Author Topic: What age can mum/kid stay out at night? (Read 2576 times)

plumseverywhere · « **on:** April 22, 2012, 04:35:37 pm »

Me again

Puffin's kid is nearly 5 weeks old and feeding off of his mum. All of my herd have access to a shed at night but are not locked up.
We've been locking Puffin and Sixpence (kid) up together at night but I was wondering at what age would I be able to stop doing so? We do have foxes about, not seen one for a while but smelt it

Thanks in advance for any answers

colliewoman · « **Reply #1 on:** April 22, 2012, 05:46:07 pm »

Er I haven't locked Doris in at all! Ooops! She has her own shed and a 'run' outside, but I don't shut them into the shed part.
Maybe I should have?
**Sits back to watch**

little blue · « **Reply #2 on:** April 22, 2012, 06:04:26 pm »

we never shut ours in any more - they just boot the door til it opens or falls off!

And the size of Sixpence...well, you'd have to have a pretty big & brave fox, especially with three adults (including that tough-nut Reggie) keeping an eye out!

Leave the door open on a night you know will be dry, and mild.
They'll be fine I'm sure

countrywoman · « **Reply #3 on:** April 22, 2012, 06:21:56 pm »

My GGs have been in at night ever since they arrived last Autumn with top half of door/doors (they are on three sides to I can leave open whichever face away from prevailing wind and rain) open but with weldmesh panels to keep out beasties while letting in air.

I did this originally so I didn't have cats (not mine - from neighbours a few hundred yards away) leaving poo in their bedding or hay which would be vile to clear up and hazardous to health. Now there are kids I am really glad I have the mesh panels because we have a high fox population and I have seen a dog fox the size of a small German Shepherd, in fact I thought it was the 6 month old GS from along the lane when I first saw it. My twins are smaller than hens and I know he would easily leap a door with one if he wanted to.

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #4 on:** April 22, 2012, 11:43:11 pm »

I never shut mine in. The only time the shed door is shut is to keep them in the yard so I can clean the shed. Like all mums, mother goats are very protective.

Roxy · « **Reply #5 on:** April 23, 2012, 12:35:46 am »

All mine are in at night, in fact the weather has been so awful, the kids have hardly been out at all since they arrived!!

Only one who lives out all the time is Elliot the intact pygmy male, who hates being shut in his shed, so he has free access, and quite often stops out in the heaviest of rain

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #6 on:** April 23, 2012, 07:43:50 am »

Hmmm, its been tricky because all the adults ALWAYS live out. Reggie loves the cold weather and snow and none of them like being shut in.
Its just the kid I'm worrying about at the moment but he is quite big and with 3 adults should be ok