1st winter with goats!

mamacole4

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I have 3 month old Nigerian dwarf/Pygmy/fainting mix. They’re twin sisters. This is my first winter with goats and was wondering some helpful tips. I live in Colfax Wisconsin and we have some cold winters. They sleep in Rubbermaid 7x7 storage shed in a fenced in section of my yard. I’ve been putting a mix of hay and shavings in there house. Anything else helpful to do that will help keep my little girls comfortable? Here is a picture of there area and house.
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frustratedearthmother

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Cute little goat yard. Sorry I've got no answers for you, I live in a pretty warm climate...
 

Latestarter

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A couple folks that may have some valuable input: @Hens and Roos (Southern WI), @BlessedWithGoats (upper MI) @samssimonsays (northern MN) or @misfitmorgan (southern MI), Maybe @goats&moregoats (VT) I know there are other goat folks from northern cold areas...

Love the goat yard! I'd be a bit concerned about adequate ventilation inside the shed with everything closed up during cold weather... moisture build up inside from their breathing could pose frost/freeze issues as well as breathing issues from ammonia build up.
 

BlessedWithGoats

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I agree with Latestarter on the ventilation... wouldn't want to just leave a door open though, as that would be too much cold air etc. Could you cut a smaller door for them somehow, and have a blanket/mat over the doorway?
Do you give them grain? I've started giving mine grain every night to help them keep their body temperature up.
Keep an eye on them, and if they seem cold, like on a really cold night, you can put a sweater on them.
Do you have a thermometer for them? If not you will want to get one, so if they seem off you can check their temperature.

I'm by no means an expert, but hopefully this helps!
 

misfitmorgan

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We have not had to much problem with our goats or sheep showing signs of being to cold during winter. On the coldest nights they obviously dont look comfortable but they seem to manage fine.

Key things to do

Ventilation is very important in cold climates. Animals will get sick easily without ventilation. Beyond worrying about ice build up or ammonia(not much of a problem with everything frozen solid) trapping moisture inside of a closed space with them will make their fur get damp and it will make them colder. Warm moist air in cold months can also promote pneumonia which is hard to detect in goats until it is pretty serious. Many people try to seal up livestock during cold weather but it does more harm then good usually.

Try to make sure you have access to hay 24/7 for them. The process of ruminating(digestion) will help keep them warm. We always grain our goats/sheep in the evening which is again to help with rumen working all night as well as extra calories.

Goats/sheep will need grain in cold environments, do not over grain or they can/will develop hoof issues(hoof rot/abscess) or become very over weight.

You can look into a composting floor for winter(sucks to clean it in the spring) they actually generate noticeable heat and will keep livestock warm...good ventilation is very important with a composting floor. We usually use this method every winter.

Keep the top layer of bedding dry as much as possible. An animal getting wet either from sweat, urine, condensation, or water is always bad because it will be slow to dry and provide no insulation until it is dry.

You actually live almost parallel to me according to mapquest.

Basically ventilation, food, keep them dry and make sure they have a wind break...they should be fine.
 

samssimonsays

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I have suffered through the winters with my goats for going on the 3rd one now and let me tell you, they aren't fun in any way for me. Winter is the time I feel more like giving in and giving up (We aren't even 1/4 of the way through here and I am already hating this year more than years prior). Heated water bucket will make life easier, if they seem like they are getting too cold give them a goat coat or even a warming barrel or heat lamp (where they cant reach it). Mine are standard sized Nubians (I feel like they are the pansies of the goat world and nothing can prepare them for the cold) and I have an alpine and a Saanan/Nubian mix. They have a four sided, non insulated hut that they cuddle up in together to keep warm. (4 are outside in the pen while 2 are inside the barn in stalls). We have stalls they can be brought into if it gets too harsh and being inside is the only option but usually they do fine being out with their shelter. Sheltering them from the weather and wind is critical. I feed a grain with some corn in it over winter to aid in their ability to stay warm. It isn't uncommon to get -40 degree stretches here for weeks at a time so Keeping their condition can be difficult in that extreme weather but we usually move them inside at that point. I have tried others advice through out my experience and have found that not one single one of my goats has ever responded the same to the same way of doing things. I have had to find a happy balance for all of them and so far they are doing well after a few setbacks and a last minute change of plans for winter set up due to multiple unforeseen circumstances.
 

Southern by choice

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I am not in a cold climate but I want to add and stress the importance of water!
They use a lot of energy to try and keep warm, so believe it or not they can dehydrate faster than in hot temps.
Those heated water buckets may not be powerful enough to keep them from freezing... do not but cheap heated buckets... and always check that water. They need it.
 

Hens and Roos

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yep water is very important as @Southern by choice indicated. We use a 4 gallon and a 2 gallon blue heated water buckets from Farm & Fleet(TSC and Fleet/Farm would probably have something similar) and have good luck with them.
 

misfitmorgan

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Oh yes i did forget to mention the constant battle with water.

We just use stock tank deicers which generally keep a small puddle of water on top of a giant ice chunk....not the best but the other options is completely frozen water. We do bucket hot water out when the trough gets to full of ice and dump it in to help melt the ice down. I could probly buy a better deicer and might look into that for this year.

I imagine a heated water bucket would work great for your 2 goats.

I believe water is the biggest pain in the butt in winter, feed doesnt freeze, hay typically wont go bad but water oh boy. Of course if we bucket water it is 10-12 five gallons buckets worth so a bit different.
 

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