[sokel]

We have several padded outdoor rugs that are made to the same design as horse rugs and have removeable neck pieces, we bought them off someone that sells horse rugs . They are actualy made for sheep that have been sheared.
we only use them is any are off colour though

[Lesley Silvester]

Ours don't wear goats unless they are sick, or they've had a bath. But they don't get baths in winter anyway. If we had hard enough ground here that I was able to put them out in winter, I might give them coats to wear outside. Even two years ago in the -18 no one was in coats.


Beth

I'm glad to hear your goats don't wear goats.   

I should add that my goats are not shut in at night as they seem to prefer having their door left open.

[ballingall]

 


Well spotted!

[wytsend]

Should anybody need rugs for their goats....................
   I make waterproof, quilt lined rugs specially designed for goats.   These dont slip as many do and can be worn all the time.    There is always a steady demand for my rugs for a huge variety of breeds but particularly Anglo Nubians.  Think some strains have thinner coats than others.

[Ina]

Maybe it depends on the breed - but I've never seen a goat with a coat on... As long as they can get out of rain and wind, they'll be better off without, I think! OK if they are sick, of course.
That's why every larger goat keeper I've met (more than hobby, I'm talking about) lets the muck build up over the winter: it keeps them warm overnight in their shed. Just add enough straw to always keep it dry - but then they are quite dry anyway, unlike cattle.

[kja]

the only time goat coats are used on my parents goats is when they are at shows mainly to keep them clean ready for the ring other than that the only other times they would consider using one is if they have a sick or elderly goat that needs extra warmth.so long as a goat has shelter & bedding that gives them protection from the eliments. i dont know any breeders that over winter goats in coats. in real terms on a cold day if we want to get warmed up we usually head for either the goat shed or the pig sheds the body warmth from the animals soon warms us up  :innocent

[HelenVF]

I was wondering about this last week when I was rugging up my Section A! lol   They don't seem to mind too much the cold weather though, and they do have a shelter in the paddock if it's really bad - we bring them in at night, with Dusty.

Helen

[goosepimple]

Our 2 older girls are short haired but the younger is long and brissley - I think of goats as being mini horse-like, some like Shetlands, a bit hardier than others, but if you would think of putting a coat on a horse then a goat would be the same.  I think if you can give anything a help in freezing weather then it's worth it, I hate hate the cold.

[jinglejoys]

Seems to me its become the in thing to rug everything in site they'll have kids puttinbg pink fluffy rugs on their hampsters next!Some people have just too much money to waste

[Penninehillbilly]

I made a outdoor coat for one of mine, thickish (but not warm) water-shedding material, more to protect her back from the rain than the cold, must get on and make another soon, then maybe 2 more for the yearlings. Their pens have the back half boarded over, with hay above, so there is like a den under there, so they seem OK at nights

[goosepimple]

Keep your hair on jinglejoys.  Maybe it's a way of recycling fleeces from the sheep - just throw them on the goats!  Will give them something to chat about in the shed anyway.

[Lesley Silvester]

I made my rugs from an old quilted bedspread inside an old single duvet cover.  Cheap to make and several layers means extra warmth.

[goosepimple]

I have an older lady friend who made a draft curtain for her front door from a recycled old wool blanket as the filling inside the curtain material, works really well, similar to your goat coats Mad.

[Lesley Silvester]

Amazing what you can make with old stuff if you think about it.

[Polished Arrow]

Our Togs grow their own coats.  But we do bring them in at night when it is below freezing, and pile their bedrooms with straw when it is cold.


They do always look very interested in anyone wearing fleeces, though, and in particular like to sample any toggles or zips incorporated into the design!