# Any Counsel or Tips on Goat Barns & Lots?



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Hi Everyone,

We are on the verge of building our first goat barn and play yard, with extended pasture beyond. In fact we have begun clearing the ground and getting ready for the build, as you can see in the pic.

We sure would appreciate your tips and counsel on what to do and not do. No reason to have a long learning curve, with all the knowledge on this Forum!

Please give any advice you care to. We are looking at keeping 3-4 does at this point.


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

What is your end goal and how big are you willing to build?


----------



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Well, to start we are planning on keeping goats for our own use. Down the line (in a few years) we may want to sell milk, but that would require additional building.

My thoughts are to have a long narrow barn, with goats on one end and chickens on the other, and storage in the middle... but we are open to suggestions and advice.


----------



## Redbarngoatfarm (Jul 8, 2015)

Figure the design, plan and budget, then be certain that's what you want....and then make it 30% bigger!

Over hangs are nice for rainy (or snowy) days so goats can still go outside.

And slide shoots are great so you don't have to go into the pen to let them out on Sunday mornings before church (because no matter how fast you are you WILL smell goaty!). 

A separate small pen, even if only used for short term storage, will come in very handy if you ever have a sick goat, or pregnant one


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You always want to build the largest you can afford.


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

You want chickens in there too? Okay, I'll get on paint and show you what I would do.


----------



## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

you will want a dry airy barn. to save money build your out side walls four feet high and the upper four feet of wall cover with wind break material . this will let UV sun light in sanitizing the inside of the barn. my barn is built this way it is cool in the summer dry and warm in the winter.


----------



## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Lots of lighting, water hydrants, drains, electrical outlets, more lights and hay storage. A vermin resistant grain room, a separate quarantine area, kidding pens and what was posted about size!


----------



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Good to read this counsel!

I have also read that dirt floors with a 4" (or so) layer of sand is preferable. Any advice on floors?


----------



## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

my barn has a dirt floor with a covering of cores wood chips 6" deep. I got the wood chips free from a tree service that chipped his branches. my barn is large enough that I clean it out with my skid steer. the wood chips compost the goat manure and there is little to no smell.


----------



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

goathiker said:


> You want chickens in there too? Okay, I'll get on paint and show you what I would do.


:fireworks:I would love to see suggested floor plans, and also pics of the set ups that you all have.:fireworks:

I bet other beginners would too!


----------



## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

You said that you may want to sell milk in the future. I don't know what your state has for rules and regulations, but you might want to check into those in case you have to do or have certain things in your barn.


----------



## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Also if you plan on eventually having bucks. A separate pen and turnout area for them that they can have by themselves until they are ready to go on their dates. I wouldn't have any chickens or feed near my goats - personal preference for making sure no goat EVER gets into the chicken feed or the chickens soil my precious hay/straw.

Kid area - rotation areas on pasture to keep down the wormload.

Exciting for you!!!! You will HAVE to send us all pics when it is complete!


----------



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

It is exciting. We are trying to put the best layout and set up together, based on all the wisdom we are gleaning. This Forum is such a wealth of info.

Right now we are planning a goat barn with outdoor shelter and fenced lot, opening onto a number of fenced brush lots and pastures, like the two bottom pics. The middle one is now, and the bottom one is summer.

We also have a creek that would be neat for them to have access to if we can fence it securely. We hope to get Anatolian Shepherds once we are all set up and able to spend the time to train them.

Our land was cleared of most of the trees years ago, and now has a lot of scrub and overgrowth with fast growing trees and blackberries. It offers a lot of options for them.

SO, please advise away, we will benefit from all you counsel!


----------



## deerbunnyfarm (Dec 14, 2015)

Looks gorgeous! Like a little slice of heaven. 


I have no real advice though. We have two shelters, built out of pallets, old wooden fencing materials, plywood, and shingles made out of old sticky tile we pulled up while remodeling. Then we have a barn that was already here and is large enough for our hay storage, a milking stanchion, and a stall. I haven't built the stall yet but I'm excited to, since dh ran electric out there for me and extra overhead lights!


----------



## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

Looks like goat heaven


----------



## goatowner88 (Jan 18, 2016)

I have about 500 foot of fence and will have a shelter and some brush area but mainly grass......m will goats trample or tear up grass


----------



## GoatMama123 (Sep 9, 2015)

How many chickens do you/ will you have? I have a coop stall for my chickens in my goat barn. It is probably smaller than you would like but I can throw a picture of mine on her if you would like, and tell you what I would change besides it being bigger. Because bigger is always better when it comes to the barn 

If I could change anything about field set up... I would have a fenced corral area with over hang that has multiple gates that open to each field straight from the barn door...that way you don't have to walk them to the field you want. You can just open gate "A" and open the barn door. I currently have the barn door open to field A and have the gates to each field swinging opposite to create and alley for walking them from field to field. 

Separate buck house with their own little pasture. 

I like having multiple fields...I can keep worm load down... separate trouble makers... breeding ease...etc.


----------



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Right now we are clearing land for the barn and house. You can see our Travel Trailer on the left, with the covered deck my hubby is building for us to increase living space as we build

My plan at present is to have a long rectangle barn, with goats on one end, and chickens on the other. The center will be for milking, birth stalls and feed/supplies.

I have read that chickens can be a problem perching and pooping into the clean hay, and then goats won't eat it... I was thinking of having the feed hay inside the barn, and being able to close the door, so that chickens can't get to that area when they are loose.

I would like to have the end of the goat barn be able to be open or closed up in bad weather, and have a good sized covered area off of it, with a fenced play yard that opens onto the different grazing/pasture areas.

Any ideas or comments?


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

My goats aren't that picky :lol: 

Hang on, my temporary barn isn't fancy and kind of dark but... Be right back.


----------



## GoatMama123 (Sep 9, 2015)

It sounds like your field/ play yard plan is similar to what I am describing so I think that would be great.

As for chickens pooping in the hay- I am currently putting chicken wire/ hardware mesh up to the ceiling to prevent them from leaving their coop stall/ indoor chicken space but if you had a door to close it off that would certainly work as well. 

Your plan sounds solid.


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Okay let's see what I got, it's getting pretty dark now.


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

So, in order

1: Stall front and trough
2: Water buckets
3: Hay stack from inside stall
4: Stall light... Geeze what's above the light?????

5: Chickens :lol:


----------



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

VERY nice! Thank you for the pics 

It's so fun to see how others are set up!


----------



## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

As mentioned, if you plan on selling milk, then you will want to check into the regs in your area. Here in Washington state, you can not house any animal directly next to your milking parlor unless you tube the milk out to another room/location. Meaning your cold storage is not in your milking parlor. I believe this can be tweeked as long as there isnt a door that opens up from the parlor to the pen. A loafing area before the door I believe is also acceptable. There are also restrictions on surface materials. No exposed wood. Walls can be dry walled and painted. Floor must be concrete and sealed.

Mean while in Oregon you can milk up to 9 or 10 goats with no real regulations to follow...

Realistically there is no way to fit everything you want/need into a small barn. Mine barn is 30x36. 30x20 of which is for us and 30x16 is for the animals. But I do have a 8x24 lean too on each side. Giving the animals a good sized sheltering area. In the people area, I have it separated into two room. The milk parlor that can fit 4 goats nose to tail on the milk line. There is a frig and a freezer in this room along with a deep two tub sink and counter. A fold up table acts as an island between the counter and the milk line. The other room, which is bigger has 2 kidding / baby pens, a couple of stanchions, a pallet for grain, washer / dryer hook up, hot water tank, sink and counters. With a few small cupboards for storage. We do not feed the animals in the barn unless its nasty rainy / snowy out. Helps to cut back on the amount of times needed to clean the barn.


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

TDG-Farms said:


> Mean while in Oregon you can milk up to 9 or 10 goats with no real regulations to follow...


You may own up to 9 female goats or sheep or mix of the two above 6 months old. Sterile, intersex, 25 years old, stunted doesn't matter...
You must sell off your farm, transporting milk for sale is a felony. 
At this point in time, I don't sell milk. I am in a cluster here for the moment.

Over the last couple years I have lost my buck house, my feed barn, and my yearling barn. I will have a nice bonfire with the leftovers however.

The pictured building is 12 x 24 and has a 12 x 8 lean to built on the end. Said lean to used to be the the chicken house but, is now the buck house for a while :lol:

Everything wears out and storms happen on the Oregon coast.

If I can rebuild what I want... The new barn will be 24 x 32 for 7 goats.


----------



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

I guess every State is different at this point. I would have to build a separate milking room and attached cooling room here in SC from what my girlfriend tells me.

That is her set up.


----------



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

I found this on Pinterest. What size outer pasture areas are needed for 2 goats, and how often should we rotate them?


----------



## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

Three things that I'm very glad I did with my barn were: having lots and lots of lights, my barn is 30 x 40 and I think I have 7 over head lights and 6 lights under my loft that covers have the barn. It always bothered me how barns are so dark inside  so I vowed that wouldn't happen I mine. 

The second thing that has really helped out is having lots and lots of outlets! I have 12ish? and have used every single one of them at one point or another. You just never know what kind of situation will pop up that requires you to be in that spot, and if you don't have one in that spot...it seems like there is always a much greater chance that you will need one there than the others. I put the child safe plastic things on them too, you know, just in case....even though they are all about my shoulder height. 

The third is having a small heated room in the corner, just some place to bring in cold babies and to keep a lot of the medicine and supplies. I have a little dorm fridge and a microwave in mine, for medicine and heating bottles etc. As an added bonus, I also use it as a place to raise whatever baby poultry I have at the time. 

Having an easily accessible hydrant, preferably in the barn if possible ( they are hard to plan around and can really add on to the tab ) is a real nice bonus too.


----------



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Nice points! Thank you.


----------



## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

1 acre can support 4 goats without rotating as long as its watered property. So you shouldnt have anything to worry about.


----------



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Thanks for that info! I understand goats seem to multiply by magic and you can end up with more than you planned


----------



## GoatMama123 (Sep 9, 2015)

Haha. I finally got my goat barn and went from 2 to 6 in 2 months :shock:

The struggle is real.


----------



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Okay, how about some counsel?

This was placed in our local Craigslist. What questions would you have for this ad poster? And what should we expect to do for these babies?


----------



## GoatMama123 (Sep 9, 2015)

You should always be SUPER suspicious of free/ cheap goats. 

That picture looks to be not original to the poster.

I would at the VERY least ask for an actual picture and if the herd is tested. Breed(s)?

Unexpected baby goats? Anyone who takes good care of their goats should be well aware that their goat is pregnant... maybe they meant accidental baby goats? Even then... how did it happen, did they breed with a sibling. 

Post just seems fishy to me.
But maybe you hit the jackpot... ask every question you can think of.


----------



## deerbunnyfarm (Dec 14, 2015)

Do a reverse image search on that picture. I would bet it's a scam post.


----------



## deerbunnyfarm (Dec 14, 2015)

Also... Lots of people think it's funny to make a fake free ad on craigslist with their roommate/buddy/enemy's phone number or address as a contact. Anyone who owns livestock knows that all of those babies equal money. I cannot imagine anyone in their right mind would try to give them away for free.


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Picture has doubleclick and skimnet attached to it. Likely, anyone who thinks the pic is cute and downloads it ends up with spyware.


----------



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

goathiker said:


> Picture has doubleclick and skimnet attached to it. Likely, anyone who thinks the pic is cute and downloads it ends up with spyware.


I did a screenshot. Hopefully that eliminates spyware risk?

Yikes :hammer:


----------



## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

Am I the only one resisting the urge to be right in the middle of that baby pile?


----------



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Such a cute pic! It's gone today, whatever the story was :dazed: Okay, back to the clearing and building plans!


----------



## GoatMama123 (Sep 9, 2015)

I don't know if it was mentioned somewhere in the post but what is your area? Are you in a colder region... hot region? That might effect some ideas people may have....

ex: if you are in a really cold area with harsh winters you may want to consider insulating or extra insulation for the barn... or consider a heated milking room if budget allows...

In hot regions I have some friends who have installed ceiling fans in the barn for the summer and say it is an amazing little upgrade


----------



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Good point, we are in up-state South Carolina... it freezes in the winter and has mild snow, and hot summers.

What do you suggest?


----------



## GoatMama123 (Sep 9, 2015)

I think it depends on your comfort level, goats are pretty hardy if you have mild swings each way.

But if you are miserable when you are hot/cold... I would do one of the suggestions I listed as examples but if you are pretty tolerant I would spend that money elsewhere...like more goats 

I really like a fan for circulating air in the summer with the windows/doors open, while the goats are outside most of the day no one likes hot goat pee smell, even if you clean frequently it still stinks. Our summers are not super hot... I mean we get some upper 90 days but nothing like the Southern state if I am remember correctly from childhood.


----------



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

That makes sense... would you put in a traditional ceiling fan or more of a round power fan in a corner of the ceiling blowing across the room?


----------



## GoatMama123 (Sep 9, 2015)

I like the ceiling versions because it's not as low to the ground blowing around dander and dust... and it seems to more evenly distribute the air and isnt as direct where it would both animals in its path

But a lifted box would probably work as well... I have not tried that one.


----------



## FineFolly (Dec 29, 2015)

Good. From all the good counsel, I forsee having the goat area with ceiling fan and doors that open up onto the play yard, and then an inner room with birthing stalls that I can keep warm when needed, and also to milk in.

I am thinking to have the goat's hay rack and minerals, etc. in the inner room with water, and then play yard would have water only. Is that correct?


----------

