# Help me choose which house for my goats...



## Cinder (Mar 3, 2008)

Ok, some of you know my sad, pitiful (  ) story of not being able to get a "real" goat shed built or bought at this point. I'm bringing home two 8 week old kids (Nigerian Dwarf) the end of May. I've been told and encouraged by you here to use a dog house until I can get larger, better accommodations for my goats.

So, here are my two options of dog houses. I will be adding probably a two foot wooden extension/tunnel entrance to which ever one I use so that the wind will be blocked even more.

The first option: a large dog igloo, it would set directly on the ground as that seems to be the best option for cleaning.



















Here's the second option: a large, rectangular dog house that has a plastic floor.



















I'd very much appreciate any and all comments and suggestions on which one to use and anything else I should do to them or whatever. Thanks so much.


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## jBlaze (Oct 9, 2007)

The igloo will hold up much better. We have both actually, for our kids to play on. and they beat the heck out of them. Since the other one already has a crack, I would be afraid it would worsen and either colapse or cause injury. Putting the igloo on the ground is fine when it is hot, but in the cold they should have something to be on, even if you just put plywood on a pallet and attach the igloo to it. Just temp attach, so still easy to clean, but won't fall off the pallet, maybe just 2x4 around the edge of the pallet will keep the igloo in place. In fact, the goats will use the pallet as a sun deck when the igloo is not on it. We have those too, but not for hte igloos, and the kids bounce all over them too.  Goats are such fun!


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Hey Cinder, I would go for the Igloo one. The reason I used them and not the other one with the plastic floor is that plastic is really slick when it has straw or pee in it. I use the igloo one for my babues when I have a new one that is being introduced to the herd. Like my baby buck, I want to give him a place he can go to get away from the others. If they pee in it at least it will go in the grounds and they will not lay in it on the plastic. I have a friend that liked your second one, but they babies were running and one ran in the house, slipped and broke his neck. I am not saying that all goats will do that , I just want to tell you what I have experienced. I know of a lot of people that use the plastic on the bottom just fine.
Either way, I just know they are going to be very happy with you.


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

I too say igloo. I have one that was old and I busted it....oops....anyway...they are still very sturdy. Mine was broken part way when it was given to me.


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## susanne (Nov 13, 2007)

delete


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## fcnubian (Oct 23, 2007)

I use the square kind of dog houses. They work great for my goats. :wink: 

Its a large and will fit a pygmy doe and her two babies.


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## enjoytheride (Oct 5, 2007)

I have never had an igloo one but I have one similar to the other one and it works fine especially as it has a insulated floor- it is so wet here during the winter, none of my animals live on dirt floors. The only bad thing is if the rain blows, it can hold the water and I have to tip it up to drain. Mine has a well around the outside that holds the water away from where the kids lay.


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

If you use they one with the plastic bottom, you MUST clean it out everyday or it gets REALLY nasty. I like the igloo one, you could move it easily for cleaning. I have the square one...they jump up on the roof and it broke pretty quickly (but it was old).


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## djoborn (Nov 11, 2012)

I am having the same issue. I am getting two Nigerian Dwarf does. Here are the two options I have available to me but am not sure which would be best (dog in the pictures is just to show the size)


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## Frosty (Feb 13, 2010)

Have any of you concidered trying calf hutches. They are a little bigger and no floor in them. That is what I am gonna get to put out in the pasture for a shelter during the day. If you can figure out how to put a door on them I can't see why they wouldn't be alright at night to. I have a small barn also so will use that at night or in winter..


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## Shellshocker66 (Mar 19, 2012)

Frosty said:


> Have any of you concidered trying calf hutches. They are a little bigger and no floor in them. That is what I am gonna get to put out in the pasture for a shelter during the day. If you can figure out how to put a door on them I can't see why they wouldn't be alright at night to. I have a small barn also so will use that at night or in winter..


Personally I would love some Calf Hutches, just very cost prohibitive in my area and never find them used. For $300 a pop, you can purchase several used x-large igloos..

I tend to build my goat shelters as my gals hate to share and the alpha wants to take over any house the other goats have and so I make sure they have plenty of options.


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## djoborn (Nov 11, 2012)

Thanks for the advise. I saw that suggestion above and should look into it. These two I already have access to. The floor in the wood house comes out so it sounds like that might be the way to go until I can look into other options. Thanks!


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## S+S Homestead (Jul 23, 2012)

We do have an igloo style dog house in the goat pen. We have mini goats, some are pygmy some nigerian mixes, and they use the igloo as a play area. They nap in it and climb on top of it, but it is not a place they sleep in at night. You can build an inexpensive goat house using wooden pallets and scrap wood from a local carpentry supply store. It doesn't need to be fancy, but enough to keep out the rain and wind. Goats like to sleep raised from the ground, so build a shelf for them to sleep on. We live in NC, so we don't have to worry about it getting all that cold, but if you live in a colder climate, you will need something more substantial to keep them warm in the winter.


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## Anissa1 (May 24, 2014)

I plan to get 2 weathered young male goats and wondering if I could keep them pinned up in a 50 square feet or do area and give them supplements and hay as a permanent for now, since I am not breeding or milking. Is this possible ?


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## JAR702 (Apr 28, 2014)

I have a 275 gallon water tote for my pigs and my goats, I can get them for $35-$45.00 each, they are very sturdy, easy to clean just hose out and tip to the side and drain the water off thru the drain hole. But I never thought about the slickness and urine so I am going to design a floor, maybe plywood or hardware clothe so the urine will drop thru or maybe cardboard. Also you can hang buckets and stuff on the metal frame.


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