# Critique my Pen/Yard please!



## CAfilly (Jun 27, 2012)

The delivery date of my goats got pushed up a week, and I'm frantically trying to put the final touches on the pen before they get here this evening! In these pics I took yesterday, we don't have the feeder or waterer hooked up yet, and the makeshift shelter isn't fully secured. They are being worked on now! We are also adding stakes along the bottom of the welded wire.

This is my first time ever having goats, so I need your opinions on the area. I have a few concerns that I'll mention with the pics 

Thank you!

*The Pen *









The pen is 30ft x 10 ft. 4ft chain link on one side, and two panels of welded wire around the rest.
I don't like having the ramp right smack dab in the middle... but I'm worried about them trying to clear the fence from the top of it. This gives about 5ft clearance on both sides, so I think its my only option.









Little makeshift shelter using spare plywood and boards we found in the yard. Will be covering the feeder & automatic waterer. The orange stake is on the outside of the fence.. it looks like its on the inside in this pic.









Shade under the ramp. Eventually, we will be boarding up one side to make a 3-sided shelter with bedding. But, for right now I feel it gives enough shade to keep them safe until next weekend when I can get everything finished.

*The Yard*









This is the back part of my yard outside of the goat pen. I want to let them roam a couple hours per day while I am out there supervising, but am worried about the fruit trees. These are apricot & plum trees. I have raked all the fallen branches, and have tried to clean up the area as much as possible to avoid them eating any wilted/old leaves. Should I worry about these being toxic?


















The one plant I'm concerned about... I have no idea what it is... Anyone know??









The full yard  The pen is obviously where the ramp is. They'll be able to hang out with me in the grass/shady area during the day too!

We have thrown this all together in a week. Please tell me if there is anything urgent that I need to fix before the kids get here :lovey:


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

Nice Job, Katelyn! I think it looks great! That's so exciting to be getting first goats!!!! They will try to eat the trees though.. as well as the bark, but I suppose you can monitor that. Have Fun!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Looks good! Keeping watch on the pitted fruit trees for broken branches to prevent them eating the wilted leaves would be good, you can protect the trunks from them by using fencing around them.

The plant you are concerned about is a Morning Glory.


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## Mandara Farm (Sep 12, 2010)

Nice job! I love your ramp -- what fun your goaties will have!

The two things that stood out for me were that corner plywood covering. I dont know how high it is, but if the goats can get on top of it, they'll be over it in a flash and out of their pen. The other thing is, if you like your Morning Glory, keep the goats away from it. Here we call it Bindweed and the girls love it more than almost anything!

Well done!


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## CAfilly (Jun 27, 2012)

Thank you everyone  Can they eat fresh fruit from the trees or should I try to avoid letting them have that?

I don't care about the Morning Glory.. They can enjoy it all they want. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't going to be toxic 

The corner plywood is about 4 ft tall... I didn't think of them being able to get on top of it. Hmm.. I'll take that into consideration and see if I can make it a little taller to be on the safe side. Thanks!


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