Where do you keep you pugmy goats?

[sandy sea]

I would like to get a pygmy goat or two but not sure where the best place to house it at night? I have a chicken coop and run which is also enclosed with chain link fencing so the chickens and pigs can free range without the dogs getting to them. Would the goats need a building of some kind?

 

[FourSnyders]

We keep ours locked up in a shed type building after dark, though it may not be necessary. The goats would at least need some type of three sided structure that they can get into when it rains, etc. Goats hate the rain! But, you don't have to lock them up at night, they just need some type of shelter to feel safe in and so they can get inside when the weather is bad. Hope this helps!

The Snyders

 

[dixygirl]

I keep my bottle baby in my bedroom for now

I want to enjoy this time with me before it is time to join the other goats.

 

[Thomas423]

My pgymy goats wander around (in their pen) all night. They are kinda like deer. I don't think that they would like to be "locked" up at night. They are very quiet after dark though. It's so cute. They talk to me during the day...."Maaaaaaaaaaaaa" but after dark it's a very quiet "Maa".

They do need a shelter because they do not like the rain at all. Ours have a 8x10 house that has a 2' porch for them to hang out on. We also built a 8x10 roof overhang so they can step outside in the rain and also for shade in summer. It took them about a year to figure out that they wouldn't get wet if they stepped out under the overhang during the rain. Did I mention that they do not like to get wet? LOL

Also, Pygmy's can be fussy eaters. With one brand of food we were using they would pick out the pieces they liked and pushed the rest on the floor. They are also "browsers" when it comes to eating leaves and grass, so don't count of them to "clear" areas. Our grass grew so much in their pen last year that I was beginning to think that we needed to take the lawn mower in their pen. (Grass never grew before but now with all the fertilizer LOL). They love fresh leaves so we often break off branches and give to them to eat. On the note on eating. They WILL eat everything that they're not supposed to. Lawn furniture cushions, plastic bags etc.

Also, their water. They like their water to be clean and not cold. In the winter we take warm water to them a couple of times a day so that they will drink it.

Finally, they are brats....spoiled brats. But they are the best pets ever. Somewhat easy to please, always happy to see us, very lovable and so much fun to watch and play with. My kids get out there and play King of the Stump with the goats. The goats usually win. The goats will also play follow the leader around their pen with the kids.
So with all that said, they are alot of work but not high maintanance. Very much worth it all though.

P.S. They love animal crackers (large bag at Walmart $1.88). My girls will "dance" for them.

 

[pipermark]

Goats really do not like getting wet so you really should provide sometype of shelter to let them get out of the rain. A dog house will do nicely, but make sure its well built, they will love standing, jumping and basically playing with it.

I always know when its going to storm, I look out side and all the goats are gone, they are in the goat shack or the dog houses.

 

[helmstead]

Quote:

Isn't that the truth?! More reliable than the weather channel!

 

[Chirpy]

Another good reason for locking up or having good night time protection are predators. Depending on what you have for predators around you a Pygmy is easily killed by coyotes, stray dogs, etc.; so, having a secure place for them is essential.

And, like everyone said, they need a warm, dry place to get out of bad weather.

Also, if they share your chicken area (my Nigis do) DO NOT let them eat the chicken feed. They will snarf it and can bloat... bloat kills many goats.

 

[sandy sea]

Thanks for the information. If you have pictures of your goat barn, shed, or housing I would love to see pictures.

 

[sandy sea]

Thanks for the information. If you have pictures of your goat barn, shed, or housing I would love to see pictures.

 

[Chirpy]

My Nigi 'shed' isn't pretty but it's very functional and was very cheap since we had everything laying around:

The two sides are literally two old shed doors, the top was an old piece of 1/2 inch plywood. There is actually a igloo dog house under that pile of straw at the back end. The two shed doors make a tunnel going back to the dog house and it keeps all wind/weather out plus gives them some area to move around in. On really cold nights they sleep in the dog house, on warmer but wet nights they sleep in the tunnel area and on all other nights they sleep on top of it or the rabbit hutch next to it.

For the winter I actually covered the dog house and part of the tunnel with a tarp just to keep it extra wind proof. I used the large cinder blocks to hold the tarp and it's worked perfectly through our Colorado winter.