# What do you think of using a plastic shed for goat housing? Why or why not?



## Alfietap

Hey all! I'm new to the forum and we are about to get two baby nubian/nigerian dwarf mix boys. We don't have an outside dog to protect them and do have predators in the area that I'm worried about so we need to close them up at night. We would also like to have a shed that has enough room for some hay storage and for hay and water for them inside. 

We have looked at building our own shelter, getting a pre-fab wooden shed, and also have considered purchasing a plastic pre-fab shed. It is significantly less than any other of our options, but I want to make sure I am not taking a mis-step by considering it for goat housing. It would clean out well, has ventilation, can store hay as well as have feeding and water inside, plus has plenty of room for them to move around while closed in. 

My question is does anyone have significant opposition to this type of housing? What are your concerns? Do you think it is suitable? We are trying to do things right, but also trying not to spend thousands of dollars in the process. There needs to be a balance. Looking to you all to help us find that!

Thanks, 

Ashley in Ohio


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## toth boer goats

First off, welcome glad you are here. 

Do you have any pics of the unit you are considering?

If it has no flooring, you will have to keep out the rain water from getting in. Have the ground built up a bit where the building would go, helps to prevent flooding inside. 

You want it to where it will not catch wind and blow over, if there is a rim around the bottom, putting sand around ot helps to hold it down.

Out of any drafts, but well ventilated.

Pre-fab plastic is strong and sturdy, wooden ones fall apart if not keep painted from the weather with time or can be torn apart by goats easier.

You do not want anything that can hold moisture inside, that will cause a lot of issues.

Hope this helps.


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## GreenMountainNigerians

I have a plastic resin shed as my milking room. So easy to clean. The Rubbermaid brand was really not super sturdy so I would go with A Suncast brand. We have the Tremount. 
The trick to all of them is a good foundation made of lumber and cinder blocks. The instructions give directions for it. I love mine!


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## Brink4

We used one for many years. Easy to clean/powerwash and it still looks new. Make sure it's in the shade because in the summer it can get pretty warm.


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## ksalvagno

You would have to worry about ventilation and it getting too hot. Plus no windows to open.


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## Alfietap

Thank you all!! I would love more input if more folks have things to say. I am pleasantly surprised by the support of this type of housing. We can certainly give it a good foundation, especially by not spending so much on the actual structure. I thought it would be good for sanitation as well, so I am happy to hear that from you. The tip on Suncast vs. Rubbermaid is great! There's one of each for the same price and I probably would have gone with rubbermaid just from knowing the brand name. The structure will be in a pretty shaded area, although we will certainly be willing to troubleshoot ventilation since I know it is an important component of goat housing. We are handy and creative so perhaps we can put in some windows or high adjustable screens. We can also brace it with good placement or perhaps with stakes to give it a more sturdy setup. The acre we will have the goats on is mostly wooded with good filtered light so they will have access to plenty of sunshine, but also will be cool, protected from many elements and it will give them lots of overgrowth to graze on and play in. I think it is pretty perfect and I'm excited for them to love it! We just need a home for them!

Thank you for all your help, encouragement, information, and being welcoming to a newbie! Looking forward to becoming part of the community!

Ashley


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## ZebAkers

@Alfietap: Any update on how your plastic shelter has held up?

I'm currently looking into housing options for my 2 pygmies, and there is a BigMax Rubbermaid plastic shed for sale in my area for a steep discount. I called the Sears Outlet and they said that they have 2 that came in with damage to the boxes, but they do not know if anything inside has been damaged. They did say that I could open it up and inspect everything before purchasing (_which would still be iffy since I am sure these things come in a million pieces and I could easily miss damage_).

It's been a while since Alfietap posted, so all opinions are welcome!

CL Ad Link:
https://bham.craigslist.org/fod/5913573068.html

Product Links:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rubbermaid-Big-Max-7-ft-x-7-ft-Storage-Shed-1887154/204721823
http://www.rubbermaid.com/en-US/big-max™-buildings


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## ZebAkers

I've also found one of these for sale on Craigslist. Much smaller, but cheaper and with an anecdote backing its goat-worthiness (_refer to links below_). Obviously I would prefer a larger abode for my girls, but this may be a decent temporary alternative until I have the time to build them a suitable cedar chalet!

Additionally, despite it providing only 24 sqft of weatherproof shelter for my 2 pygmies, I _think _they would be okay with that for now. Every time I catch them snoozing they are snuggled up anyways.

Any opinions on this one?

CL ad:
https://bham.craigslist.org/for/5895873870.html

Product Link:
http://www.rubbermaid.com/en-US/sho...utdoor-products/slide-lid-shed---discontinued

Goat Blogger with experience with this specific Rubbermaid shed:
http://blessedlittlehomesteadlife.blogspot.com/2015/10/how-to-build-goat-shelter-update.html
http://blessedlittlehomesteadlife.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-to-build-goat-shelter.html


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## catharina

Very cute! I agree, it looks big enough for 2 to sleep comfortably, & a smaller house stays warmer from body heat. I don't see any vents--you may have to carefully drill holes under the eaves. You'll know if it has enough ventilation or not & can easily add more holes if the walls or ceiling are wet in the morning, or it smells musty or like ammonia. I love plastic--my goats have those ugly plastic dog igloos & also a wooden dog house to keep hay dry. They've done significant damage to the wooden dog house, but the "Dogloos" are completely fine & they love climbing on them.


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## Brink4

ZebAkers said:


> @Alfietap: Any update on how your plastic shelter has held up?
> 
> I'm currently looking into housing options for my 2 pygmies, and there is a BigMax Rubbermaid plastic shed for sale in my area for a steep discount. I called the Sears Outlet and they said that they have 2 that came in with damage to the boxes, but they do not know if anything inside has been damaged. They did say that I could open it up and inspect everything before purchasing (_which would still be iffy since I am sure these things come in a million pieces and I could easily miss damage_).
> 
> It's been a while since Alfietap posted, so all opinions are welcome!
> 
> CL Ad Link:
> https://bham.craigslist.org/fod/5913573068.html
> 
> Product Links:
> http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rubbermaid-Big-Max-7-ft-x-7-ft-Storage-Shed-1887154/204721823
> http://www.rubbermaid.com/en-US/big-max™-buildings


We have used ours for years. It started with goats and has now provided shelter for a total of 5 pigs in the past 2 years for 4h. It now sits on concrete....easy to clean and looks great still.


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## MoonShadow

I've used plastic sheds for my Nigerians in the past. They are great as long as you can work in good ventilation. Other then that they are easy to clean and disinfect, they stay looking nice as long as you pressure wash them once or twice a year(depending on where you live). Most importantly, they keeps the goats off the cold ground and out of the rain.  I would recommend them, especially considering you will only have two goats.


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## Alfietap

It has been awesome! Easy to clean. We put a divider in it and half the shed is used to store hay and feed so we don't have to carry bales out every week in the cold. We built it onto a platform for stability but I love it. It will be solid for years and years I think!


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## Alfietap

Here's a pic of ours.


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## ZebAkers

Thanks for the update Alfietap! That looks very similar to the shed I was considering. I am glad to hear that everyone using plastic seems to have had good experiences. Plastic is still on my radar when I need more room in the future, but for now I just decided to expand (added another level) to my goats' wooden shelter. Cheaper and more practical than a bigger plastic shed for me at the moment. 

Thanks again for everyone's input!


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