Please take the time to get your property ready for your new animals.  When they come to you they are young and small – so if it is winter be sure you have extra bedding until they get more bodyfat.  A heat lamp is also a good idea – on very cold winter nights we have used a 250W red heat lamp for the youngest babies.

Goats are not considerate of where they go to the bathroom.  Unlike pigs they do not have a favorite corner, so plan your pen to make it easy to clean and replace the bedding. 

Fencing

Goat kids (and adults) will be sure to exploit any hole they can squeeze through, a table they can climb on, and chew any plant they can reach!  We recommend using pigwire when you build out their pens, it is strong and the holes are smaller toward the bottom.  T-Bars are a great way to erect fencing quickly and still keep it strong.  Make sure your fences are a minimum of 4′ high (but keep climbing objects away from the fence as goats will just jump off a table or large rock over a 4′ fence).  Playground equipment for goats would include a toddler slide, large tires buried vertical, boulders, or large spools used by electrical contractors. 

Shelter

Goats can live in a simple shelter such as a medium to large dog igloo to a goat condo! What is of imperative importance is that they are able to get out of the weather.  There is a common saying among goat owners, “a wet goat is a dead goat.” That being said, goats absolutely hate getting wet! Whatever shelter you choose to buy/build it will need to be mucked out weekly or sooner. When waste matter is left behind (especially if there is no air circulation) ammonia fumes build up and linger at the bottom of the enclosure. The build up and constant inhalation of  these fumes can/will irritate the goats lungs and they can develop pneumonia. Pneumonia in goats more times than not results in the death of the goat.

If you buy a dog igloo, get the large size (over 50lb animal) and flat bottomed igloos are easier to rake out.

Water

Make sure you have a freshwater delivery system as well.   So as you prepare your farm now is the perfect time to run some PVC and setup a livestock waterer.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/little-giant-automatic-waterer

We recommend a bowl type that mounts to a fence and includes a float and if you have high water pressure (above 50 PSI) use interactive watering devices like a paddle water bowl that requires your goat to push on a level with their nose.  Put these waterers high enough so they cannot poop in them.  Also be prepared to use a cinderblock so your bucklings and doelings can reach the water until they grow taller.

If piped water is not available, use a flat backed bucket and a bracket to mount it securely to the wall of a barn or wooden fence.  These buckets are great for feeding.

 

Feeders

Flat backed buckets work great for feeding grain, but if you have many goats I would consider a trough that mounts to the fence.  Goats are messy with their hay so use a large trough or a hay feeder.