reve Farm (Jun 25, 2010)

We bought 4 dog blanket coats on clearance in two different sizes. They are high quality and look a little like the ones listed as blanket coats on that site.

I have a pet wether who was a runt and even though he is relatively healthy he isn't as big as our others that were born last year. He seems to have more trouble with the really cold temps so he is the only one I have used them on.


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

I knit up kid sweaters. I live in MI and when my does had their kids it was -9 degrees actual temps. I used the sweaters and the lamp and they were still shivering but they came through it ok. I didn't have the lamp surrounded by bales or in a warming barrel or anything though, I just had it over their little table laying on it's side. They did just fine regulating where they needed to be near the lamp to be warm enough but not too warm. Honestly at -9 degrees I didn't think being too warm was an issue. lol.

I only use the lamp if it is below 20 degrees. I only used the sweaters for the first 4 days.



















The table set up I have that allows them to figure out where they are most comfortable...










I have patterns for my knit kid sweaters if anyone is interested in giving it a try. I can whip one up in an evening, but i do a lot of knitting and i am pretty quick.

My blog series with explanations and my patterns for kid sweaters:

http://phoenixdownfarm.blogspot.com/201 ... t-one.html

http://phoenixdownfarm.blogspot.com/201 ... t-two.html

http://phoenixdownfarm.blogspot.com/201 ... ee-in.html


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## iddybit acres (Feb 18, 2011)

Oh wow!! What neat idea's onder: i'll have to go to the senior's center tomorrow and see what i can get!! Cute baby's too!


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## citylights (Jul 3, 2009)

Pony -- love the pic of the baby in his jammies with his little milk mouth -- what a muffin! I just want to pick him up and snuzzle him!


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

citylights said:


> Pony -- love the pic of the baby in his jammies with his little milk mouth -- what a muffin! I just want to pick him up and snuzzle him!


Hehe! I know, right? That picture may be singlehandedly responsible for me deciding to keep him even though i really have no need at all for a wether. It's cute anyway but that little bit of milky mouth is just the icing on the cake.


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## iddybit acres (Feb 18, 2011)

Where about's are you in Michigan?


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

iddybit acres said:


> Where about's are you in Michigan?


I'm in the base of the thumb. Just north of a town called North Branch.


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## iddybit acres (Feb 18, 2011)

I know where that is :wave: hi neighbor, I'm in the U.P.


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

iddybit acres said:


> I know where that is :wave: hi neighbor, I'm in the U.P.


Hehe, you have even more "real" winter up there than we do here!


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## iddybit acres (Feb 18, 2011)

*knock on wood* it hasnt been to bad this year! Cold and windy but not alot of snow!


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