How much space do goats need in winter?

MrsMucket · #1 07/26/14, 10:19 AM

Hi all,
We are planning to get two fiber goat wethers to add to our farm. Till November they will be rotated around the property with portable fencing, but for the snowy winter we'd like to keep them in one place near our chicken and pig areas.

We have fenced outdoor space with a portable shelter. How much paddock space is needed per goat or for a pair? Do they need to move around to browse in winter or will they be content in a pen without vegetation?

Thanks

Doug Hodges · #2 07/26/14, 01:28 PM

They will be fine in a pen. Just give hay.

**mygoat** · #3 07/27/14, 05:59 PM

They will need a decent quality hay for the wintertime, but you can 'dry lot' them during the winter. I would put their water and hay outside to encourage them to not make their housing filthy (which is a big problem if you 'close up' the housing in the winter and it is not well ventilated), and also to give them some exercise.

In addition to good hay, You'll also need a good quality LOOSE (not block) mineral and baking soda out free choice. If you would like you can use a LITTLE bit of grain but be careful with grains in male sheep and goats; they are prone to a calcium: Phosphorus imbalence that causes deadly bladder stones. If you feed grain, feed a calcium source to offset the high phosphorous in the grain (alfalfa is good), or feed a sheep/goat feed that is balanced 2:1 in calcium : Phosphorus.

MrsMucket · #4 07/28/14, 01:34 PM

Thanks for your tips. We good local sources of hay and will keep hay and water outside their shelter. The permanent pen we have available is about 8'x20', 160' sq. Should that be plenty of roaming space for a pair of goats?

MyGoat, we buy bags of mineral supplements as part of our home-mixed pig and chicken feed. Is this what you mean by loose minerals?

**mygoat** · #5 07/28/14, 03:48 PM

No, there are loose minerals made for cattle and goats. A high amount of copper is necessary. It is provided free choice in a separate dish and they'll eat it to meet salt requirements.

you *can* put it in their complete feed but it tends to settle out of the grains unless you use lots of molasses and feed quite a bit of feed - which you shouldn't have to do (for adult wethers, free choice hay is more than adequate, no grain required). Too much molasses isn't ideal for their digestion either.