Posted by Anna L on October 11, 2015 at 10:28pm in Goats 101
Hello we have two goats, about 6 months old. I know they hate the rain, but rather than go under our shelter or in their little barn, they stand in the rain and cry. The overhang we have across from their barn is very high and the barn isn't very bright inside. We get monsoons so leaving them in on a "cloudy" day won't work. Will a table like shelter on our deck entice them? They hang out there a lot. What can I do to encourage them to get out of the rain- and snow in a few months? Thank you!
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Thanks for all the replies- so... After building several structures so the little ones have options for shelter, I think I have finally pinpointed the problem. They hang out on our deck all day and consider it home base. They go there when it rains expecting shelter and just stay there :( . Time for a waterproof canopy protection! Man I hope this works! Thanks again
Is there something in there that they don't like that is putting them off going inside? I have a stainless steel bucket and my animals hate it and run when they see it! Perhaps there is something metal or reflective that is startling them?
My neighbors had Boer goats and had no shelter whatsoever and they just stood out in the rain...It really was sad to see, but they didn't cry or try to get out of the rain...so, I think Deborah is right, it's learned behavior..
One of the newest additions to the goat area is a large work table that I picked up free at Habitat for Humanity's store. They lay on top of it to sun and go under it when it rains (if they are still outside if it rains). Mine, like Bev's, think they are made of sugar so they are usually under shelter before I am aware of the first raindrop!
One of the "uses" for the PVC barrels is to cut out one end and lay it on its side. They can play on it or go inside it, a easy and very mobile rain shelter. I also have two out there for a toy, one cut at the 1/3 mark and both pieces turned upside down and one in-tact one filled with water (so it doesn't tip over) and lined up so they have stairsteps.
I hope your little ones learn very quickly to get under shelter when it starts to rain. I like Deborah's suggestion on "training" them to go in out of the rain.
Thanks for the replies! I do use straw in the barn but it isn't a very big barn so they may not like it in there other than to sleep. I've decided to have a small shelter built to go on the deck where they love to be all day. I will try feeding them under it and maybe sitting there with them too. I hope they catch on. it sounds like I may need to work on the barn too...
Maybe you could add a window to brighten their barn and would make it more welcoming for them if it is dark in there. We put a shelf, a ramp and windows in our goat barn and they would rather play there than stand outside. I also feed them in the barn so they know that is home and where they want to be. Good luck - I have never had this problem. Our goats think they will melt if it is foggy, or a bit a rain. I think they check out the weather report before they come out to play. Mine also like to snuggle up in a straw pile. Do you use bedding?
They just have not figured out the connection between being in a shelter and not getting rained on. Usually they learn this from older goats, but if they are the only goats, it's trial and error. What we have done in the few cases where we had a similar situation was to show the goats ourselves how it worked. So, they're out there screaming in the rain, and we run out there and go into the shelter, and they follow us. Then when we go to leave, they run out following us again and realize they're being rained on. Might take two or three in and outs for them to make the connection.
Replies
Is there something in there that they don't like that is putting them off going inside? I have a stainless steel bucket and my animals hate it and run when they see it! Perhaps there is something metal or reflective that is startling them?
My neighbors had Boer goats and had no shelter whatsoever and they just stood out in the rain...It really was sad to see, but they didn't cry or try to get out of the rain...so, I think Deborah is right, it's learned behavior..
One of the newest additions to the goat area is a large work table that I picked up free at Habitat for Humanity's store. They lay on top of it to sun and go under it when it rains (if they are still outside if it rains). Mine, like Bev's, think they are made of sugar so they are usually under shelter before I am aware of the first raindrop!
One of the "uses" for the PVC barrels is to cut out one end and lay it on its side. They can play on it or go inside it, a easy and very mobile rain shelter. I also have two out there for a toy, one cut at the 1/3 mark and both pieces turned upside down and one in-tact one filled with water (so it doesn't tip over) and lined up so they have stairsteps.
I hope your little ones learn very quickly to get under shelter when it starts to rain. I like Deborah's suggestion on "training" them to go in out of the rain.
Maybe you could add a window to brighten their barn and would make it more welcoming for them if it is dark in there. We put a shelf, a ramp and windows in our goat barn and they would rather play there than stand outside. I also feed them in the barn so they know that is home and where they want to be. Good luck - I have never had this problem. Our goats think they will melt if it is foggy, or a bit a rain. I think they check out the weather report before they come out to play. Mine also like to snuggle up in a straw pile. Do you use bedding?
They just have not figured out the connection between being in a shelter and not getting rained on. Usually they learn this from older goats, but if they are the only goats, it's trial and error. What we have done in the few cases where we had a similar situation was to show the goats ourselves how it worked. So, they're out there screaming in the rain, and we run out there and go into the shelter, and they follow us. Then when we go to leave, they run out following us again and realize they're being rained on. Might take two or three in and outs for them to make the connection.