The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: laurelrus on August 16, 2014, 03:01:02 pm

Title: Goat playground
Post by: laurelrus on August 16, 2014, 03:01:02 pm
Hi,
We have two young pygmy goats who are really lovely and very entertaining.
We have made them an area in the paddock with some 4x4 tyres and some big logs at different heights but we'd like to give them more to keep them busy and hopefully stop them getting up to no good.
Any suggestions would be appreciated. We didn't have to buy anything so far, I asked on Freegle for old tyres and got more offers than we could collect, and the same with the logs. So I'd like to stick with free stuff!
Thanks very much
Title: Re: Goat playground
Post by: Melmarsh on August 16, 2014, 07:33:17 pm
Hi ! You could try low tables, to jump on and off and wooden chests if you can get hold of them, on there sides to jump on and hide in, good shelter too. Large balls to knock about. Have a nice time !!! :roflanim:
Title: Re: Goat playground
Post by: mojocafa on August 16, 2014, 08:14:12 pm
Pallets piled up on top of each other, upside down tattie box, trampoline, cable drum
Title: Re: Goat playground
Post by: jaykay on August 16, 2014, 08:51:15 pm
Those 'all-in-one' picnic benches are good.

(http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k70/jaykayg/f8b612cd2bb1d37f2cc9a32ccdd7cdc1_zps8b1b7b87.jpg)
Title: Re: Goat playground
Post by: Lesley Silvester on August 16, 2014, 11:32:34 pm
There has been a video on Facebook recently of goats playing on a sheet of metal that is bent over in and arc. It's very bendy and the goats are enjoying running up in and feeling it move.


I have a pile of breeze blocks, a bench and an old, upturned wheelbarrow in the goat yard. They love to stand on the blocks and I'm sure it's good for keeping their hooves down when they jump on and off. The also enjoy getting on the bench, jumping onto the wheelbarrow and sliding down it.
Title: Re: Goat playground
Post by: laurelrus on August 17, 2014, 09:26:42 am
Thanks very much Jaykay, Mad Goatwoman and Melmarsh!
All great ideas and I should be able to get the stuff from Freegle which is very helpful.
I love the video of the goats on the bendy metal!
Large balls are a good idea, hadn't thought of that either, so thanks again.

Title: Re: Goat playground
Post by: Treud na Mara on August 17, 2014, 06:09:02 pm
OH has constructed some small 'Neolithic' stone structures from some of his pet stones for our pygmies. Great for wearing down hooves. But we are in Caithness and stones are what we have most of !
Title: Re: Goat playground
Post by: fiestyredhead331 on August 17, 2014, 08:21:29 pm
mine discovered that they can see-saw on an upturned half barrel and some 4x2  ;D
Title: Re: Goat playground
Post by: ScotsGirl on August 18, 2014, 10:04:45 pm
Only word of warning about curly tin is my billy sliced his front leg white bad on it being a twit. Luckily it healed and I don't think it has scarred but I have removed it for now.
Title: Re: Goat playground
Post by: fiestyredhead331 on August 18, 2014, 10:29:27 pm
Chèvres en équilibre - goats balancing on a flexible steel ribbon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58-atNakMWw#ws)

no goats were harmed in the making of this film  ;D

wriggly tin as we call it is horrible stuff, sharp edges galore so we don't use it apart from whats on the pig arks and they can't climb on that!