# Kidding Pens?



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I have been wondering...

I see pics on here & facebook occasionally where it looks like kidding pens were made with utility panels - they weren't cattle panels, the squares were same size & smaller, but it wasn't a professionally built pen either.

Where do you get utility panels?

I typically use pallets for everything. But kind of thinking some panels might be good to have, they might be easier to work with/take up less room.

I'd also thought about tearing out the permanent pallet stalls and replacing them with panels. They work well, but I think it would free up some room, be easier to clean, and if I want to attach OSB/plywood siding to keep drafts out in the winter kidding, then it wouldn't take up as much room vs. attaching to a pallet.

If anyone has homemade kidding pens and wants to share pictures and ideas, I'd love to see/hear what you do. 

BTW, we have Boer & %'s.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

For the panels at tractor supply they have those really small holed panels, but they are expensive. I wanna say $60 for 16'. A feed store might have the same thing but less money. I found some that were a little more light weight for $40 for 20 feet long, but I'm gonna cut them up for feeders. One lady bought a bunch of those dog kennels, not the chain link but the welded and that's her kidding stalls, but again probably spendy. What you COULD do is buy some fencing with the small holes, build a frame out of 2X4s and staple them on.
I myself just use osb boards. I have some does that will try to kill any other goats that go near their babies or ones that get picked on and so a little shy so I like the fact they have their own area and can't see their neighbor. What I did for the stalls was put t post in and got the osb boards and screwed 2X4s onto the ends. Then I drilled some holes threw the osb/2X4s and tied to the t posts with hay strings. I figure that way if I ever wanted to move them I could. 
I'm gonna get down and dirty with my house tomorrow but if I can I'll get pics if i totally confused you 


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## LadySecret (Apr 20, 2013)

I use hog panels for my kidding stalls because the former owner of my property used them to calf proof a barbed wire fence that I didn't need. Making them free for me. I wanted to buy more to make additional kidding stalls and found out how expensive hog, combo, and utility panels are. In my area, hog panels are around $40 with combo and utility panels costing between $50-$65. I decided to buy cattle panels ($18.29) and use chicken wire to make them kid proof. Must cheaper but they don't look as nice.
I make my kidding stalls bigger than most people (10x6 ft) because I keep does in them with their kids for their first week of life and I want the doe to have enough room. I don't use heat lamps. I'd never be able to sleep worrying about a potential fire. To keep kids warm I put cat or med to small dog crates in the kidding stalls. I put old blankets on/around the crates to keep the warmth in. All of my kids figure out fast to get inside the crate. It's warmer and they won't get stepped on. This has worked very well for me. If you have a lot of goats the crates may cost too much but I got most of mine cheap off craigslist.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

We used combination panels cut to the size we needed. Hubby then mounted chain link gates between the 4 pens and to the alleyway in the barn (so 7 gates for 4 pens). We had to put chicken wire up on the panels tho because the ND kids would just slip right thru and get in where we didn't want them. :eyeroll:

I can get pictures too if you'd like. I think our pens are about 10X6 or a little bigger. We also have 2 of those pens with doors cut to access pens on the outside of the barn. We try to kid in the 2 pens without outdoor access and then move them into the other 2 pens after a few days if everyone is doing ok. It also means we can move does into the kidding pens when we think they are getting close and they still have plenty of room and can get outside.


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

I use these, they were left over from when my grandparents had sheep but I plan on using the same design to make more. They are basically two wood panels connected with hinges, they fold together nicely and can be then stored the rest of the year. I think they are 6' x 6'....not positive though. They stack together pretty nicely and I have enough now that I just wrap them around the walls, like I did in the picture.


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## LadySecret (Apr 20, 2013)

^^^I like your kidding stalls. They look really nice. Did you have to add chicken wire to make it kid proof or are the gaps not big enough for kids to fit through?


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I agree Lstein, your stalls are very nice!!

I had no idea the panels are so expensive, wow! I may just stick with the way things are for now until I have the extra $$ to fix up the barn the way I want. I'd really like to have the panels and OSB/plywood siding, that away in the summer when we have weaned 4-H kids that may have to stay in the barn, then I can take the wood panels off and allow air circulation inside


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

You could use cattle panels they are WAY cheaper. I would just line the bottom with chicken wire so the new horns can't get out. I think if you were to use stalls made of ply boards in the summer even opening it up it might still be very warm for them (if I'm picturing it in my mind right lol) I have 3 sided ply board houses and it gets sooo warm in there during the summer but I guess your summers might be cooler. 


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## nick247in (Dec 27, 2014)

We use wooden pens like that also but have beefed up the divider walls because we have boar goats and they destroy more than they create.


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

LadySecret said:


> ^^^I like your kidding stalls. They look really nice. Did you have to add chicken wire to make it kid proof or are the gaps not big enough for kids to fit through?


Thanks! I only had two smaller/premature bottle babies that were able to sneak through and that was in their insane-like desperation to get to me, lol. All the other babies weren't able to though.


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