The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Mrspie on February 20, 2016, 11:22:42 am

Title: How much space for goats?
Post by: Mrspie on February 20, 2016, 11:22:42 am

Is there any rules and regulations regarding how much land and space you need to keep goats?

Title: Re: How much space for goats?
Post by: Polyanya on February 20, 2016, 01:28:41 pm

Hello Mrspie  :wave: I found reading the RSPCA booklet on goat keeping very helpful - if you go on the website theres a link to a pdf booklet which is very informative.

Title: Re: How much space for goats?
Post by: verdifish on February 20, 2016, 01:50:05 pm

Ethically as much as you can
Legally a back garden or a large shed is fine.
Somewhere in the middle is ideal.

Title: Re: How much space for goats?
Post by: Lesley Silvester on February 21, 2016, 04:06:05 pm

My two have a large shed with a concreted run in our garden. I would prefer them to have more but we can't afford anywhere with land. When I was inspected some years ago, I was told that it was fine and I was classed as a 'low risk farm' which made me laugh. My goats are happy and healthy though and rarely ill.


I do know people who keep goats totally in sheds or barns,which apparently is also legal. The first dairy goat farm I visited was like this. It was light and airy but the goats were crammed in (I felt) and never went outside. When I inquired I was told that it would be too difficult to get them in for milking if they were out at pasture. Being a dairy farm, they would have had checks so presumably were considered fine. It made me sad to see them never allowed to go out.

Title: Re: How much space for goats?
Post by: Mrspie on February 21, 2016, 06:45:36 pm

how often does defra visit?
 A friend of mine has 8 goats in there garden plus various other animals, there garden being 1/4 acre. SuRely this isnt right?

Title: Re: How much space for goats?
Post by: verdifish on February 21, 2016, 07:25:04 pm

It depends what your view on right is.

Title: Re: How much space for goats?
Post by: Caroline1 on February 21, 2016, 07:29:20 pm

When I asked the vet this question they were really vague and basically said it depends on if you are rotating the paddocks and how much worm control you are happy to do. I.e. the more goats you have on the same patch of land the more worm counts/control needed.

Title: Re: How much space for goats?
Post by: Buttermilk on February 22, 2016, 09:14:32 am

I have kept 20 goats with only ? of an acre.  The land was basically an exercise area, they were housed inside with pens ranging from 8'x4' to 8'x8' for the girls and the boys had 8'x6' each with a paved 16'x10' run out area.  All feed was bought in.  It is not so much the area you have as the stockmanship to go with it, as long as the goats have room to move about and are able to socialise with others they will be happy.

Title: Re: How much space for goats?
Post by: cuckoo on February 22, 2016, 09:50:08 am

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/sheep-and-goat-welfare (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/sheep-and-goat-welfare)

Defra Code of Practice for the Keeping of Goats

Animal Welfare Act

The above link has access to all the information you will need.