Have a question about goat shelters, well actually goats not using their shelter?
I have LaManchas and they do not seem to use their winter shelter. It is a three sided shelter with half the front closed in and a standing feeder a few feet in front of the other half to block wind. It has a bed of straw on the ground. However, I never see them in there and do not see any droppings. I see them in the large A frame shelter a lot, but not the winter shelter. I thought drafts were bad for goats? The A frame has part of the opening blocked by a feeder and a piece of plywood but it is still open and the other side is completely open. With the weather getting cold (frost in the mornings and the horses water is getting ice) I thought they would at least spend nights in the winter shelter. So I guess my question is will they use it if they need it, or will they just hang out in the A shelter until they get pneumonia?
Thanks everyone. A barn is not an option right now so the sheds will have to do. I built the winter shed at only four feet to try and keep the heat in. I have straw bales in the A frame and they have spread one all over the ground. I will try adding one to the winter shelter and see if that helps. Also the opening is faced toward the least windy direction. I was trying to make it better by putting the hay feeder in front of it but I guess I did block their view. Great perspectives guys. Thanks so much.
Tagged with: four feet • goats • hay feeder • horses • perspectives • plywood • pneumonia • sheds • straw bales • Weather • winter shelter
Filed under: Weather
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I’ve been raising goats since 1999. There are currently about 80 goats in my herd. I’ve raised them in the high mountain desert area of Idaho (brutal 9 month long winters) and in the more gentle but wet climate of the Pacific Northwest. (Just telling you my experience with goats.)
Is the three sided shelter situated so the prevailing winds do not blow into the door? Sometimes shelters are built facing the wrong way, and the wind blows in, making it quiet cold and drafty.
We have a three sided shelter built onto the side of the our barn. It was built by previous owners, and poorly designed. It faces the ocean, the direction nearly all wind and rain comes from. Our goats were completely miserable, and pneumonia was indeed an issue. We put up plywood, so it was an enclosed shelter, for 2/3rds of it, and left the last 1/3 open.
When the weather is bad, the goats all crowd down to the enclosed end. When the weather is good, they all want to lay about in the open end, and chew their cud. Goats are extremely currious creatures, and love to watch what it going on. My guess is, that is what is going on with your goats. They want to see everything, and their other shelter does not allow them to see.
Bedding it deep, warm and comfy with straw or wood chips will go a long way to encouraching them to use that shelter. Build a little shelf and install their salt and mineral blocks in there as well. That too will encourage them to use the shelter.
If all else fails, concider removing the 1/2 enclosed front (I assume it’s wood) and replace it those stiff, clear pannels they build greenhouses with. This will allow in a lot of light, and let your goats see out better. You may have to put up a wood bar, so they cannot lean on the greenhouse pannels and break them.
Pneumonia is indeed a concern with goats. However they can withstand a VERY cold climate (Idaho taught me that), with no ill effects. A goat’s worst enemy is another goat when it comes to pneumonia. Them sleeping in a shelter that has plenty of fresh air exchange may not be a bad thing.
If they simply insist on the A-Frame, bed it with straw, so they are not getting chilled from the ground.
Munchies (LaManchas) are wonderful goats, aren’t they? Great personalities! I didn’t like the "no ear" look, and resisted buying them for years. When I finally added them to my herd, they won me over in just hours they are so sweet!
One other thing. I got a deal on some of those round polydome calf houses from a dairy that went out of business. My goats LOVE them! They are easy to clean (hose and a scrub brush), easy to tip on their sides and roll where-ever you want them. Lots of air exchange to cut down on pnuemonia chances. They really warm up in the sunlight in the winter, making a very comfortable house for the goats. Drawback is that wasps like to nest in the top part of them in the summer.
You might think about watching your local Craigslist, and see if you can purchase a use, inexpensive calf hutch for your goats. Bed them with staw or shavings, and the goats are thrilled with them. 4-6 adult does will use one hutch (or just one bossy doe and her offspring).
~Garnet
Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years
Raising meat goats since 1999
Goats do get a wooly under coat during the winter. Rub their hair against the grain, and you’ll see grey fuzz next to the skin–that’s their under coat. I live in Minnesota, and my goats will go outside in the winter and walk in the snow…but then, mine also have a nice, dry, draft-free to go into. My goat kids will lay outside overnight–we’ll go out to do chores, and it will have frosted, and we’ll see spots where the kids laid out…and they have a shelter to go into.
Since one side of the A-frame is completely open, could you put that side next to the open side of the three-sided shelter? If you can’t move the shelters around, bed them both up to give your goats a choice of places to sleep.
Goats like to have an elevated floor in their shelter. If it was elevated they would use it. Also maybe something about it scares them.
If you do put an elevated floor, it will make the floor colder so you could insulate the floor or something. Maybe a safe (no fumes) heat source could be put under the floor.
The other thing is goats really like a view, is the view blocked? That could be why. Face the opening for their view so it is out of the wind, of course.
my guys ( 2 la manchas) do dog igloos. we have a barn and I even put one in there stall because they love them so much. they also have one in their pasture as well to crawl in when it is snowing or raining they prefer it over the covered lean tos we built. they love it I throw straw in it and there hay they snuggle and eat it up. I bought my extra large dog igloos at the farm and feed store. good luck
I am by no means a goat expert!
I am reminded of the saying: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink. Anyway, my thought is, if there is not something in the winter shed like a snake or something they’re afraid of, they will go when they need too. Goats traditionally like something to climb on. I know it’s probably to cold for snakes. But….
depending on your climate - most people actually put their goats in a barn when its cold and windy - especially if temps are below freezing.
bed down the A shelter too in case and see if you can put a back on it to give wind protection or put them in the barn