goat shed for 2 dairy goats

[homesteadinmama]

I am in the process of getting my first two la mancha goats. I plan on breeding the yearling this fall. Wondering if anyone has advice, pictures of your goat sheds to help me build mine. Thanks!

 

[Julie_A]

I don't have a pic, but my goat shed is made of tin, plywood, and dimensional lumber and closed in on three sides... the north, east and west. The majority of our wintry weather comes from the northwest. It is about 13'X14' with a sloped tin roof. High side is 8', low side is 6'. I use shavings on the floor. We feed and water them outdoors, though.

 

[Julie_A]

Forgot to mention, I have six Nubians. The shed does not have a milking area. They are out in the pasture most of the time. Come in at night and during stormy weather.

 

[homesteadinmama]

so would an 8x8 shed be enough? Also will I have to seperate the does when the one is kidding?

 

[helmstead]

Pretty well anything will work that keeps them out of the wind, rain, snow, etc. Best to design it also with your comfort in mind at milking time, and also bearing kidding in mind (you'd want a kidding stall of some sort).

Congrats on your venture! You're going to enjoy your goats, I'm sure.

 

[freemotion]

You don't say where you are located....you might want a bit more room if you are in a place with cold, snowy winters. You will need a stall to put the doe in to kid in, and to keep the kids in for weaning or to separate them for milking if you choose the once-a-day until weaning method. You might also want an area to milk in right in the barn. You'll need a bit of space to store hay, too.

I just reduced my little herd to 5 because I cannot store enough hay to get me through until spring/summer and that is when I need the best hay....and it is nowhere to be found in my area. So I MUST buy enough to last (unlike when I had a horse, which my little barn was built for....horse hay is available year-round here, it just gets more expensive in the spring. Hay that is nice enough for pregnant and lactating goats is NOT available for long after it is cut in my area.) What I'm saying is build it as big as you can and you will appreciate the space...it fills up quickly!

I walk my four does across the lawn and into the garage for milking. This gets annoying in the rain and snow and dangerous in lightening storms! Oh, how I wish for room to milk in the barn! I'm even considering a fold-down milking stand in one of the stalls so I can hand-milk in the barn when the weather is really bad.