# Goat Shed size



## animalluvr (Feb 12, 2011)

I am going to hire a carpenter soon to do some work on my house & I would like to get a new shed built for my goats. I have no idea how I would want it or what to tell him. The shed we have now we built ourselves & let's just say we are no carpenters lol. I currently have 10 Myotonic/fainting goats. What size shed/barn would you recommend for this amount of goats to be comfortable? And do I need to consider kids when picking out the size or just my breeders? I would also love to have stalls because my current shed doesn't have any. How many stalls would I need? What would be the best type of barn? I can't afford too much because of the amount of repairs I have to do on my home. It doesn't have to be too fancy, just something good for the goats.

I thought about making another shed next to my old one, but I don't think that would work because from what I see, all of the goats like to sleep together in the same area.

Also, any ideas or photos for how the inside & outside could be would be great! Like do you have a hay rack inside the shed, stalls, a place for minerals, feed, ect. The shed I have now is like one big empty room, 3 walls.

And what kind of bedding do you use inside your barn? Right now I'm using wood chips that I buy at tractor supply.


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That many goats and kids, I'd want at least a 30x40 building.


----------



## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

The recommended space per goat is 15 sq ft. Yes, you will need to take kids into consideration when planning your shed. I prefer my sheds to be wider - as opposed to deeper - because that allows for an easier escape if one doe becomes aggressive towards another one.

How many kidding pens you will need is going to depend on how many does you will be breeding at one time, and how long you plan to keep them in the kidding pens. I kidded out 20 does this past January in 2 kidding pens, but I never keep a doe and her kids in a kidding pens past 48 hours. My kidding shed is a simple 3-sided Tote-A-Shed that is divided into 3 pens. I can take the gates off the hinges if needed, and I can rig an emergency kidding pen by bending a cattle panel inside the fence and covering it with a sheet/tarp/heavy blanket. My kidding pens are temporary so I can take them down when I'm not kidding and free up that space for shelter. You can do that using 2 methods - either drive steel posts, drill holes in plywood cut to fit, and wire the plywood to the posts or cut plywood to desired specifications, install heavy duty triangular hinges, and attach to studs using screws. The 2nd method requires a block of wood under the plywood to keep it from sagging, though. The first can be disassembled when not in use, the 2nd can be swung back against the back shed wall and secured.

My shed has a separate storage area with a door on both the north and south side that I use for feed and mineral. I have fence line feeders that I move into the kidding pens during kidding(I get mine at Valley Vet), and I use 8 lb milk replacer buckets for water. They are big enough to provide 24 hours worth of water, but the kids can't fall into them and drown. I don't bother with mineral feeders because I don't keep them in kidding pens long enough for it to matter.

_DO NOT use wood shavings for kidding!_ I won't even use them under the straw/hay because Mom tends to bring them up while she is pawing during labor. They stick to the kids, can suffocate them, and are a nightmare for Mom when she is cleaning her kids. I use straw or old, crappy hay for bedding normally, but I do my best to make sure it isn't moldy or dusty during kidding because of the problems it can cause for the kids. I hope this helps!


----------



## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Id go with at least an 8 foot by 12 foot shelter. 8 foot tall so that you can get in and stand up to make mucking it easier. A door large enough for a wheel barrow as well.


----------



## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Pole buildings are the most cost effective farm buildings. The whole structure is supported by poles sunk in the ground so it minimizes framing. Nowadays they put "sonotubes" with concrete in the ground instead of burying the wood poles to prevent rot. Pole buildings are different than post and beam, more cost effective, not quite as pretty - some contractors won't understand what a pole building is.

I have this book and love it: http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Pole-Building-Construction-Outbuildings/dp/0913589160

Personally, I like to have hay storage right there in the shed and also be able to fill the hay rack without going in the pen. I would include two 6'x6' kidding jugs that can be left open when not in use as additional "loafing" space.


----------

