The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Bumblebear on November 03, 2012, 02:37:12 pm

Title: Organising goat sheds for kids
Post by: Bumblebear on November 03, 2012, 02:37:12 pm
Hello all.  This is my first year of goat keeping so I wanted your advice/suggestions on how to/where to put Aisha and her kid (if she EVER comes into season, but thats a different thread!).  We currently have:

8 x 6 shed with a door on the long side in a 25 x 15 feet concrete pen

and a 7 x 11 field shelter with the opening on the end in a paddock.  I'm guessing I can't keep Simone by herself even though Aisha will have her kid, so what do you old hands recommend?  I have 2 more sheds to put up (somewhere!) at some point too.

Title: Re: Organising goat sheds for kids
Post by: jaykay on November 03, 2012, 02:46:07 pm
Well, I keep mine in a pen with their kid, and the others in the same building. When I first let them out into the paddocks, they have their own paddock and half the field shelter, so there is no bashing of other people's kids going on! The kids tend to come and go at will since they can get under the gate  :)

Could you divide the paddock (or the concrete pen) and put a shed in each half?
Title: Re: Organising goat sheds for kids
Post by: Bumblebear on November 03, 2012, 02:56:45 pm
We'll split the pen and paddock, as that can be done quite easily.  Will the lone Nanny be ok just being next to them or do we need a companion :D ?
Title: Re: Organising goat sheds for kids
Post by: jaykay on November 03, 2012, 03:27:40 pm
Mine are ok just the other side of a fence/division from each other.
Title: Re: Organising goat sheds for kids
Post by: jaykay on November 03, 2012, 03:33:46 pm
Then again, if you need the excuse for another goat......  :goat:
Title: Re: Organising goat sheds for kids
Post by: plumseverywhere on November 03, 2012, 04:11:40 pm
We have split the paddock into 2 with a shed in each. Prior to Puffin kidding, she lived alone but was really running alongside the other 2 with a thin fence dividing so all were quite happy. Now we have 2 in each field, only for ease of milking more than anything. They do all go intogether sometimes and run about like mad things for a few hours!