How well do goats handle winter?

[cow whisperer]

This is my first winter with a goat..... just want to make sure we protect her the proper way......

[fishhead]

A goat? One goat might be pretty lonely.

Mine have weathered -20 F with no problem. They have a shelter to get out of the wind, water and good food for heat. When I check on them at night they are usually all snuggled up together for heat.

[DocM]

They're very hardy, they just complain more. Your goat should have access to the outside, and a place to stay warm/dry/draft free. If possible, leave it up to her if she wants to go inside or stay out. Her barn should be well ventilated and thickly bedded. She should be safe from predators, especially at night. Her diet should be high in roughage to make cud - rumen action keeps them warm, and high in protein to keep her healthy.

[BethW]

She'll be warmer with a buddy

[Sher]

LOL..like Doc says..they might get a little vocal..but I think they do just great in the winter time.

[moonspinner]

My first word of advice if you only have one goat is to get another. They really need a buddy and when they curl up together on those cold nights they're nice and warm. Keep her out of drafts, deep bedding, good quality hay to keep her ruminating well which translates into a warm goatie. As for handling the cold mine do very well. They are acclimated to being outside most of the time and actually prefer it in all but the worst conditions. Of course, they always go inside at night.

[cow whisperer]

I am trying to talk DH into another goat..... He was well against getting Lilly, but she was free and needed attention..... Now he loves going to the barn to play with her..... And she actually will run to him before running to me if we're both calling her..... So I think this could be easy..... Now to just find someone that is selling goats..... .....

Thanks a lot for all the info..... She does have plenty of company..... 10 calves in the pen next to her... they are constantly "racing" each other.... But of course no one to sleep with at night.....

[Eunice]

I don't have a barn, but rather use hutches in each pen. We get a fair amount of snow here, lots of wind and temperatures in the double digits below zero. My goats do fine. I do take special care for does at kidding time and anyone that gets sick.

[southerngurl]

What kind of goat is it? My toggenburg is a lot better in the cold than my nubian haha. But a dry place out of the wind is what's needed in any case.

[DixyDoodle]

I agree with moonspinner. They do sometimes prefer to stay outside even when you think they should be in. Mine have a shed they can go into, with a small door covered with a flap of carpet. Last night, when it was -15C with a good wind blowing, I found the nubian and a few Pygmies laying down on a bed of hay right out in the open. Duh. The rest were inside.

I also agree on the "get more goats" thing. Mine often snuggle together on cold nights, or even just for comfort sometimes, I think.