#2 Prepare for Goats: Table of Contents
What kind of housing do they need?
What kind of fencing do they need?
What kind of feed should I buy?
Which tools & supplies do I need?
How do I choose a vet?
How do I find a goat mentor?
What kind of housing do they need?
What kind of fencing do they need?
What kind of feed should I buy?
Which tools & supplies do I need?
How do I choose a vet?
How do I find a goat mentor?
By now, I hope you have chosen your breed of goats and a herd size that will work for you. If you haven't chosen yet, that's OKAY! I hope this section will bring you closer to your decision. Let's get started...
What kind of housing do they need?
As I mentioned in the previous section, goats need, at a bare minimum, a shelter that protects them from wind and rain. Although they are very hardy and adapt to most climates, most goats hate rain, mud, and snow, so you will need a sturdy structure for them to live in. The elaborence of the structure can be left up to interpretation, but should suit the needs for what you are raising goats for. For this discussion we will break it down by Herd Levels. We will talk more about exactly which supplies you need later, but for now this will provide a general overview.
First, some information about temperature:
My goats live in an insulated barn equipped with a wood stove. They do not need to live in a heated barn, but it's nice to be able to take the edge off in the winter and provide heat for the babies when they are born. That being said, most goats can live in extreme temperatures, provided that they can stay dry, and they have adequate food, water and minerals.
Level One Herd (Backyard Goats)
Two goats can absolutely live in a large dog house, calf hut, or small shed, but before you go out and buy these things, lets consider some other things. Even if you are keeping goats for pets, you are still going to need storage space for hay, feed, medications, and other maintenance supplies. If you have somewhere else to store these things, then a dog house or small shed would be fine. If you do not have the storage for hay and equipment then perhaps you should provide your goats a small shed with a hay loft with enough room for a cabinet full of supplies and medications. It is also recommended that you invest in a small stanchion (goat stand) so that you can lock down your goats while you provide them hoof care and administer vitamins and medication. Be sure that you have a place for that as well.
Level Two Herd (Milk Production)
Breeding even a few goats once per year requires more space for storage of essential items than a Level One Herd. Remember that you will be breeding, kidding and milking, so you need separate dedicated spaces for those events. A medium sized shed or space dedicated in a larger barn will work perfectly for the situation.
Things to keep in mind:
You will need a space for the does to kid. It does not need to be elaborate, and it can be as simple as a temporary 5X5 metal wire pen, but it should provide privacy and separation from your other does, as most does who have just kidded get a little "testy" if other does approach their newborns. They eventually get over their protectiveness as the hormones start to wane from their bodies a few days after kidding. A source of heat is highly recommended so electric should be available in the kidding stalls. I usually keep heat on my babies from kidding until the babies are approximately 2 weeks old. The safest source of direct heat is the Premiere One Prima Heat Lamps although I do admit that I had one catch fire once due to a malfunction. For the most part, these are the safest choice. Never use a heat lamp without a housing guard. Another good heat source that I have recently found is the Sweeter Heater which is a safe source of radiant heat which can be used to provide heat for newborns in cold weather.
You will need a space to milk the does. You should buy or make a stanchion and position it in a room that you can keep very clean. Most farms that breed goats construct a milk parlor that doubles as a maintenance room, but keep in mind that milking a couple of does does not necessarily require a dedicated milk parlor. You can station the stanchion under a covered porch to milk out your does. Just be aware that when it is -20° F, those does are still going to need to be milked, and you will also be exposed to the elements as you work.
If you will be housing a buck, even temporarily, he will need a separate enclosure and fence to live within while he is not working. You might also need separate housing for baby bucks and does who are weaned and waiting for their new homes.
You will also need a space for hay, feed and maintenance supplies, just as you would with a Level One herd. I find it easiest to build my maintenance station into my milk parlor, because all of my supplies are right next to the stanchion, should I need them.
Level Three Herd: Goat Breeder
This level requires all of the supplies required of a Level Two Herd, with some optional additions. I have a Level Three Herd, where I carefully orchestrate breedings, plan for kiddings, and scrutinize babies that are born to determine whether they will join the herd. There is nothing to say that you can't be a serious breeder with a Level Two Herd setup, but if you want your setup to work FOR you and not AGAINST you, there are some things you need to consider.
BEFORE you start building, let me advise a word of caution: Whatever you build, DO NOT build anything TOO permanent. Throwing up panels for a makeshift pen is easy. Tearing down walls when you decide it doesn't work is much more difficult. Layout your barn with your best guess on what will work, and then use it for awhile. After some time, you will figure out ways to make your layout work better for you and THEN once you have worked within your setup and have decided on a final layout, you can build it permanently.
If you are a Level Three Herd, you will most likely have at least one buck (and a wether for a buddy), several senior does, yearling dry does, and a gaggle of babies at some point in the year. Doelings and bucklings should be housed separately after the bucklings reach seven weeks of age, if not at birth. Not only do they need separate pens, but they need to be babyproofed pens as well. Where will you put a goat that is sick and needs to be separated from the herd? Think about where you are going to put everyone when your herd is at maximum capacity and everything has gone wrong.
My herd usually consists of 50+ animals in the spring. I have a general population pen with 24/7 pasture access to three acres for the junior and senior does. I have a separate pen and 3 acre pasture for the junior and senior bucks on the other side of the barn. I have a large indoor pen that I can open up to the gen pop pen for extra indoor space, or I can use it to house junior bucks before they are banded or those senior does who need a little extra feed to keep weight on them. I also have three separate kidding stalls and I have at times added 5 x 5 metal wire pens to my milk parlor when I run out of kidding stalls in the spring. When I am not kidding, I can use the kidding stalls to quarantine sick or newly acquired goats. My setup works very well, but it is still not ideal. I would like to have a separate yard for the large inside pen. I would like to have more kidding stalls. I would like to have another separate area for bucklings, and one for doelings, and one for yearling dry does, and another for skinny does who need more food. All with separate pastures, of course. I would like to have the space to rotate pastures so that I can let one pasture rest while they graze on the other. I will probably never have the ultimate setup unless I build another barn and acquire more property. After I win the lottery, of course. But like I said...what I have works, and I'm pretty content with that.
It also makes it very nice to have water and electricity to the barn. That water spigot 50 feet away from your barn might not seem like a big deal now, but once you are carrying 5 gallon buckets in a foot of snow when it's below zero day after day, you might change your tune. Luckily, teeing into an outside waterline at the spigot is fairly easy, and can be completed in a weekend. My next task in my barn is to add an on-demand water heater. They are relatively inexpensive and will save me from trekking to the house when I need hot water. It might seem petty but when you spend hours per day in a barn tending to your animals, it's those little creature comforts that make the difference between dreading or loving your time in the barn.
As I mentioned in the previous section, goats need, at a bare minimum, a shelter that protects them from wind and rain. Although they are very hardy and adapt to most climates, most goats hate rain, mud, and snow, so you will need a sturdy structure for them to live in. The elaborence of the structure can be left up to interpretation, but should suit the needs for what you are raising goats for. For this discussion we will break it down by Herd Levels. We will talk more about exactly which supplies you need later, but for now this will provide a general overview.
First, some information about temperature:
My goats live in an insulated barn equipped with a wood stove. They do not need to live in a heated barn, but it's nice to be able to take the edge off in the winter and provide heat for the babies when they are born. That being said, most goats can live in extreme temperatures, provided that they can stay dry, and they have adequate food, water and minerals.
Level One Herd (Backyard Goats)
Two goats can absolutely live in a large dog house, calf hut, or small shed, but before you go out and buy these things, lets consider some other things. Even if you are keeping goats for pets, you are still going to need storage space for hay, feed, medications, and other maintenance supplies. If you have somewhere else to store these things, then a dog house or small shed would be fine. If you do not have the storage for hay and equipment then perhaps you should provide your goats a small shed with a hay loft with enough room for a cabinet full of supplies and medications. It is also recommended that you invest in a small stanchion (goat stand) so that you can lock down your goats while you provide them hoof care and administer vitamins and medication. Be sure that you have a place for that as well.
Level Two Herd (Milk Production)
Breeding even a few goats once per year requires more space for storage of essential items than a Level One Herd. Remember that you will be breeding, kidding and milking, so you need separate dedicated spaces for those events. A medium sized shed or space dedicated in a larger barn will work perfectly for the situation.
Things to keep in mind:
You will need a space for the does to kid. It does not need to be elaborate, and it can be as simple as a temporary 5X5 metal wire pen, but it should provide privacy and separation from your other does, as most does who have just kidded get a little "testy" if other does approach their newborns. They eventually get over their protectiveness as the hormones start to wane from their bodies a few days after kidding. A source of heat is highly recommended so electric should be available in the kidding stalls. I usually keep heat on my babies from kidding until the babies are approximately 2 weeks old. The safest source of direct heat is the Premiere One Prima Heat Lamps although I do admit that I had one catch fire once due to a malfunction. For the most part, these are the safest choice. Never use a heat lamp without a housing guard. Another good heat source that I have recently found is the Sweeter Heater which is a safe source of radiant heat which can be used to provide heat for newborns in cold weather.
You will need a space to milk the does. You should buy or make a stanchion and position it in a room that you can keep very clean. Most farms that breed goats construct a milk parlor that doubles as a maintenance room, but keep in mind that milking a couple of does does not necessarily require a dedicated milk parlor. You can station the stanchion under a covered porch to milk out your does. Just be aware that when it is -20° F, those does are still going to need to be milked, and you will also be exposed to the elements as you work.
If you will be housing a buck, even temporarily, he will need a separate enclosure and fence to live within while he is not working. You might also need separate housing for baby bucks and does who are weaned and waiting for their new homes.
You will also need a space for hay, feed and maintenance supplies, just as you would with a Level One herd. I find it easiest to build my maintenance station into my milk parlor, because all of my supplies are right next to the stanchion, should I need them.
Level Three Herd: Goat Breeder
This level requires all of the supplies required of a Level Two Herd, with some optional additions. I have a Level Three Herd, where I carefully orchestrate breedings, plan for kiddings, and scrutinize babies that are born to determine whether they will join the herd. There is nothing to say that you can't be a serious breeder with a Level Two Herd setup, but if you want your setup to work FOR you and not AGAINST you, there are some things you need to consider.
BEFORE you start building, let me advise a word of caution: Whatever you build, DO NOT build anything TOO permanent. Throwing up panels for a makeshift pen is easy. Tearing down walls when you decide it doesn't work is much more difficult. Layout your barn with your best guess on what will work, and then use it for awhile. After some time, you will figure out ways to make your layout work better for you and THEN once you have worked within your setup and have decided on a final layout, you can build it permanently.
If you are a Level Three Herd, you will most likely have at least one buck (and a wether for a buddy), several senior does, yearling dry does, and a gaggle of babies at some point in the year. Doelings and bucklings should be housed separately after the bucklings reach seven weeks of age, if not at birth. Not only do they need separate pens, but they need to be babyproofed pens as well. Where will you put a goat that is sick and needs to be separated from the herd? Think about where you are going to put everyone when your herd is at maximum capacity and everything has gone wrong.
My herd usually consists of 50+ animals in the spring. I have a general population pen with 24/7 pasture access to three acres for the junior and senior does. I have a separate pen and 3 acre pasture for the junior and senior bucks on the other side of the barn. I have a large indoor pen that I can open up to the gen pop pen for extra indoor space, or I can use it to house junior bucks before they are banded or those senior does who need a little extra feed to keep weight on them. I also have three separate kidding stalls and I have at times added 5 x 5 metal wire pens to my milk parlor when I run out of kidding stalls in the spring. When I am not kidding, I can use the kidding stalls to quarantine sick or newly acquired goats. My setup works very well, but it is still not ideal. I would like to have a separate yard for the large inside pen. I would like to have more kidding stalls. I would like to have another separate area for bucklings, and one for doelings, and one for yearling dry does, and another for skinny does who need more food. All with separate pastures, of course. I would like to have the space to rotate pastures so that I can let one pasture rest while they graze on the other. I will probably never have the ultimate setup unless I build another barn and acquire more property. After I win the lottery, of course. But like I said...what I have works, and I'm pretty content with that.
It also makes it very nice to have water and electricity to the barn. That water spigot 50 feet away from your barn might not seem like a big deal now, but once you are carrying 5 gallon buckets in a foot of snow when it's below zero day after day, you might change your tune. Luckily, teeing into an outside waterline at the spigot is fairly easy, and can be completed in a weekend. My next task in my barn is to add an on-demand water heater. They are relatively inexpensive and will save me from trekking to the house when I need hot water. It might seem petty but when you spend hours per day in a barn tending to your animals, it's those little creature comforts that make the difference between dreading or loving your time in the barn.
What kind of fencing do they need?
Fencing serves two purposes: keeping animals in and keeping predators out. That being said, no matter which kind of fencing you choose, I truly believe that installing an electric fence (hot wire) is important to all Herd Levels. Depending on your setup, you might choose to hot wire the perimeter of your property, to keep coyotes and neighborhood dogs far away from your goats, and then use regular cattle panel or 2X4 welded wire fencing for your actual pen enclosures. I would advise against using cattle panel anywhere on your farm if you are going to be raising horned goats as their heads can get easily stuck. Welded wire fencing is best for horned goats. You can also use electric tape or portable solar electric net fencing from Premier 1 and move your fencing around to different areas at your leisure.
Welded wire fencing (2X4) works very well to keep both babies and adult in. Cattle and hog panels work well in adult enclosures, but babies can usually get through. If you do decide to use cattle or hog panels, make sure you reinforce the bottom 12-24 inches with chicken wire or 2 X 4 welded wire fencing in areas in which babies will be kept. As for posts, you can use regular metal fence posts, wooden posts, or even step-in posts in some cases. We have a side pasture that we sometimes let the bucks into, which consists of step-ins placed 8 feet apart, and two hot wires strategically placed so that they can't go over, under or through. It works well most of the time, but every once in awhile you will get a goat that figures out how to shimmy his way through or jump over, and then proceeds to teach the others how to get out. Because of this reason, I would only suggest using this setup on a temporary basis and not as a permanent fencing option.
What kind of feed should I buy?
We will talk extensively about feed in the next section "Welcome Your Goats," but here in an overview:
A goat's main diet is hay. At least grass hay or pasture should be available to goats at all times. Alfalfa or a similar legume hay is best for pregnant and lactating does as it provides more protein and calcium for growing babies and producing milk. The nutritional content of the hay is more important than the kind of hay you choose to feed. All hay should be analysed for protein content and ADF (acid detergent fiber), which is the indigestible part of hay. More on that later.
In addition to hay, a high quality grain with at least 16% protein content should be fed to pregnant does, lactating does and growing babies. Sweet Feed does not provide enough protein. Use a pelleted grain, whole grain, textured grain or rolled grain instead. Be careful not to surpass the recommended serving size for the animal's weight located on the bag. Any increase in feed rations should be done slowly, because changes in feed can throw off the animal's digestive balance and can make her very, very sick.
Goats also need balanced vitamins and minerals in their diet which is administered to them via their hay, their feed, loose minerals and supplements. To determine the correct balance of feed for your goats, read on.
We will talk extensively about feed in the next section "Welcome Your Goats," but here in an overview:
A goat's main diet is hay. At least grass hay or pasture should be available to goats at all times. Alfalfa or a similar legume hay is best for pregnant and lactating does as it provides more protein and calcium for growing babies and producing milk. The nutritional content of the hay is more important than the kind of hay you choose to feed. All hay should be analysed for protein content and ADF (acid detergent fiber), which is the indigestible part of hay. More on that later.
In addition to hay, a high quality grain with at least 16% protein content should be fed to pregnant does, lactating does and growing babies. Sweet Feed does not provide enough protein. Use a pelleted grain, whole grain, textured grain or rolled grain instead. Be careful not to surpass the recommended serving size for the animal's weight located on the bag. Any increase in feed rations should be done slowly, because changes in feed can throw off the animal's digestive balance and can make her very, very sick.
Goats also need balanced vitamins and minerals in their diet which is administered to them via their hay, their feed, loose minerals and supplements. To determine the correct balance of feed for your goats, read on.
Which tools and supplies do I need?
This handy list will provide you with all the necessary supplies for your chosen herd level. For an explanation of herd levels, revisit Choose Your Goats.
All items which are marked with an X are highly recommended.
You can download the following supply list HERE.
This handy list will provide you with all the necessary supplies for your chosen herd level. For an explanation of herd levels, revisit Choose Your Goats.
All items which are marked with an X are highly recommended.
You can download the following supply list HERE.
DescriptionGeneral Care & Maintenance
Stanchion (Goat Stand) Hoof Shears and Hoof Pick Grooming Brush Collars and Leashes Hay Feeder, Feed Pans and Water Buckets Loose Mineral Feeder First Aid/Medical Epinephrine (Rx Only) Thermometer Animal Scale or Weight Tape Small Drench Syringes Blood Stop Powder NutriDrench Baking Soda Mineral Oil (for bloat) 3cc Syringes and 20 Gauge Needles Broad Spectrum Antibiotic (Pen G) ProBios Paste Vitamin B Complex Fir Meadows Gut Soothe Activated Charcoal Lactated Ringers (IV Saline Fluid) Banamine (Rx Only) CD&T Vaccine (if you choose to vaccinate) Tetanus Antitoxin C&D Antitoxin BoviSera DiMethox SMZ-TMP Ivomec Injectible 1% Cydectin Pour-On Cattle Dewormer Ivermectin Dewormer BoSe (Rx Only) Copper Bolus Lutalyse (Rx Only) Oxytocin (Rx Only) Kidding & Kid Supplies Surgical Gloves & Lubricant Absorbent Pads & Towels Bulb Aspirator Iodine & Surgical Scissors Insulin Syringes Feeding Tube & Large Slip Syringe Baby Enema (6cc Slip Syringe & IV tubing) Kids Coats or Sweaters Pritchard Nipples and Empty Soda Bottles Tattoo Outfit with Green Paste Ink Disbudding Iron & Disbudding Box Elastrator and Castrating Bands Milking Supplies Teat Wash (5% Bleach Water/Baby Wipes) Teat Dip or Teat Spray (FightBac) Stainless Milking Pail Milk Strainer, Filter or Cheesecloth Mastitis Testing Kit |
Level 1 herdX X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X |
level 2 & 3 herdsX X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X |
How do I choose a vet? How do I choose a mentor?
Getting help from the experts is important, especially in an emergency situation. It's best to be as prepared as possible before an emergency happens, so it's extremely important that you have both a veterinarian and a goat mentor on speed dial. Finding a veterinarian in some areas can be challenging, so find a goat breeder in your area first and ask for a recommendation for a veterinarian who is experienced with goats.
Many breeders who live in places where goat veterinarians are sparce tend to do most of their own veterinary medicine for their herds, but build a relationship with a large animal vet who is willing to provide prescriptions and emergency care, when needed. Point blank...you need a vet to call in an emergency (Kidding Problems, C-sections, Major Injuries, etc) and that number should be posted in a primary location so that you can find it quickly. For less than immediate emergencies, you should have an experienced goat breeder you can call and is willing to answer questions and provide advise. There are many goat community groups on the internet and on social media sites that you can explore to try to find a goat mentor.