# Kidding pen question



## myanjelicgirlz (Jul 19, 2011)

So how big should a kidding pen be, and what should it have in it? I'm guessing probably a heat lamp and shelter... what else?
Thanks!
~ anjelic onder:


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## 8566 (Jul 18, 2012)

What size goats do you have?


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## myanjelicgirlz (Jul 19, 2011)

I have some almost 2 year old boers. they weigh about 150-175... I have never weighed them before... just an estimate...


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

The ones I have for my boers are 8X4 and seem to be way enough room. I my self do not like heat lamps, its to hard for them to adjust to the cold after they have been toasty warm. But I did end up getting some when we had a week of bad freeze. In the houses I have a milk crate for the hay and 2 buckets, one for normal water and one for the molasses and water. Make sure they are something the kids can not get into, you will always hear storys about kids getting into the water but never think it will happen...it will. I also put hooks on the top of the salls and have a lantern to hang from them, makes it nice to see.....thats about it for me lol.


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## goatgirlzCA (Mar 9, 2011)

I have boers also - mine are 6x6 but in hindsight I should have made them 8x8 since one goat had triplets and it was a little cramped! I do use heatlamps at night if its really cold, but only like the first few days until they figure out how to snuggle up to mom. I also put my water bucket up on blocks so they can't fall in it, and use clip feeders. I also put up a light too and leave it on at night until I am comfortable they are going to be ok


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Our kidding shed(s) are long and narrow 6x20. that gets divided up in half. I bend a fence pannel to a half circle and clip a small yard around the smaller sided shelter. But with all our does kidding close around the same time, I use these little 6x6 dog kennels with tightly pulled tarps on all sides. Each mamma then has her own little hut and her own little pen for fhe first few days. I also lock up new mammas in with the babies at night for first 2-3 nights. The babies need a box or plastic tub inside to keep from getting stepped on. These dog kennels work well for us and can be moved around. 

You really don't need any larger of a pen than a 6x6 or 4x8.. but do need a box for newborns to climb in.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

The little solid shed is actually smaller than comfortable when a doe has triplets. It is 4x6 I think. The little dog kennels are 6x6 and work well but have to have new tarps every year and will blow over. 

Ideal is a 6x8 size wood shed for low costs. A barn is what we all want to have with individual stahls but cant easily afford. 
We have several huts and two long narrow wood barn shelters I think actually 6x20.

The 1st photo is the triplets at just less than a day old with the little tub on its side for the newborns to crawl into for safety.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

packhillboers, Im actually trying to come up with new ideas for my kidding area, I have more goats so need more houses and want it away from the main pen, where the stalls I have now are, that wooden house, do they kid in there? How big is it? And how cold does it get where you are? What I have right now is osb boards, 2 full ones on the side, then one on top, and one cut in half for the back and the door, it is sealed up tight which was nice for feb. babys, but if I can help it I will never breed for feb. babys again since that is the coldest time here.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Jessica,
That tiny wooden stahl.. it is too small for a doe to kid in. I think it might be 6x8 which is too small for kidding.as.. does like to move about. One of our does needed space to move around in to get the kids re-positioned and she needed to be able to walk and arch her back to do that which she did in the small tiny yard we made by the larger 8x10 shed.

We have our does kid in the main larger sheds. - one is about an 8x10 size. It is tall enough for me to stand in and move around to work with the animals. I clip a livestock pannal to the fence to give a small run about yard for the babies to move in and out of. I then move the mamma and her babies to the larger pen with the dog kennel huts the next day. Then the next mamma goes in to have her babies.. and I just keep rotating these babies to larger pen areas. I have a final area with three huts, igloos, play stumps when I can put all the babies, and mammas together. I am able to keep the poop all scooped up everyday with a doggie scooper in the play yards collecting about a half wheel barrell a day of poops.

If it gets cold at night, we have used a heat lamp before but if they are not in the wind at night, they do fine without it.

Those dog huts work, but this last winter.. the wind blew them over. They have to be staked down.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Got ya....thank you. The 8x4 s that i have work but your right a little small since the love to put their rump up to the wall


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