We needed to stick the goats in the big pasture. Now you can have a wet goat or you can have a cold goat. You cannot have a wet, cold goat or you will soon have no goat. Notice that there is no obvious shelter in the picture. It wasn't cold but eventually it was going to be cold and wet.
This is where I decided to put a shelter. One of reasons I picked this spot was the natural occurrence of four fairly small trees. These trees were to serve as the corner-posts of that shelter. Confuscious said that if you wanted to do things efficiently you should ask for advice from a lazy man. Actually, that might have been me that said that. He would have if he had goats.
Better view once the rafters were installed.
We used some of the corrugated roofing material that was laying about. Interesting fact (to me, anyway) was that there was a 2 week break from the rains that poured without ceasing (it seemed) for about five months.
There was plenty of help but it was frustrating. Trying to get donkeys to use a cordless drill is a long and involved process. They will, however, move your ladder if you're not careful. Feathers obviously had enough of that and was stripping a branch to clean up the yard.
I used this portion of an old shipping crate and laid it across an old stock tank. Then I made corner legs and covered it with scrap plywood. I had to separate the pasture with decent fence and split the shelter so the goats and the donkeys weren't roommates. That was easier said than done.
As it was the goats tended to stay inside their old shelter and Bob was the biggest reason why.
You could see the three of them chewing on each other and acting like the best of buddies. When all was said and done though, he did intimidate them.
He also shared their water by sticking his head through the fence. Everyone was happy with this arrangement but I needed the pen for the runner ducks and the goats were quickly outgrowing the arrangement.
This is a story about the old shelter:
http://www.grangerlandrfd.com/remodeling-the-nursery
We wound up with this. The donkeys are on the one right side and the goats on the left. The donkeys ignore shelter when it rains and hang out under a tree. Therefore, I didn't put up a roof for them. They do have one elsewhere. I just extended the manger through a partition.
This is the goat side. You can't see it very well in the picture but the big tank was a mistake. It’s still there because it’s hard to remove but the dropping feed and hay hopelessly contaminate the water. I may be able to use it again but I think I will put it to use elsewhere. Jack is showing you how a goat just might use the dinner table. When it rains there is always standing water inside this shelter for a little while. They just hop up here and stay dry.
The last thing I did was rehab this feeder. It was made from an old VW Beetle tire and wheel. I finally put 2 goats, a miniature donkey, and a llama in the front pasture. Four standard donkeys stay in the back pasture and dine on a large round hay bale.
When I put this feeder in the shelter they just tore up the hay and wasted a bunch. I saw a design that was better than this. It was a feeder with 3 1/2 sides and an opening in the bottom front. I decided to adapt this with roofing panels. it’s ugly but it works.
It was a little bit easier to do with this non-combustable tailgate that I just made. I’ll get around to the pictures of that job. I timed it to be done (or mostly so) so it would be available for the feeder and the custom fence posts in the background.
When I put this feeder in the shelter they just tore up the hay and wasted a bunch. I saw a design that was better than this. It was a feeder with 3 1/2 sides and an opening in the bottom front. I decided to adapt this with roofing panels. it’s ugly but it works.
It was a little bit easier to do with this non-combustable tailgate that I just made. I’ll get around to the pictures of that job. I timed it to be done (or mostly so) so it would be available for the feeder and the custom fence posts in the background.
Two walls of roofing panels were cut and installed. I had a little problem with bales sticking when I loaded them so the front and back walls were cut, expanded, and re-welded. Actually,I probably need to just build another because they are proving once again that goat proof is on a level with sailor proof.
This last one is almost too ugly to claim but it works. I stuck rebar under this last half wall. The goats can penetrate the bars but not the donkey who is the really sloppy eater. In fact I transferred him to the back pasture because of his table manners.
I haven’t had anybody escape for a while. You fix it when they escape and since you have no idea where they will try next, it's an ongoing battle I have discovered that goats are even more fun than donkeys and maybe next year I'll put them in the same pasture.
I haven’t had anybody escape for a while. You fix it when they escape and since you have no idea where they will try next, it's an ongoing battle I have discovered that goats are even more fun than donkeys and maybe next year I'll put them in the same pasture.
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