Calf Hutch as goat housing? In MN?

[annethcz]

I've been contemplating getting a dairy goat or two and I've been reading everything I can get my hands on.

I recently found a site which suggested using calf hutches as goat housing. The site said that a calf hutch would house up to 10 goats, and is great for those who want to do rotational grazing. Does anyone here use calf hutches for goat housing? I think it sounds like a decent idea, but have a few concerns:
1. Would a calf hutch keep the goats warm enough in a MN winter?
2. Where would I milk the goat? I know that I could build a milking stand and milk in the open, but what to do when it is cold or rainy? Would it be feasable to bring the goat into a corner of the garage to milk?

Is there anything else I'm overlooking?

[nehimama]

I've used calf hutches successfully in Michigan and in Missouri. In Michigan, one was a mini donkey shelter, and and one was a pig shelter. They did very well in them.

Here in MO, I have a few in use fulltime as goat shelters. The number of goats depends, of course, on the size of the calf hutch. I've had five small bucklings in a one-calf hutch. Right now, two bucklings a little bigger happily share one one-calf hutch.

For flooring (one-calf hutch), I lay down two pallets, covered them with plywood, and nailed that in place. Keeps them up off the ground in cold or wet weather. Bedded in with a couple armfuls of hay or straw, and they're comfy for the winter.

In areas with high wind, you might want to drive some tee-posts on either side, and tie the hutches down. (Assuming these are the peaked-roof type of calf hutch, that the goats CAN'T jump up on and skewer themselves on the tee-posts!)

You could also consider the metal quonset-type huts from Port-A-Hut (no, I'm not a dealer - LOL!) I floor them the same way. This past winter, a cold and miserable one, three does housed snugly in one small Port-A-Hut, with the described floor and lots of bedding.

Could you please give us the link for the site using the calf hutches for goat shelters? I'm always interested in other folks' ideas.

As for milking, I'd think a corner of the (clean) garage would do just fine.

NeHi

[Mrs. Jo]

Calf huts work just fine. We've got 3 of them and they are warm and roomy. Also cheaper than most housing. We milk in the garage, which is my dairy area. Build a good flooring for them so they stay dry, even consider raising them up off the ground and providing good drainage. We are fighting staph dermatitis this year because the dairy does area is too wet and everything flooded when the snow melted. But I love the calf hutches, they are cheap and pretty easy to move around.

[Drewusa81]

I would imagine goats would do fine in a calf hutch. I would think though for 10 goats you would need maybe a "Super Hutch" type shelter. As long as the goat is protected on at least 3 sides and can get out of the weather and remain dry and warm, there is no reason they can't do well in this type of shelter. I can see the advantage to using this shelter in a grazing system for its ease of moving. Goats like to browse though and prefer brush to pasture. They will eat grass though if they don't have a choice. If you graze, make sure to have free choice minerals and baking soda offered to the goat free choice. This will help combat any bloat that the goat might get. Also, make sure to get at least 2 goats. If you only get one, it will be very lonely, a friend will make it much happier. Milking in a corner of a garage would work just fine since it will keep you out of the weather. The only disadvantage is how far the garage milking area will be from your goats becuase you will have to lead them back and forth. Otherwise, your set up should work very well. Also, what type of fencing are you going to use on your set up? Goats need good fencing to keep them where you want them!