I have a shed that I will eventually use if I get goats or cows but right now it is full of my stuff! I am building a garage this fall so it should be empty by winter or next spring. I've thought of building a hoop house in the mean time and then using it for a chicken coop once the shed is done. This might not be until spring though. Has anyone done this? there is old tin roofing around I could put on it or I could use a tarp. I also thought I could stack bales of hale or straw around the outside this winter for wind protection. would that be necessary? any thoughts greatly appreciated. I would be using cattle panels and the hoop houses I have seen made with them are about 6-6 feet tall when the hoop house is made 8 or 10 feet wide. I've heard of someone with two nubian does to sell and if a hoop house would work for a year or so then I'd probalby look at going ahead and getting them. I am in indiana and we still have several months of mild weather ahead but from what I've read here, I should put them up at night because of coyotes, etc. (though they would be in a hotwired pasture). Thanks in advance, Mel-
It sounds good to me. However, I don't know what yalls winters are like. It would work here because the winters are mild. If it gets real cold there, or snows, I assume extra protection from the wind would be needed and plenty of hay to curl up in would be necessary. Goats hate getting wet, so it would have to be waterproof. As far as coyotes go, do you have good dogs? Do you lock your goats up at night nice and tight and when you are gone? Unfortunately, many of us have learned from our mistakes with goats. When I first started out way back when, I wish I had a place like this to come to. Over the years, my set up and techniques have improved with time via accomplishments and failures. I have better pens, I know more about goats in general, and I have the right dogs. I read everything I can and talk to all the goatladies I run across. (Sorry fellas, there just seems to be more goatladies than goatmen). I am glad I have a place like this BBS NOW. I learn something new every day! (Here I go again, rambling!)
Mel, we made a large one for our sheep from cattle panels covered with heavy greenhouse plastic. This spring, I turned out one of the does and her little wether while we were cleaning pens, and the little one climbed right up the side and onto the top of the hoop house! Scared the daylights out of me, thinking he would break a leg or something. The mother didn't follow him, so if you only have adult goats, it might work if you really insulate it well. Jan in Co
The only caution I would advise is about the use of tarps. I used a tarp to block the rain from one of my goats I had to keep seperated from my heard. I put him in a chain link dog kennel with a concrete floor and covered three sides with a tarp which he promptly started to shred to pieces. I had to replace them with wooden pallets to block the rain.
Howdy, I raise boer goats and use only cattle panel hoop houses w/ tarps. I live in Ohio and they are fine in the winter. I currently run 30 head of goats. You can make them as small as you want or just keep adding panels and make them as big as you want. For an average hoop house I take three 16' cattle panels and hoop them w/ two t-posts per panel per side and throw the tarp over it. I then secure the tarp to the panels with nylon zip ties. You can make several or just keep adding on. Works like a champ. Just straw pack it and your ready to go. Low cost and effective. They don't look as good as a pole barn but they sure don't cost as much either. They look pretty good with silver tarps. Check out my website at www.bigskyboergoats.com you may be able to see some of them but I don't think I have any pictures of just the hoop houses.
bigsky, thanks for that post! I never heard of just using posts before, the other threads here about them used wood framing. by t-post do you mean the metal posts you drive into the ground? daybird, there was a post on here (maybe several) about hoop houses for chickens, as a chicken tractor so you might search on that. I have pictures I downloaded of the guys plans, I think his name on here is runners. maybe someone knows the link to his site that had the directions otherwise I can try to post the pics. mel-
Hi Mel, I'm in N. Indiana and have been using the same tarp covered hoophouse for my chickens for several years now. I would think that if chickens are okay in one, goats should be. I'm going to tear it down and re-do it and build one for some goats too I think. I have a bigger hoop style garages that I have chickens in now but will be converting to a horse barn. I'm really happy with the hoop house concept. I built mine on pallets with osb on top for a floor but they're rotted now and will just put them onthe ground anchored with steel t-posts from now on. easier to move, I would think.
