[lizzypeg]

hi

I have a pair of pygmies that live out in a small field...they have a small bike shed as shelter and seem happy...last winter I had them in a different field with a pig shelter strawed down for winter..but this field got sold(I rent the land) so then I had to make them a new smaller field inside my ponies 10 acre field.
im considering bringing them into a 12x12 stable for winter as they eat mostly hay in winter and spend most of the time inside the shelter, but the field gets very muddy and access for me to hay them/check them/defrost water etc isn't great once the winter sets in as its so wet to get to it.and its so far from yard that is pitch black and hard to see even with a torch..the stable is down on my yard area with a small paddock area outside it that they could be let out into when I was around doing jobs but they couldn't come out every day into the paddock as its not well enough fenced to let them stay out unsupervised.for me bringing them into the stable will make checking/feeding them daily over winter a lot easier but do you think they'l be happy enough in there?

[sokel]

18 of our goats live in and get out for a few hours on nice days , if they had the choice they wouldn't be out as long as they are.
during the worst of the winter they are in all of the time as we can easily have 4-5 ft drifts of snow outside. they are happy and even if the door is open they don't go out.

[jaykay]

The stable sounds just right.

My Old English can let themselves out into the ghyll from the goat byre, but as Sokel says, often they prefer to stay in. My pygmies I walk out to the paddock, which has a small field shelter in, but I leave them in the byre if it's going to be so horrid they'd spend all the day in the field shelter anyway, since the byre is nicer.

[goosepimple]

My girls have a goat house but the door is kept open all hours all year unless the snow is driving into it in which case I shut it to keep the straw dry.  They do tend not to come out if it's dreadful, just keeping to a huddle in the back corner.  Sure that's what I'd do if someone kept me outside  .  I'm a bit wet when it comes to  the wee pygmies though, I do put doggy coats on them if it's really freezing - in the minuses I mean, but take them off during the day as it's often sunny and warm even in the snow. 


The mini shetland ponies just look at them and shake their heads

[Anke]

They'll be happy enough inside with some access to the outside when supervised in winter. Mine do not go out in winter, or just in small groups (same as share their pens) as letting out the whole herd irregularly results in bloody heads as they have to re-establish their pecking order.

[tizaala]

Stable sounds fine , make sure it has draught free ventilation and a good deep bed of straw, they will be Ok

[Lesley Silvester]

I only have a back garden so all year round mine have a shed with constant access to a yard. They do spend a fair amount of time inside especially when it's cold or wet and I would say they are happy goats. They are certainly fit and healthy.

[shygirl]

Mine are stabled, I'd rather have a nice barn but it's all we have at present.

[Daisys Mum]

My girls are in the yard in their new goat house although they spent last year in a 12x12 stable, they have access to the fields but spend most of their time in the yard or lying in their house in the sun. If I need to keep them confined I set up some sheep hurdles around their house.

[ballingall]

I would definitely say the stable! Ours are kept in most or the winter, much like Anke does.

Beth

[lizzypeg]

update.i took all your advice and made a stable into a winter pad for the boys..attached pics of there new winter houseing

[Lesley Silvester]

Looks good and I love the slide. 

[Anke]

Wow, even an indoor arena .

[goosepimple]

very nice, we have pygmies too they're fab, ours would be jealous of the ramps ..... hmm think I'll have a look at all our timber next time I'm outside, see what we can come up with, thanks!