To build a goat house with your own hands, you will need to choose the right place and maintain construction technology taking into account the area standards for each animal. However, it is not difficult to take these points into account, since goats are unpretentious animals and quickly get used to a change of environment without much stress.
Approximate drawing of a goat's rue.
Before you figure out how to build a goat house and draw up drawings of the future premises, you need to take into account that it meets several requirements at once:
The first thing you need to pay attention to is the area of the room.
She must be:
- for 1 adult animal at least 1.5 m2;
- for a goat with offspring from 2.5 m2;
- for young animals (up to one year) - from 0.5 m2.
And:
- The height of the goat's rue should be at least 2 meters, but not more than 4.
- As is the case with almost all farm animals, before starting construction it is important to figure out how to make the goat's coop clean and dry: ensure the walls are airtight, the ceilings are of sufficient height and be sure to plan the system natural ventilation. It is usually made from an ordinary pipe, which is mounted directly under the ceiling.
- In order to maintain a normal microclimate (temperature not lower than 5-6 o C and humidity within 65-70%), it is better to make a goatskin on the foundation, and raise the floor above the ground and compact it with earth and/or clay.
It is recommended to build the goat barn on a foundation, and raise the floor above the ground and compact it. - On the south, south-east or south-west side, it is imperative to make 2-3 windows (with an interval of no more than 3 meters) so that the goats get enough sunlight.
- Directly from the goat shed, the animals must immediately go into the pen, for which a place must be planned.
- Wood is often chosen as the construction material for buildings - it retains heat well, but at the same time is subject to rapid rotting. Another option with cinder blocks or bricks needs additional insulation in difficult climatic conditions.
Thus, a permanent goat house is a fairly spacious and high room that maintains temperature well and provides normal level humidity
How to determine the correct location
At the preparation stage, it is important to choose the right place for the future goat's rue.
Here it is necessary to take into account the following nuances:
- If there is a choice, preference should be given to elevated, dry places that are less exposed to precipitation, melted and groundwater.
- It is also important to consider the presence of a pen with fresh grass, which the goats can access directly from their home.
- The pen, windows, and the entrance to the goat's coop should, if possible, be located on the south side.
- Finally, when choosing a location, you need to ensure that the room is located as far from the house as possible. This is especially true if loved ones are allergic or have a strong aversion to any odor associated with goats.
Please note that if it is not possible to choose a place on a hill, and the goat house will be erected in a lowland, then its construction should definitely be carried out on a foundation, and the floor should be made quite elevated (at least 30 cm) and well drained with sand, expanded clay or geotextile fiber.
Construction technology: step-by-step instructions
You can build a goat house using a regular kit construction tools and materials. To build a goat house you will need standard set construction tools and materials, the final choice of which depends on local climatic conditions:
- construction tools: hammer, screwdriver, drill, grinder, hacksaw, axe;
- measuring instruments: level, tape measure, rulers, angles;
- for building walls: wooden beams, cinder blocks or bricks;
- for roofing and internal partitions: wooden beams, plywood;
- for foundation: concrete, reinforcement;
- fastening elements for mounting walls and/or pens: screws, nails, anchors, bolts, metal corners;
- drainage materials on the floor: sand, geotextiles, expanded clay (or wood flooring for insulation);
- insulation, roof decking, waterproofing, Decoration Materials, equipment for interior design premises.
The process of installing the structure itself is standard and includes several stages: construction of the foundation, walls, roofing, flooring, insulation and interior work in the goat house.
Construction of the foundation
In practice, 2 foundation construction technologies are used - strip or monolithic.
Strip construction foundation is more common than monolithic. In the first case, the sequence of actions is as follows:
- The construction site is being prepared (removing vegetation, digging and leveling the top layer, clearing foreign objects).
- Markings are applied in accordance with the drawing - the contours of the future foundation.
- A trench is dug to a depth of at least half a meter and reinforced.
- Concrete is poured in an even layer and leveled over the surface.
- Next, you should wait 1-2 days until it dries completely, and then you can begin further work.
The use of a monolithic foundation is less common - this option is expensive and more labor-intensive. In addition, the structure of the entire building is not so massive that it would be necessary to lay monolithic slab. However in case of loose soil, proximity to groundwater, this type of foundation becomes the only option.
The technology of its construction is as follows:
- The area is leveled and appropriate markings are made.
- A hole is dug around the perimeter and carefully leveled.
- A layer of sand of at least 15 cm is laid, followed by geotextile fiber and the same layer of crushed stone.
- Next, a layer of waterproofing is laid and a reinforced concrete slab is installed.
Construction of walls and roof
The technology for installing walls and roofs depends on the choice of material - cinder blocks, bricks or wooden frame. In the latter option, the work will take more time, but wooden walls warmer and allow air and moisture to pass through well, which ensures a normal microclimate.
The wooden walls of the goat house retain heat well and allow air and moisture to pass through. The sequence of actions is as follows:
- Are put load-bearing supports at a certain interval (taking into account the dimensions of the insulation, window openings and doors), is formed bottom harness by using metal corners, bolts and screws.
- The load-bearing supports are reinforced with a rigid triangular fastening.
- Intermediate supports and upper trim are formed.
- Next, the roof is constructed - it must have 1 or 2 slopes for normal precipitation.
Please note that everything wooden structures undergo mandatory treatment with stain and varnish - it is advisable to cover it with 3-4 layers, otherwise the beams will quickly rot.
Insulation and floor installation
At the final stage construction work roofing material is laid (metal tiles or slate), the walls are insulated mineral wool or sawdust. It is also important to lay out a layer of waterproofing that lines the insulation on the side of the room.
The floor must be insulated and isolated from the ground to avoid an increase in humidity.
To avoid an increase in humidity, the floor must be insulated and isolated from the ground. This is done in several ways:
- A mound of sand on the ground (often in combination with expanded clay or small crushed stone).
- Wooden decking on a monolithic concrete foundation.
- Creation of an earthen or adobe floor (from raw clay or earth, respectively, with the obligatory pressing of the material).
Regardless of the type of floor covering, a layer of sawdust and hay must be laid, sufficient for full coverage layer of at least 10 cm.
Internal work in the goat barn
Internal work involves the formation of stalls, nurseries and installation of heating and ventilation systems. The stall should be made as wide as possible.
Its minimum parameters:
- 170 cm long;
- 200 cm wide.
The side parts are stationary, and the front side is made like a door. A manger with food is also hung on it in order to add hay without getting into the pen itself.
The stall should be wide and well ventilated. Common nurseries are made at least 2 meters long and hung on one of the walls to a height of one and a half meters. A drinking bowl of the same dimensions is mounted on the opposite side.
Goats, as a rule, do not require additional heating, but for kids, electrical wiring with incandescent lamps or infrared lamps. The nurseries themselves are constructed from wooden sides at least half a meter in height. Calculation of their area: half a meter for each kid.
Ventilation is done through exhaust windows near the ceiling - at least 1 for every 3 meters. Pipes are installed in these holes, which must have a lid on top to close it during the rainy season.
Construction of the corral
The corral is constructed from wooden beams with the obligatory observance of the following ratios:
- for one animal at least 3 m2 of area;
- height of at least 2 meters.
It is better to make a canopy over the pen directly in the area of the entrance to the goat shed so that the animals can hide from precipitation and sun on hot days.
This video gives practical advice for the construction and arrangement of a goat barn.
Goats are not demanding animals. They are adapted to any climatic conditions, but in winter they need indoors.
For wintering, goats need a goat's rue
Construction requirements
A goat barn can be built based on the needs of the animal. Take into account the number of heads of livestock and their gender differences. Females with children require personal space square meter more than individuals without children. The humidity in the room should not exceed seventy degrees, and the temperature should not fall below six degrees. In a cold, damp room, the animal is susceptible to disease.
Build a room higher than two meters.
To make a goat's rue with your own hands, it is important to choose the right place. An elevated area that prevents dampness from melting snow and is protected from drafts is ideal. The room is prepared based on calculations of dryness and warmth in it.
Next to the goat's rue there is necessarily a pasture intended for grazing animals. The courtyard is located to the south of the building; place the windows in this direction. During the cold season, room illumination is maintained for eight hours.
If the smell of animals and goat milk causes rejection in you, then build a goat barn with your own hands, based on the distance between their stalls and your house.
Diagram of the goat's rue and its dimensions
Dampness in the room is avoided if the goat house is built on a foundation. Or leave the floor an earthen consistency, but build the room on a slope for drainage. In the direction of the drain, place a place where it will be poured, and change it promptly.
Lay wooden planks on concrete floors. From concrete it's getting cold which will harm the animal.
Cover the floor surface with straw or hay.
Construction
Build the room preferably on earthen floor, or clay concrete, covered wooden planks. Change in a timely manner raw boards for new ones. Lay five kilograms of hay or straw on top of the boards. Build goat beds located on a hill. Since animals prefer to sleep in such places rather than on the floor.
Select wall material based on heat retention properties. Give preference to wooden material.
Having built the walls of the goat house from boards with your own hands, upholster them warm material and cover with a second layer of boards. This will keep the goat house warm. Place window openings in such a way that goats cannot reach them. Check the walls for cracks and possible drafts.
Wood is considered the best material for a goat's rue.
Animals are often susceptible to illness in rooms with loose walls and cold floors. Each individual needs a separate stall. Maintaining an animal's personal space reduces the risk of conflicts between animals. The amount of milk yield is reduced in crowded conditions. The stall should be two meters long and two meters wide. Make the front door one meter high and attach it to a hinge. The roof of the stall is either covered with a lattice or left free. A wooden bowl is attached to the front side of the stall into which hay is poured. The drinking bowl is placed on another wall.
If feeding is carried out on the site, cover the feeder from precipitation. Goats practically do not eat raw food.
The pasture is selected based on the following requirements:
- Only goats are walked on it.
- The pasture should be wide enough.
- There should be three square meters per individual.
- Be sure to fence meadows using high fences from non-traumatic material.
- Place pasture on high ground.
Making a room with your own hands is not difficult. It all depends on the climate in your area.
You can build it in the southern part with your own hands from lightweight material, saving significant costs.
But you need to make it yourself in the northern regions from durable material that protects from drafts, dampness and retains heat inside.
The goat is one of the most unpretentious dairy animals. In the warm season, she grazes most of the time, and at night and in bad weather she lives under simple canopy; however, in cold weather she still needs a high-quality insulated home. A goat shed has a simple design and can be built with your own hands. Animals will be happy if the building meets certain requirements. How to build a goat house correctly?
Although goats easily adapt to harsh conditions, the room where these animals live should always be warm, light and dry. So that in the goat's coop there will always be Fresh air, you will need to equip it with ventilation - but there should be no drafts. Insulation is necessary if the climate in the region is cool: a comfortable temperature for animals will be within +10...+18°C. If heating equipment is required to ensure this, you need to ensure that it does not dry out the air: the humidity should be about 75%.
goat's rue
In addition, there are a number of requirements for the design of the goat house, which should be taken into account when drawing up construction drawings. When calculating the size of the barn, you need to take into account that the goats of different ages need to different quantities places:
- Goat kid - from 0.8 m2;
- For an adult animal - from 1.5 m2;
- For a lambed goat - from 2.5 m2.
The ceiling height in a goat shed should be 2–4.5 m.
If the number of goats is small, they can be housed in the same room with other animals. However, keep in mind that bucks, female goats and kids need different stalls. Compliance with all requirements will maximize the offspring and milk yield.
Choosing a site for construction
You should start developing the layout of the premises by determining the location for the construction of the goat's rue. There should be enough space on the site both for the building itself and for a walking pen. It is best to choose a well-lit place on a hill where the goat room will not be flooded during heavy rains and melting snow.
Goats need enough sunlight, so the pen and barn windows should be facing south. It should be built at a distance from human habitation so that the smell of goats does not create discomfort.
Floor and walls
Animals are very picky when it comes to choosing a place to sleep, so special attention should be paid to the floor design in a goat house. The flooring must be dry and warm, so bare concrete will not work. You can solve the problem by doing flooring from boards or initially making a warm floor from earth or clay, raising it 20 cm relative to the ground level.
In order for the surface to remain dry and clean, it must be sloped - this will allow liquids to drain. The floor is also covered with sawdust, shavings or leaves - depending on the time of year, up to 5 kg of material per 1 m2 may be required. The litter needs to be changed regularly to prevent it from rotting. Another option is to build shelves for sleeping. They need to be placed at a height of 50–70 cm from the floors in the goat shed, then it will always be dry there.
The walls must be strong and without cracks; They can be built from any available material - bricks, stone or wood. It is best to use timber. If there is nothing except boards, it is better to do double wall, filling it with peat or sawdust for thermal insulation.
Feeders, drinkers and stalls
The stall for a goat should be wide (at least 2 m) so that it gives a lot of milk, but the length can be any, the main thing is that it is not crowded. Also, each animal needs its own “room” for goat farming to be effective.
At the front, the stall is limited by a door with a height of 1 m. The space above it can be closed with a net to allow light to enter the room, or left empty - this will allow you to hang a manger on the door and feed the animal without entering the stall.
The construction of a goat's rue involves installing a nursery at a height of 0.5 m from the floor. Under them there is a container for collecting food that the goat does not like. Next to the manger there is a feeding trough, in which salt and mineral supplements are placed, as well as a drinking bowl of any kind.
Dimensions of the walking pen
Goats stay indoors only in cold weather, but in the summer they constantly walk, as they are very active. Therefore, it is necessary to make a spacious pen for goats, fenced with a high and strong fence.
The dimensions of the walking area are calculated as follows:
- Area - 3 m2 for each goat;
- Height - 1.3 m for females and 1.5 m for males.
Step-by-step instructions for building a goat house
In accordance with the requirements, a design for the goat house is drawn up, then you can begin to build a room for keeping goats with your own hands. The building is made as follows:
- The foundation is being built. For wooden shed a columnar version is suitable, but if the structure is made of brick, you will need strip base, deepened into the ground at least 50 cm.
- Are put support pillars and the walls of the room are built. The construction of wooden walls was mentioned above, but the brick needs to be covered with tarpaulin to protect it from moisture and lined with plywood from the inside of the goat house. On the south side, window openings are made in the wall at the rate of 1 m2 of windows per 20 m2 of room area. They must be done at a height of at least 1.5 m from the floor.
- The flooring is being laid. It is done on logs, which are laid on the foundation pillars and fixed with anchors. Optimal size floorboard - 50x150 mm. The top surface can be covered with plywood to protect it from moisture and wind from under the floor.
- The roof of the goat house is being erected with your own hands. It is recommended to make it a gable roof, covered with slate or galvanized roofing. A canopy should also be made over the walking pen to protect the animals from the sun and precipitation.
- Doors that open outward are installed, and glass is inserted into window openings.
- Done artificial lighting. Such arrangement of the goat's rue is necessary during short daylight hours; From mid-spring to mid-autumn there is sufficient natural light. The light bulb is suspended high from the ceiling.
- Ventilation is being done. Enough natural circulation air, for which you need to install two pipes - supply and exhaust, each 140 mm in diameter. The first one goes down almost to the floor, the second one goes up to the ceiling. The height above the roof is done in reverse - supply pipe almost close to the roof, and the exhaust one is higher.
- A heating system is being installed. The best option - gas system, the boiler of which is installed in a neighboring building. Stove heating cannot be done for reasons fire safety.
- Stalls, mangers, shelves are placed, flooring is poured onto the floor - the room is given a finished look.
Video: Setting up a goat pen
When everything is ready, you can move in the animals. Knowing how to make a barn for goats with your own hands correctly, you can significantly improve the productivity of your farm - happy animals give more milk and reproduce faster.
Goat breeding on a personal plot is becoming Lately It is very popular among the people.
After all, there are many examples of mothers feeding their children with goat milk.
After all, they are friendly and loyal to humans. Goats are absolutely not capricious and unpretentious animals that can withstand cold weather. They get along well with the rest of their neighbors personal plot. They can even live in the attic. If possible, it is better to build a separate goat house for them with your own hands.
Making a goat's rue with your own hands is not a very troublesome task.
Goats thrive in different weather conditions.
In southern Russia, they are kept in open meadows.
If the climate is characterized by sudden changes in temperature, then it is better to allocate a specially designated room for keeping animals.
To build a goat house you don’t have to be a specialist. After all, you can even refurbish some premises. are able to stay in the pen with minimal amenities.
It is best to start constructing a pen in mid-spring or early summer: it will be possible to complete the construction in time for the winter cold.
Goats can easily live in a sheepfold, a stable, or a barn. But, if you plan to keep more than 4 individuals, then the best option will be the construction of a separate goat shed according to all the rules. Tricks to start with:
If there are trees or seedlings on the walking area, then their trunk must be covered with a metal mesh. This is necessary to protect the plant from dying, so that goats cannot strip the bark from the trees.
Choosing material
We choose the material for building a goat house with our own hands. In general, you can choose any type of material. It depends on your capabilities.
Suitable for these purposes: bricks, boards, cinder blocks, adobe, adobe, log materials:
- If you have chosen the material for the walls using cinder blocks, then this material will perform a double function. After all, in addition to load-bearing structure, the air stationary inside will give heat.
- Wood has excellent insulating properties, but when the wood dries out, cracks and gaps form, which will later need to be insulated. There should be no gaps.
- Having built a goat's coop from boards, you should additionally line it with second walls, and fill the gaps between the walls with any available material. For example, leaves, peat, sawdust, pine needles.
- If you choose brick walls for the construction, it is possible to build an attic above the room, which can be used for storing bedding material, and you can also store equipment on it. To make it convenient to use, it is better to make a door from the inside. This will make it possible to reset with ease in the future. required quantity hay or bedding.
But stone cannot be used to build the walls of a goat’s rue. In a stone room, pets will be cold and damp, this will require additional insulation.
Also, do not forget that all the heat escapes through the ceiling. After all, the attic floor is most often lined with boards. This means that it must be insulated, and better yet, with bedding material. Foam plastic can be considered as an insulation option. You just need to tar it first.
At the stage of wall construction, window and door openings are laid. The windows are made square, at a height of at least 1.5 m from the floor, so that goats do not knock out the glass. It would be better if the windows could open. For every 10 sq. m of floor should be 0.5 sq. m. m. windows. Please note that the door threshold should not be higher than 15 cm.
Conditions for keeping goats
- The room equipped for goats must be dry. They are also demanding of cleanliness. There should be no drafts and an exhaust hood is required.
- The goats are kept clean and dirty hair is cut off.
- Their hooves should be periodically cut off if the animals have not carried out this procedure themselves on a concrete grindstone. This procedure requires accuracy and caution, since you can accidentally damage the blood vessels. If blood suddenly appears, the hoof should be disinfected with iodine.
- One individual needs a space of about 1.5 square meters. m. A kid from six months to a year needs about 0.8 square meters. m., and for the uterus - at least 2.5 sq.m.
- If there is one or a pair of goats in the goat shed, then special ventilation is not required; instead, a small window can serve as an extractor hood.
- Ventilation can also be exhaust pipe. It is opened and closed when necessary. A shield is installed on top of the pipe to protect the room from precipitation entering the goat's rue.
- Goats are demanding natural light. To do this, we make a window on the south side of the barn. Lighting is considered normal if the area of the goat's rue is 20 times larger than the area of the window.
- Floors should be installed on planks, as it retains heat and cleanliness better.
- The walls must be disinfected. This can be done by whitewashing, per 1 kg. quicklime per bucket of water.
- The temperature in the cold season should be maintained at 7-8 degrees. If the goat house was built correctly, then there is no need to heat it additionally; the goats will create the required temperature regime themselves. If the female is with a kid, then the temperature should be higher - about 10 degrees.
- IN summer season It is necessary to keep the goat house cool.
- When raising goats, the premises should be partitioned into a number of pens with separate gates.
- There is no need to keep goats tied, otherwise tethering instills in them uncertainty, lethargy, and as a result they produce little milk.
- It is also necessary to take care of the availability of capacious feeders for food, because when feeding from the floor, the animal tramples food, which is not economical.
- WITH front side In the pen, they make a feeding trough from wood, and pour hay into it. The sippy cup is placed on another wall. If feeding is carried out on the site, cover the feeder from climatic precipitation. Goats do not value wet food.
When approaching the issue of choosing and constructing a pasture, the following requirements are taken into account:
- They only graze in this pasture. The meadow for grazing should be made of sufficient width, while calculating the area per individual to be about 3 square meters. m.
- The pasture should be placed on a hill.
- Animals should be given food in the pasture up to 10 degrees below zero. At lower temperature levels, they need to be fed in a warm pen.
Foundation
Laying the foundation requires special attention. It must be capital, the room must be built on a reliable and strong foundation, which will ensure dryness in any bad weather in the goat house. Conditions for building a foundation for a barn. It is usually laid in a support-column manner.
First, the place where it is planned to set up the future goat barn is marked. Conditions:
- Let's start by removing the turf.
- We make supporting equilateral columns 40x40 cm, then drive them into the ground 25 cm.
- The gap from one to another such column is maintained at about 2 m.
- We put a pillow. Under each column we lay a layer of sand and crushed stone, a layer of 25 cm. All layers of the cushion are well compacted.
- Next we pour the concrete.
- Then they lay on it in two rows foundation blocks or bricks.
- Column parts are strengthened with cement mixture.
The higher the foundation is located, the higher the gap between the floor of the shed and the ground level will be. This type of foundation is suitable for building a wooden goathouse; brick requires laying belt type half a meter deep.
Roof
In order for the goat's rue to be dry, they make gable roof. It should be covered with slate or iron, taking into account that the spaces between the sheets roofing material was not observed, this is the main condition when constructing a roof.
Floor
The floor is made with a slope per meter - about 2.5 cm. The slope is required for liquid drainage. Ditches are made along the walls to drain manure along the slope of the floor. It is necessary that the manure drain be located away from the walls of the goat house.
Laying the floor begins with installing the joists. Next, insulation is laid to protect from the wind, it is secured with boards. Then insulation is laid between the joists. Then a board is laid out on the joists - 50/150. Waterproof plywood is then attached to the board. This floor is considered the most successful for a goat's rue. It will turn out warm and dry.
Finishing work
Finishing work is carried out by selecting the material. If wooden walls are made double at once, they will not need to be additionally finished from the inside. You just need to insulate them in time before the winter cold.
If the room is made of bricks, then the inside walls need to be lined with moisture-resistant plywood. This will help conserve heat and protect the goat's rue from moisture.
At the same stage, the door frames are dismantled into the openings, taking into account that they open outward according to fire safety requirements. They also need to be insulated for the winter.
Stall
They need separate spacious pens where they can be without a leash, because they do not like close quarters. It is recommended that the parameters of such pens be approximately 2.1 x 1.8 m.
The wall in front of the pen is also a gate; its normal height should be 1.3 m. It would also be wise to attach a feeder to it, this will make it possible to feed the animals without entering the pen.
If the nursery for feeding animals is equipped indoors, then it is better to choose one of the corners indoors for these purposes. Extreme attention is paid to the height at which the nursery will be located. It should be maintained at 0.5 m. The floor where the nursery is planned in the goat's coop should be strengthened. After all, a regular accumulation of animals in one corner is expected at the feeder, which can affect the destruction of the wooden floor.
Goats should have a larger stall area: 1.3 sq.m. – during lambing spring period, 2 sq.m. - V winter period. Males should be separated from the rest of the herd by a high fence. The size of the area comfortable for the goat is at least 2 sq.m.
Juveniles feel comfortable in smaller spaces. Females need 0.8 square meters. m. Males up to a year are satisfied with - about 1 sq.m. space.
Shelves for animals
The shelves are made of dry wood and attached to the walls at a height of half a meter. They should be insulated for winter cold. To sleeping area for goats has become the most comfortable and eliminates the risk of injury, the animals should be provided with a bed 60 cm wide, the length of the bed is at least 80 cm per individual.
Lighting
During the summer season, goats have enough natural light. The rest of the time, additional electrical lighting is required. In this case, the light source is installed closer to the ceiling itself, so that the goats cannot violate its integrity, because they are very jumpy.
Without a doubt, the most important condition for the productivity of any animal is health, and it can be ensured exclusively through the fulfillment of the main conditions of keeping.
If the question is about keeping goats, then it is worth noting that no matter what room you allocate - be it a cowshed, a stable, a sheepfold, or a specially built separate barn - the main thing is that this place does not become the cause of disease and death of animals.
Simply put, you need to provide a comfortable bed, protection from the elements and cold, and the ability to be cared for with care.
It is precisely the requirements for these features of the goat’s rue that we will try to highlight in as much detail as possible in the further presentation.
Basic requirements for premises for keeping goats
The room that is intended for keeping goats must be warm and dry, spacious, clear, with good ventilation, without drafts. In any case, the building must correspond to the set certain requirements. But first things first.
Permissible temperature conditions for goat's rue
The goat shed should be warm and dry. average temperature V summer time should not exceed the figure in +18°С, and in winter you should not allow it to drop below + 5 - + 10°C.
If there are small kids, this indicator should not be lower than +10°C. In warmer climatic regions with mild winters, it is permissible to keep goats in the yard under a canopy, but if the area is cold, even plank coops will need to be insulated.
In severe frosts, the water in the goat's house should not freeze. But even more than sharp drops in air temperature, goats are afraid of drafts. Air circulation should occur evenly. It is this point that must be taken into account when initially selecting a place to keep the animal and designing the entire room when building from scratch.
Optimal humidity levels in goat sheds
Goat housing cannot be built in close proximity to burial pits, latrines, and in general, places where air pollution can occur, and there is also a high possibility of dampness in the pens.
After all, goats are very sensitive animals. high humidity, and even more so to dampness. Based on this, the room in which you plan to keep them must be dry and clean.
Goats can tolerate cold well; excess sunlight is beneficial for them, but dampness is strictly contraindicated. The fact is that high humidity may cause respiratory problems. Condensation should not accumulate; to do this, the barn should be ventilated frequently. Air humidity should ideally be at 75%.
Ventilation – is it necessary?
Normal, full development of animals is primarily provided by fresh air and light. During the growth of young animals, these aspects are especially relevant. This problem can be solved by placing several windows in the goat room. After all, exactly open windows and doors to hot weather are the best ventilation.
The number of windows and the size of doors depend entirely on the size of the room. They should be thought through correct placement. It is very important to place them so that the draft wind does not hit the animals.
More often, windows are located on the south side, at a height of 1.5 meters from the floor level. Windows must be arranged in such a way that they can be opened even when animals are directly in the room. 1 m2 of window should be per 20 m2 of goathouse floor.
Doors should be made with a threshold and the ability to open them outward; this is very important in terms of fire, since there is a lot of highly flammable hay in the barns. The threshold height range is from 15 to 17 centimeters.
One more traditional option ventilation can be considered hood– tetrahedral pipe, with outlet to the outside. To the top like this ventilation pipe you can attach a shield that can be opened or closed if necessary to prevent rain and snow from getting into it. In a goat shed where one or two goats live, such an exhaust hood is not necessary.
You can make holes in the room; ventilation will also be good through them. Typically, one exhaust duct (35x35 centimeters) is installed per ten animals. We arrange a convenient feeding trough for animals: the most valuable advice from specialists
The design of the feeders depends entirely on the type of food that you plan to give to the animals most often. The most common option is combined type, since in this option both roughage and concentrated feed are used.
It is more convenient to arrange the feeder in such a way that each time during feeding you do not have to go into the animal’s pen. Of course, an armful of hay or a bucket of feed will complicate the movement itself, and if it also happens with a restless herd of goats running under your feet, then doubly so.
For hay, just hang it on one of the interior walls goat manger, which should be located at a half-meter distance from the floor. They can be made either from metal rods, or from boards, or from pressed shavings.
The feed grid on the side from which the feed is placed should be equipped with protective board . This will prevent the goat from reaching the food from above. The side boards will prevent the goat from entering the feeder. For convenience, the feeder can be made removable.
If you place a small box feeder under the nursery, small stems and leaves will be collected in it, and it can also be used for mineral supplements: fodder beets, cuttings, bran, salt.
For adult goats, the feeder should be 65 centimeters wide, 75 centimeters high (for roughage), 40 centimeters by 25, 30 centimeters (for concentrated feed). For an adult animal, the feeding front is approximately 20–30 centimeters.
When feeding goats outdoors, make sure that the food bin is protected from precipitation. If you consider tying goats to the manger a necessity, then under no circumstances should you tighten the lace too tightly. The goat should move freely V different directions and even go to bed.
It doesn’t matter how you build a device for feeding goats, the main thing is that it is convenient to use.
You can, of course, feed goats from the floor, but this is not the most economical way raising animals.
It’s easy to organize regular access to clean water
Goat drinking bowls should be hung on the opposite side of the food trough. The approximate dimensions of watering troughs are: 40 centimeters wide by 20-25 centimeters high.
For regular access to clean, fresh water, you can build an automatic drinking bowl. If you place it on the border between two pens, then access to water will be provided to a larger number of animals on both sides at once.
You can water goats from any container, as long as it does not tip over. For example, a bucket can be tied in a corner using a cord, which can also be used to adjust the height of the bucket.
For small kids, the height above the floor should not exceed 20 centimeters, for adults - about 0.5 meters. Water in containers should change twice a day, while washing out the drinking bowls.
Structural features or all stages of building a goat shed
Goats, animals at all unpretentious. They can easily take root in a separate room, in a sheepfold, in a stable, and in a barn. But, if you are determined to keep a livestock of more than 3-4 individuals, it would be better to build a separate room, while observing all the rules.
The walking procedure is simply necessary for goats, as it improves the animal’s immune system. It is advisable to design the walking area, as well as the door to the room with goats, on the south side.
The walking area should be fenced off with a one and a half meter fence. Part of the walking area must be protected from possible precipitation and sun rays. On the same site you can install concrete slab, goats will rub their hooves on it. This way, you will have one less problem.
It is advisable to build small platforms above the floor in enclosures. About 50-60 centimeters wide. It will be much warmer to sleep on them than on concrete or ordinary floor. It is generally accepted that goats sleeping on such beds have stronger immunity and practically do not get sick.
If there are trees in the walking pen, their trunk must be protected metal mesh. This way, goats will not be able to gnaw the bark and cause the seedling to die. Selecting materials for construction: advantages and disadvantages of various options
For the construction of a goat house you can choose any type of material, depending on capabilities and place of residence. These can be: all kinds of hollow materials (bricks, cinder blocks), adobe, adobe, logs, planks.
If you choose cinder blocks as the material for the walls, the air that is inside in a stationary state will simultaneously perform a dual function - insulation and supporting structure.
Wood also has good insulating properties, but, unfortunately, it tends to dry out and become cracked. Sooner or later, these cracks will need to be further insulated.
Anyway there should be no gaps. If you build a shed from boards, you can additionally sheathe it with second walls, and fill the gaps between the walls with any available materials: leaves, peat, sawdust, pine needles.
If reliable brick is chosen as the material for the walls, then you can build a small attic above the barn. You can use it for storing hay or bedding material, and for storing equipment. For convenience, it is advisable to make the hatch from the inside. This will make it easier to reset in the future. required amount hay or bedding.
The material that should not be chosen for building goat shed walls is stone. It's cold and holds moisture. It will definitely need to be insulated.
It is worth considering that the barn will constantly lose heat through the attic floor, since it is mainly made of boards. Therefore it needs to be insulated. Ideal option there will be bedding material. Another option for insulation is polystyrene foam. But it will need to be tarred.
Let's get started: step-by-step description of the construction process
When planning a goat house, be sure to provide a place to store feed and bedding material. If the floor is regularly covered with dry straw, it will absorb urine and serve good insulation, and will also prevent contamination of the animal, since the secretions will be mixed with the straw.
When building walls, the following should be taken into account:
- The height of the barn should not exceed 2.5-2.8 meters. If you ignore this condition, the heating will be very slow.
- The walls should be as smooth as possible, it is easier to whitewash them - this is necessary for disinfection purposes. Whitewashing is best done in spring and autumn.
- The walls must be strong and not allow drafts.
- Well, don’t forget about windows, the requirements for which we have already mentioned.
How and what type of floor to build also needs to be taken seriously. The most popular options for flooring are concrete, wood, clay, and earth.
- If you sensibly assess the possibilities, then wood is much warmer than concrete, but fails much faster. Holes in wooden floor You will have to patch it after 5-6 years, and you may even need to replace it. The reason for this is constant exposure to ammonia and moisture.
- If the screed is poured at a slight slope, then manure and urine will flow outward or into one corner.
- You can insulate a concrete floor by pouring it onto a ball of slag or laying a wooden platform on top. At the same time, we must not forget to change the bedding made of straw or hay.
- The floor should be located 20 centimeters from the ground surface.
- The foundation of the goat's rue can be very shallow, about 1 centimeter.
- The ideal option for a floor is considered to be clay or earthen. Its height should not exceed 20 centimeters above ground level.
- There will be no unpleasant odor in the place where goats are kept if the liquid flows into one container, which then must be emptied regularly.
If you build a stall correctly, it will significantly simplify keeping your goats in the goat barn. Of course, we should not forget about the herd nature of these animals. But there are situations when isolation is necessary. For example, when an animal is sick or is fighting. So please consider the following:
- The fence can be made from boards. The height of the fence is at least 1.2 meters.
- The floor in the stall should be laid on a slope.
- The door in the pen should be made of galvanized steel mesh.
- In any case, there should be a feeding trough and a drinking bowl in the stall.
Regarding the size of the stall, goats are very rarely known for their calm disposition; most often, peace and tranquility are absent during eating. Based on this, the stall can be built according to the principle of stables.
Each goat is provided with at least 2 meters of square space. If you plan to keep two young goats in a pen, then the area should not be less than 4 square meters
For the goat, as a rule, a separate stall is allocated, away from the goats. This is beneficial for mating as the male will be much bolder in familiar surroundings. Keeping them together affects the quality of the milk; the specific smell of males can be transferred to the milk.
We must not forget about a specially designated place for milking, away from other animals and manure. Setting it up won't be difficult. Ideally, there will be a water supply nearby, this will make it easier to maintain good hygiene and maintain the barn during milking.
It is very important that pregnant goats are separated from the rest of the herd and kept in separate stalls. After all, like any living creature, in this situation goats need peace.
After all, goats generally tend to butt, and in a situation with pregnant women, this can lead to miscarriage or injury.
If the goat is to lamb in the winter, then it will be enough to allocate 2.5 m2 for it, and if in the spring, this area can be reduced to 2 m2. A small goat needs about 0.8 m2 for full life.
The goat and the kids will have to live in a separate stall for several months until the young animals get stronger. But still, the main point is not the amount of space allocated, but keeping the animal dry and clean. If the contents are untidy, then the possibility of harm to health increases several times.
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