# Goat pen questions



## WillowGem (Aug 3, 2011)

I will be getting two Pygmy kids in the spring of 2012, and would like to have everything set up and ready before winter sets in here in Michigan. I am completely new to goats, so I will have many questions over the next several months, waiting for my arrivals.

We are planning on a 10'x10'x6' chain link dog kennel to start out, and will add panels as needed. Does this sound like a good idea, is that enough room for two kids?

As for the shelter. I've already purchased an Igloo dog house from Craigslist and my husband is going to build a three sided shelter. am I correct in assuming this will be sufficient shelter for them in spring, summer and fall? I was thinking of a small shed with a people door for the winter nights. I know it's best for them to have fresh air, but, and sorry if this sounds silly  , I'm confused about having a shelter that is draft free, but well ventilated. Wouldn't vents cause a draft?

Anyway, those are my questins for now. 
Thanks in advance for any input.


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## DavyHollow (Jul 14, 2011)

The fence sounds fine to me, 100 sqft is alright (not great, but not terrible) for two pygmies. I like the ideas for your shelters too.

Don't worry, its a confusing concept. Ventilation means that air circulates. It has a way in and a direct way out, usually above heads, and it cycles clean air for dirty. Drafts I like to think of as one way. They come in at animal level and blow on the animal, causing a chill rather than a constant temperature. Think about central air versus a fan. Fans just blow existing air around, while central air circulates and cools air.


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## Burns Branch Boers (Apr 11, 2011)

I think that is sufficient for pygmies! :greengrin: I just had 2 boer kids kept in my 10x10 dog kennel for 1 and 1/2 months while they were being de-wormed after purchase. One of those kids was a 40lb'er too! They did just fine. 

Adding on more room to roam as you go along will be great for them. You structures sound good too. In the winter you can put straw in the structures to help keep them warm. 

Ventalation just means the air can "come and go" like they are not stut up in the same stale are for a long time. Any structure w/a door that can open and maybe some vents on the top will be perfect. 

You will have so much fun!!! Can't wait to meet your new arrivals!


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## WillowGem (Aug 3, 2011)

DavyHollow said:


> Don't worry, its a confusing concept. Ventilation means that air circulates. It has a way in and a direct way out, usually above heads, and it cycles clean air for dirty. Drafts I like to think of as one way. They come in at animal level and blow on the animal, causing a chill rather than a constant temperature. Think about central air versus a fan. Fans just blow existing air around, while central air circulates and cools air.


Okay, now I've got it! The same concept as the Igloo dog house, with the vents on top. It takes me a while...LOL!

Actually I'm hoping we'll start out with a bigger enclosure. One of my neighbors, who doesn't own a dog, has a dog run left by the previous owners. There are quite a few panels and I want to talk to him about taking it off his hands, if he doesn't plan on using it in the future...fingers crossed!


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Great that you are researching ahead!


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## rgdlljames (Sep 8, 2011)

Hi I am new to the site and recently received 4 nigerian dwarf goats 2 -3 months old. (3 wethers and 1 doe) Also live in Michigan (Northern) and using a dog kennel about 15ft wide by 40ft long. My question is do we need to bury a fence to protect them from preditors? I had to do that for my Peafowl but I know they can be attacked by raccons and the such. Thank you!  
Jackie


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## WillowGem (Aug 3, 2011)

I was wondering the same, rgdlljames. I want to make sure they are safe from all predators. And if the fence isn't buried, what else can be done to prevent anything from digging in? Can goats dig out, or are they more likely to jump out if possible?

My plans of getting everything ready before winter never happened.  Now hubby wants wait until it's warmer to do anything outside, such as building a goat shed. But we do plan on having a cover over their 6 foot high enclosure. As much to keep critters out, as to keep the black walnuts out of their pen, since there is a line of black walnut trees along where I'm thinking of putting their pen. But that pen placement hasn't been decided definitely either. :?


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## WillowGem (Aug 3, 2011)

My kids will be coming home soon, and this is what we've gotten done so far...today the doors go on, and I'll paint the trim white. I've always loved the look of a red barn with white trim. 
It's 10' x 10', I think that will give them plenty of room.

The pen is next, it's going to be 25' x 25', and will butt up against the sides of the barn, about two feet back. That way the barn isn't taking up the whole pen area. 
This preparation has been so much fun, but I'm really looking forward to it being finished and getting Merlin and Atticus all snug in their new home. 
[attachment=0:ib5ze68x]Goat Barn - Copy.JPG[/attachment:ib5ze68x]


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## WillowGem (Aug 3, 2011)

The doors are on!!! I'm so pleased with they way it turned out.
And I feel much better about a shelter with doors, so the goats can be locked inside at night. Especially since we decided to go with a four foot tall pen, rather than the six foot tall from our original planning.

[attachment=0:2hhhas2w]P5050005 - Copy.JPG[/attachment:2hhhas2w]

What type of bedding would be the best?
Straw or wood shavings over the dirt floor?


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## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

Very cute!
I have never technically used bedding... the dirt floor absorbs the urine well and you will find that they will waste (at least if they are like my boys) a substantial quantity of their hay (however nice it is) and that it will fall on the ground and function as bedding... One thing both my boys love is having a little platform inside about 1.5 feet above the floor that the jump up on and sleep on. They aren't so keen on sleeping in nasty straw.....

Goodluck! congratulations!
M.


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## WillowGem (Aug 3, 2011)

Thanks, M  

We do have plans to build a sleeping shelf in the barn for them. I will put some type of bedding on that for them.
I figured with what I've heard about goats being big hay wasters, we'd probably end up with a good amount of hay on the ground, it's good to know it can double as bedding.

Do you use any type of urine neutralizer on the dirt floor?


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## WillowGem (Aug 3, 2011)

The barn and pen are finally done! :leap: 
A huge deviation from our original plan, but here is a photo of the end result. 
There are a few more things to do before the kids come home, like a building a sleeping shelf and a hay feeder, but all the BIG stuff is done. 









The "critter" in the pen is one of my three very spoiled dogs. 
He's convinced we built it just for him. :roll: :wink:


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

It looks great to me!


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## nubians2 (Feb 20, 2011)

That does look very nice! A friend of mine has two pygmy wethers. They are so cute! She buys 15 70'ish lb bales of hay for them per year. It kills me because I buy close to a ton per year for my Nubians. She did the same thing of using chain link panels and then added to them as she felt they needed it. Looks like you are doing alot of good research and you set up looks very nice! Good luck and keep us posted!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

VERY NICE!!! Now...I will add that if that is a welded wire fencing, you'll need to do some reinforcement between those posts, your kids won't stay babies for long and they will rub against the fence causing it to bow outwards and the welds to break, I know this from experience and replacing fencing every 2-3 years because of it. A couple 6 foot steel t-posts driven 2 feet into the ground on the outside and the tops even with the top of the fence placed every 3 feet will help keep your fence solid. And...you can make a "goat sized" door into the shed so they can still come in and out during cold weather without having the large main doors open to the elements. I have a 3x2 door into the goat areas of the barn here, cuts down on the amount of "weather" that gets into the shed and they are easily closed up when needed.


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## WillowGem (Aug 3, 2011)

Liz, it is welded wire that we used to make the pen. 
Thanks for the info about the t-posts. I'd hate to have to be replacing fencing every couple years...what a pain in the butt! :GAAH:


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## Dandilyun (May 21, 2012)

Wow, that is so nice looking! Puts my kennel to shame. I have a 5x10' kennel with a dogloo at one end. I have only had my kids for about 2 weeks, and they are settled in nicely. I was locking the kennel at night, now I leave the door open, and they put themselves to bed. I am a little worried about predators, but not too much...the yard is chain link all around, and cinder block on one wall, and I am in the city, in the desert. We have the occasional coyote, but have never seen one in our yard or the neighbors yards. Rattlesnakes are another story. 

But none of it looks nearly as fancy as your little red barn! That is so cute, and looks so nice


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## WillowGem (Aug 3, 2011)

Thanks, Dandilyun! 
I really am pleased with how it turned out...mostly my hubby's doing.  

The chain link kennel and igloo dog house, like you have, was our original plan...but the plans seemed to have a mind of there own, and kept getting bigger and bigger...LOL!
Our kids are already spoiled, before they're even here.


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## Steph (May 7, 2009)

You could put a rub board on down low to prevent them from pushing on the welded wire. Goats love to rub on stuff.


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