We will be building an 18' diameter round (safer in a hurricane) barn out of earthbags. It will have an interior space of around 200 sq feet. The goats will have a permanent paddock and play area attached to the front of the barn. I was going to build the paddock with cattle panels, but they don't sell them in Puerto Rico, so I'm not sure what to use. Except during hurricanes, the goats will be moved to fresh forage each day using electric netting so the barn is just for sleeping.
How many goats can sleep comfortably in the barn? I'm going to build a separate small barn for the buck and the whether.
Thank you!
Replies
Hi Maria
It really depends on the breed/size of your goats as well as your environmental conditions. Moist and humid environments will create more odor and poorer air quality sooner than dry environments with same number of goats .
Before we built our dairy barn, we housed 8-10 Nigerian does in about that same space for night sleeping only and it worked well for us. We do have fans and plenty of cross ventilation, and use deep bedding method that we change every 2-4 months depending on the time of year
Well supported and secured hinged wire fencing with 2x4 or 4x4 openings are a great choice for goats, and the taller the better. Welded wire will break down quickly and field fencing with various sized openings will have a goat head caught in it eventually.
Electronet is a great choice for rotational grazing.
Here are some more details for you :)
https://thriftyhomesteader.com/equipment-and-housing-for-goats/
~Tammy