# Washing goats in cooler weather



## HoosierShadow

So we may be taking some Boer goats to a show in about a month. My kids have always shown June-Aug when it's warm/hot. So we've never done a show in cooler weather.

Taking an adult buck, maybe 1 adult doe, and at least a handful of kids just under 3mo.
Our weather has been all over the place. One day 60 the next in the 30s. 
They change the extended forecast all the time, but so far this is what it's looking like:









We usually see upper 60s or 70s by late April, but I'm starting to worry....

When the weather is like this, how do you go about washing your goats, especially show day and keeping them clean? 
Show is at 10 or 11am, so even if it's a warmer day, the morning is sure to be on the cool side. Cold water only at the facility for washing.


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## Jessica84

*just following*


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## ksalvagno

Not sure but I would think someone on here has some ideas.


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## toth boer goats

Wow, that is a change.

If it is warm enough to wash them mid morning and the sun is out during the day so they can dry before night fall, that will help.


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## HoosierShadow

Thanks, hopefully we get some decent weather soon. It started out windy and rainy this morning, but turned out to be a pleasant late afternoon. Rain tomorrow...ugh.

My kids are on spring break next week and I was really hoping we could wash my son's buck one day and get him clipped. I'm honestly afraid to look at the forecast anymore. Usually by the 1st or 2nd weekend in April we start seeing low 70s pop up. We've been around 80 many times by the 2nd weekend. 

I'm going to try and wash the doe's rear end up sometime in the next few days, but not worrying about her and the others we might take until the week before the show. The major breeders will be there, so we will get squished lol! But at least the goats will hopefully be clean, clipped somewhat decently, and the rest will be fun and hanging out with friends


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## toth boer goats

Good luck at the show.

You may walk out winners.


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## Jessica84

Ok I just flat out asked a show person that lives in freakishly cold area how they do it lol It was always something that I wondered! I hate washing the goats in warm weather and couldn’t imagine doing it in the cold! She uses a portable water heater, washes the Goats in the barn so not wind blowing on them and then uses the blower with the heat on. 
I didn’t ask about keeping clean but I’m going to assume those PJ looking things like they put on sheep lol


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## meganmts

I will chime in on what Jessica said, the best way to keep them clean after washing is a blanket. BUT we made the mistake of getting the PJ tube things like they use on sheep, they're hard to get on & off, not durable, not breathable, & don't allow a goat to dry if they're even a tad damp. Spend the extra money on the blanket type ones. They make mesh fly sheets like horses have, I think that's what the daughter is saving for now... I am looking into a portable water heater as well, even in the summer we get into the 50's & it only seems to happen when we NEED to wash an animal!


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## TooManyBoers

Jessica84 said:


> Ok I just flat out asked a show person that lives in freakishly cold area how they do it lol It was always something that I wondered! I hate washing the goats in warm weather and couldn't imagine doing it in the cold! She uses a portable water heater, washes the Goats in the barn so not wind blowing on them and then uses the blower with the heat on.
> I didn't ask about keeping clean but I'm going to assume those PJ looking things like they put on sheep lol


For my big buck I got a lovely calf coat! He's ever so sweet!


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## HoosierShadow

Thanks so much Jessica I appreciate it! Hopefully we will have decent weather so I won't stress so much about making him sick. Wind/draft is definitely an issue at the show if the weather gets yucky. If it looks to be too bad, we may wash him days ahead, and just spot clean, sponge/towel clean him and blow him out. 
I think it will be easier with the kids since they are smaller. Hopefully they don't prove me wrong! 

I'd do blankets, but I think our goats would go crazy, they are total brats. I can't lock the buck in the barn, he'll break the door down as he is not used to being confined here at home.

The PJ looking things are goat/sheep tubes if they are the same ones I'm thinking of. I've considered looking into it, those would be harder for them to get off vs. a coat, but it may flatten their hair and make them look funny lol. I think most of those are more for skin protection/keeping clean on shaved animals. But I honestly don't plan on doing much to the kids - taking off the long hairs. They will be in 0-3 month class.


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## BrokenArrowRanch

I've bathed in the rain, but it wasn't very cold. 60s maybe. Just do it fast, then get them inside and blow dry. I put a towel over them then go out and run them if it isn't raining. Then blanket them. I wouldn't do this to the kids though. If just spot clean them or bring them into the bathtub if they were really bad


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## Jessica84

I think that’s a good idea. They have waterless shampoo for people you might be able to use something like that for the spot cleaning.


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## Ashlynn

If windy do it in barn type area if not do it outside in sunniest area. If possible I would use warm water. Towel dry then hot air blow dry if possible.


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## Goats Rock

They have waterless shampoo for horses, too.


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## HoosierShadow

Thanks so much! I will look into the waterless shampoo I didn't think about that! I'm hoping the weather continues to improve. 
After looking at my options, the only way to get hot water outside is going to be using buckets. However, if we have to go this route, I'd do it so that my husband and/or kids can help. 

We try to do everything outside - washing, drying and clipping. I only go inside the barn for drying and clipping if it's raining. Our barn setup is small - the larger areas don't have very good lighting, and the stand I currently use especially for the buck is really long (crank up stand).

Posted below our current forecast. I'm hoping to wash him on Tuesday and clip him up a bit. His skin looks great from what I can see, but between the livestock dust and dry skin/shedding he is a dusty mess. Fingers crossed I can finally work on him a bit.


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## HoosierShadow

Well I got 3 washed and clipped last week, another wasn't too dirty so I clipped her without a torturing bath. 3 more babies to clip and the big buck. I'm hoping to get them done on Wed. and rewash the others Fri weather permitting. 
It was in the upper 70s late last week, and we're back on the roller coaster ride of crazy weather!
We'll just spot clean/light sponge clean & blow dry on Saturday morning, about all we can do. I don't want to make the goats sick.

Right now the plan is to take a 2yo buck, 2yo doe, 4 young does, and 1 young buck (although a 2nd will be going along with his mom & sister -- he doesn't have enough pigment yet to show  ).


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## Damfino

To get warm water outside for bathing goats, I used to hook a garden hose to my kitchen sink faucet and run it out a window. They sell attachments for this at the hardware store.


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## HoosierShadow

Thanks! I may end up doing that for the future! Luckily we wash them next to the back porch, so we can haul buckets of warm water out there fairly easy to wash and rinse with. 

I'm so used to the way we do it in the summer time. We get to the shows early and try to wash everyone there so they stay clean. So washing 2-3 days before a show, and spot cleaning will be interesting, especially with the kids. Even spot cleaning will be cold, because there is no hot water at the facility we are going to - that I know of. I believe we may be in the building that has open sides as well, but would be nice if they put some pens up in the enclosed barn next to it. Great facility especially for summer showing.

I have canvas covers for the sides of my trailer, but still worry about the cold wind that morning. I am such a worrier! I'm half tempted to put our gear in the back of the trailer and put the babies in the back of my truck (truck topper) for the ride over there lol. 

What a weird 'spring' this has been.


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## Damfino

I always hate washing my goats in cold water at the show grounds, and they hate it too so I don't do it any more. I always worry about them getting sick as well, and not just from the cold--wash stalls can be the nastiest, filthiest place on the entire grounds (not always, but it's horrible when they are and you have to use them!). 

I'm lucky--we moved to a house with an outdoor hot water spigot! But before that, the kitchen sink trick worked pretty good. Since my goats always get warm water baths, most of them actually enjoy it even if the weather is chilly. 

One thing we sometimes did with horses at shows was to blanket them and spot-wash under the blanket by just rolling back part of it at a time, washing and then drying as best we could with a towel, then rolling the blanket back down over the wet part so they wouldn't get chilled. Might work with your goats too.


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## HoosierShadow

Your very lucky to have hot water outside! Thankfully, with washing them next to the back porch, it's not too much of a hassle to get water from the kitchen sink by the back door. In the winter time we save & wash out milk gallons and carry those out to the barn, which is right behind our home. 
Thankfully, most of the county fairgrounds that we go to have good wash racks. Many are outside and either have rock or cement foundations that are angled so everything drains. 
The one we are going to this weekend is a newer facility and has a very nice inside wash rack that is maintained. The county fair show is at the end of June and it's one of our favorites.

I'm planning to wash and clip the buck and 2 kids tomorrow, and hoping I can wash the others on Friday. Hopefully they will stay clean enough to only need spot cleaning. The area by the bridge they cross to go to the back of our place to graze is very muddy, so everyone is muddy after all the rain and snow showers we had the last few days. I went back there earlier to take my barn manager back to the herd (aka my 4th child/bottle baby lol), and the others were playing in a recent burn pile - black ash streaks all over them... Yep... keeping them clean will be fun lol!


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