# how cold is too cold for goats?



## mimzidoat (Jan 26, 2013)

Its been dropping to 15 and 16 deg F at night. I don't remember it being this cold. Today I noticed that two of my goats had shivering hind legs? Is this normal ?

I also have lovebirds outside with newborns in nests that are also surviving. Not sure how....


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## CDLCFARM (Jun 26, 2013)

It's getting cold here in NW Indiana as well. I got two nigerian dwarfs last august at just a few months old. This is their first winter at our farm....we have them in a barn that keeps them free of drafts at night and out of the elements, we are also packing in the straw to keep them warm. We have noticed they have grown in nice winter coats. But out rule is currently if it is below 25 degrees outside we keep them in the barn. Some people have even purchased goat "coats" to keep them warm.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

We give ours a heat lamp because it's been between -1 and 15 at night. Ours are also shivering. We give them hot water and lots of straw to snuggle in


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## fiberchick04 (Mar 8, 2010)

For ours since they have thick cashmere coats, if it gets below negative teens then we lock them up. They have full access to our two big insulated barns and numerous enclosed a frame shelters to snuggle up in. We have so many that we try not to lock them up if we don't have to because the does are so nasty to each other!


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## Chopsgoats (Aug 20, 2013)

I close mine up in the barn at night, but that is all I have ever done. I've literally had to brush ice off of them in the morning. The heat rising off of them and sometimes freezes. Then they go out in the yard and find a nice place to sun themselves.i use the tractor to make paths in the snow and they can walk those paths all day. I have never seen them shiver and they do have thick winter coats. We love the winter here !!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Man that is cold. Brrrrrrrrrrrrr


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## mmiller (Apr 3, 2012)

It was -7 this morning when I went to work at 7. My goats have a shelter, I have put a layer of straw in it. I don't lock them in but they haven't wondered too far from the shelter or the hay feeders. Just make sure they have a wind block an a place to stay dry, with free access to hay an water an they should be fine. Now for small babies you would prolly need a heat lamp. My youngest goat is 7 months old.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

mimzidoat said:


> Its been dropping to 15 and 16 deg F at night. I don't remember it being this cold. Today I noticed that two of my goats had shivering hind legs? Is this normal ?
> 
> I also have lovebirds outside with newborns in nests that are also surviving. Not sure how....


I can't help you with the lovebirds. As for the goats, I don't honestly know how cold is too cold. I know we've had days when it was -28 and the girls were ok. I just make sure their sheds are bedded deep. Shivering is nature's way of warming up any animal. Mine are shivering this year, too, but we went from relatively warm to very cold pretty much over night. I've noticed that their winter coats are a lot fuller and thicker now, and the shivering has stopped.


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## usamagoat (May 2, 2013)

if you can let them eat Manuka honey with warm water and put a blanket on them to keep them warm.;-)


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Chopsgoats said:


> I close mine up in the barn at night, but that is all I have ever done. I've literally had to brush ice off of them in the morning. The heat rising off of them and sometimes freezes. Then they go out in the yard and find a nice place to sun themselves.i use the tractor to make paths in the snow and they can walk those paths all day. I have never seen them shiver and they do have thick winter coats. We love the winter here !!


That happens to the cattle in the area all the time around here. Local farmers say it actually insulates them when it piles up on their backs....


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