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A healthy, active goat is likely to climb, stand on, or jump off of various architectural features in your shelter, including horizontal cross-braces, objects fixed to the wall, gates, ladders, etc. Items that are within a goat's reach should be very durably constructed, and items that you don't want goats to interact with should be stored very high, or out of the shelter.

Goats need protection from wind and rain, and it's important that their hooves stay dry. Situating your shelter on low ground, in the path of strong winds, makes it more difficult to build an adequate shelter. Some goats also need daytime sun protection in certain climates. Situating your shelter in a place with good soil drainage, good wind protection, and some sun protection already in place makes it easier to build.

Goats will attract predators. If your area has bobcats, coyotes, foxes, wolves, and other predatory animals, your shelter will need to be stronger and more secure. Goat feed and feces may also attract rodents and other pests, which may in turn attract snakes, so keep the shelter secure and clean, with proper storage.

As a rule of thumb, goats require 10-15 square feet per goat for overnight shelter, provided they have good outdoor exercise and foraging space. If your outdoor space isn't very large, or if you have a rough climate where goats may be spending a lot of time indoors, allow 20 square feet per goat. Altogether, goats need a combined indoor and outdoor space of about 250 square feet per goat. However, pygmy goats and miniature breeds can get by with less space, and large meat goats or very active breeds will require more. You should always have a minimum of two goats together, and three is better. You should also plan for your herd to increase in size over time, as dairy goats need to be kidded regularly, and you will be adding baby goats to the herd.

Every kidding doe needs a separate indoor pen of her own, where she and her kid can be together and protected. Kidding pens should be 4-5 square feet. If you have multiple does that come into season at the same time, you should allow 4-5 feet per doe.

If your breeding is spaced throughout the year, kidding pens can be cleaned and re-used. These pens can be temporary, and put away out of season, but you should allow for that space inside your goat shelter if you plan to breed your goats.

In mild climates, where goats will only be sheltering overnight, having an indoor feed supply isn't strictly necessary. However, if they will be in their shelter for longer periods, there will need to be a food supply. And goats always need access to clean, fresh water. You need to have enough watering stations that all your goats can drink at the same time, if they choose to. Make sure to plan enough space for food and water.

If you have goats, you will need to store food, bedding, supplements, medicine, cleaning equipment, grooming supplies, and perhaps milking or kidding supplies. While all those things don't need to be stored inside your goat shelter, it's good to anticipate where you will store them and how you will easily get those things to and from the goats.

Keep in mind that you may need kidding supplies or medical supplies in a hurry, and they should be readily accessible. Keep in mind that you will regularly be transporting goat feed and bedding to the goats, and regularly cleaning and hauling away soiled bedding.

Giving yourself room to access the shelter with a wheelbarrow, planning for a ramp, adding high shelves, or other storage and access solutions should be anticipated at the earliest stages.

If you have a mild climate, no pests or predators, and good kidding pens, you may not need doors at all, and you can allow goats to come and go from the shelter at will. A door-less goat shelter solves the problem of needing indoor and outdoor feeders and waterers, and means that you don't need to put goats indoors at night and let them out in the morning.

However, if you need more protection, then you need doors. Doors need to be large enough to give you free access to the inside of the shelter, along with a wheelbarrow if necessary, and sturdy enough to keep out predators. Many people like split doors (also called Dutch doors) as a way to let in light and air while containing the goats.

Most pre-fab goat shelters do not offer much of a roof overhang, if any. But a roof overhang can be a great way to keep an outdoor feeder or equipment dry, and act as a rain shelter for outdoor goats during damp weather. Depending on your climate, an overhang can also prevent excessive shoveling in snowy climates. When possible, an overhang is a good idea.

Goat bedding will become soiled with urine and feces. Proper air circulation allows that material to dry and air out, dissipating unpleasant odors. Dry air also prevents the buildup of moisture that contributes to mold, mildew, and other potentially harmful microbes.

While a goat shelter needs to provide protection from wind, it is also essential that it be well-ventilated, with good air flow, in order to be a healthy environment. Place windows high on the wall, out of the reach of goats and predators, and on opposite sides of the shelter in order to promote air flow. You may also want to consider a cupola, which allows air movement and keeps a shelter cool.

You may not want to go all the way and wire a goat shelter for electricity. But it is a good idea to consider how you will light the goat shelter. If you live in a climate with long nights during winter, if your goats have a medical condition or are kidding at night, or even just for thorough cleaning, adequate lighting will be necessary.

Consider adding battery-powered LED lights. If you can take them off the wall or ceiling and bring them down low for close examination of a goat in the dark, that's even better.

Cement

Some people prefer cement floors because they are easiest to clean. However, they are also cold, hard, and uncomfortable, so you will need to give your goats extra bedding or other padded materials to compensate.

Earth floors

Packed earth floors are certainly affordable and easy. However, they can retain moisture from rain, water, and urine, and take a long time to dry. Goats should not be standing or sleeping in mud, so it's important to provide excellent ventilation that allows moisture to evaporate.

Pressure-treated wood

Pressure-treated wood is a popular choice because it is stain- and rot-resistant. However, some people are concerned that such floors are treated with toxic chemicals that may be harmful.

Untreated wood

Untreated wood, often with a narrow gap between boards, is a popular choice.

Gravel, sand, etc.

Many people who keep goats use a layer of sand or gravel between the flooring and bedding in order to allow moisture to drain and dissipate, and find it's a good solution for them.

Goat shelter roofs are typically made of plywood with tar paper and sometimes shingling that you would find on any other outdoor shed. In some climates, you can use a metal roof, but be mindful that those roofs can be hot in some climates. Remember that, unless your goat shelter is tall, your goats may find a way to climb, jump, or walk on the roof, so it may need to be more durable than you expect.

People make goat shelters from all kinds of materials, including using old sheds, pre-fab shelters, plywood, wood pallets, unused fencing, etc. Provided that the shelter is well-designed, well-constructed, and well-situated a wide range of materials can be used.

To increase floor space and keep bedding dry, you may want to consider adding a loft to your goat shelter. Goats are ready climbers, and enjoy being up high, so lofts are a popular option in goat shelters.

In addition to a watering station, you may want to add a nutrition station for minerals and other nutrients that goats require. This station can be kept indoors or outdoors, but many goat owners keep it in the shelter to keep the nutrients dry. You should offer your goats:

Mineral supplements

Domesticated goats usually require a mineral supplement, unless they have access to exceptionally wide range and diversity of forage. Minerals can be offered free-choice, because goats will only consume as much as they need. Minerals generally come in the form of pellets or in a block, and must be specifically formulated for goats (not sheep or other animals).

Mineral blocks and supplements often have a high salt content to attract the goats; note the label on your mineral block, because if it already has salt, then you may not need to give your goats additional salt.

Baking soda

Just as for humans, baking soda calms digestion and can help soothe stomachs. Goats should be offered baking soda freely, so they can eat as much as they need.

Salt

Goats like salt, and need it for survival just like any other animal. Goats have smooth tongues and may not be able to get enough salt from a salt lick, unlike horses and cows. Goats should be given unbleached natural salt, in a loose form, with no additives that prevent clumping. Natural, unbleached salt with no additives often also has essential trace minerals.

Selenium

Selenium is another nutrient that is essential for goats. In areas with selenium-rich soil, when goats are allowed to forage and browse, they often get enough selenium naturally. In areas with low selenium in the soil, you may need to add a selenium supplement.

Does and kids need a private, quiet area to give birth and to bond naturally. However, you will also need access to the space to assist with birth and do other tasks. Prepare a small, private pen that will contain baby goats and keep them protected from drafts.

You may want extra lighting in the kidding area, storage for medical supplies, and easy access for cleaning. You may also want a stanchion for help with milking a new mother, if she is resistant.

Following these steps while planning, designing, and building your goat shelter will allow you to create a comfortable, inexpensive goat shed, or the ultimate goat palace. But either way, your goats will be kept warm, dry, comfortable, and healthy in your new goat shelter.

Much like small children, goats are likely to use their mouths to investigate objects. The experience of mouthing, smelling, and tasting objects is important to them. For that reason, always make sure that goats are given objects that aren't made of toxic materials, won't shatter into sharp pieces, and can stand up to rough play.

It's a good idea to switch out toys every few weeks, or hide toys and let goats find them. Giving them new things to play with, and new ways to interact with their environment, keeps them active and interested.

Within goat herds, higher ground signifies dominance, and goats play “king of the hill” both as play, and as an important part of their social behavior. Anything you can give them to climb, stand, and jump on will provide hours of fun, exercise, and social activity for goats.

Providing a pen or enclosure that has large objects, whether they are play structures or natural features like trees and large rocks, is also important for goats socially. Giving shy goats places that they can hide and feel safe lowers their anxiety, and reduces bullying. Create visual barriers that make their enclosure richer and more complex.

Bury half a tire in the goat enclosure, with the top round of the wheel facing upward. Secure a board to it, and make a goat toy teeter-totter. This will provide endless entertainment for goats, because they will spend hours trying to climb to the high side and playing with each other.

Use wooden pallets, cable spools, or other sturdy wooden structures and place or stack them at different heights, to give goats a climbing tower. You can use boards to make a “ladder” for taller structures, or let goats jump and climb structures themselves.

Bury or secure a series of logs of different heights, or intersperse upright log ends with rubber tires, large rocks, or small wooden platforms of various heights. Goats will step from log to log, much like kids pretending the ground is lava.

Bury two five-gallon buckets, bottom side up, so that they are stable and secure in the ground. Place a 2 x 4 between them to give goats something to balance on and walk across.

Clean out an old milk carton and put a few (raw, shelled, unsalted) nuts or vegetable scraps inside. Goats will tip and roll the carton around, trying to get the snacks out, and will often play with the empty container for hours, even after the snacks are gone.

To satisfy their foraging nature, get a cage-like “squirrel proof” bird feeder, or use non-toxic twine to tie hay into large, tight bundles. Hang these hay bundles in different places at different heights around your goat pen, so that goats have to work and puzzle to get hay out of the feeder a piece at a time.

You can also give them items that are food and toys in one. A whole coconut, watermelon, or whole pumpkin, will be nosed around and played with until the goats figure out how to break it open and eat it.

Pumpkin, melons, and coconuts are healthy for goats, and many farms have extra pumpkins after Halloween that they will give away for free. While not all goats like the taste of these items, it's worthwhile to give them a new experience every few months for the sake of enrichment.

Take an empty 2-liter soda bottle and poke holes in the sides, about a third of the way from the top. Thread a rope through the bottle so it comes out on both sides. Use the rope to hang the empty bottle in the goat enclosure. Place hard, dry treats like pellets or nuts inside the bottle, so that goats have to tip the bottle upside down in order for the treat to come out.

If you are introducing something completely new, it's not a bad idea to keep an eye on your goats as they interact with it. They may do something unsafe that you don't expect,  get a head or foot stuck, chew on something unhealthy ... there's no telling what these creative little animals might do.

So, try to stay in the area and be attentive to unhealthy behaviors or signs of distress until you know how they will interact with a new toy.

Moving and hiding toys stimulates a goat's curiosity and intelligence as they investigate their pen and find new toys or old favorites.

Always have several toys available, to prevent bullying and competition

If you have several goats, avoid introducing only one of a toy or favorite plaything. The dominant goat will claim it, and no one else will get to enjoy it. Have several toys, and several kinds of toys, to avoid hogging and bullying.

If you occasionally give your goats a container they can't open, a nut they can't crack, an obstacle they can't climb, or a toy they can't reach, that's okay. They may surprise you with their ingenuity, and the occasional challenge is good for their mental curiosity and engagement. Challenging goats from time to time is acceptable, while frustrating them isn't.

Goats require a toys and mental stimulation in order to be happy and healthy, and prevent negative behaviors that arise when they are bored. Studies show that goats that have a rich, stimulating environment with activity and exercise experience fewer health and behavior problems, and actually live longer.

Fortunately, goat toys don't have to be difficult or expensive. Since they will play with nearly anything, a huge number of household items can be repurposed as goat toys, with just a little bit of attention and creativity. DIY goat toys are a great way to stimulate your own creativity as well as your goats, and can be fun projects for the whole family.

Don't be afraid to experiment and try new things, so that your goats can also learn and try new things in turn. Have fun playing with your goats and all their new goat toys.

The Kinder goat is medium sized, and can be found in a variety of colors. Both does and bucks stand a minimum of 20 inches, with the maximum height being 28 inches for bucks. The does are a maximum height of 26 inches.

The average body weight of an adult buck is around 140 pounds, and the females tend to weigh in at around 120 pounds. Kinder goats have short to medium hair that is silky and shiny, and the ears are medium length and tubular in shape. They stick out from the sides of the head, and tend to be the same color as the coats.

Kinder goats have horns, which are short and stick out backwards. They are actually born with the horns, but in most cases the goats are disbudded when they are approximately three weeks old. These goats reach puberty around four to 10 months of age. Females can be bred at 18 months, and males can be bred at one year. They have one breeding cycle annually, and one buck can breed 20 to 30 does in a single season.

Kinder goats are mainly used for two purposes, milk and meat production. Those that are used for meat production are also skinned for leather. These are good-natured animals that make great family pets, and they are fun to have around. They have delicious milk with high a butterfat content, as well as more milk solids, which is why it is excellent for making cheese.

Because there are multiple Kinder goat uses, they are great for both milk and meat, and they are gentle and even tempered, making them great for homesteaders who want to raise their own food. They are also ideal for anyone who would like to get into breeding goats for meat and milk. Of course, as mentioned earlier, they also make wonderful pets. They are easy to feed, and it won’t cost a fortune for you to keep them in fodder.

Kinder goats come in a variety of colors, with the most popular being reddish brown, or brown and black. The goats that are reddish brown or brown in color often have a black stripe going down the middle of their backs. The does and bucks have similar colors, and there are few pattern variations. This is a sturdy, medium sized goat that has a fuller figure and long legs. They have absolutely adorable faces, and they are generally happy animals.

If you are a first-time goat buyer, it is a good idea to bring along someone who already has experience with Kinder goats. They can tell you what to look for, and help you find quality goats to bring home.

If at all possible, see if you can find a veterinarian who will take a look at the animals you are considering buying. You need to know that the animals are healthy, and that they are not too old to breed.

If you are unable to bring in an expert or a veterinarian, or even if you are, it is important to do your homework and learn as much as you can about Kinder goats. That way, once you have them you will know how to properly care for them and have everything you need to make sure they are comfortable, healthy, and happy.

Your goats are going to be an investment, so it is important to make sure you are getting the best animals for the best price. It is best to talk to numerous breeders and get the best prices. Generally, breeding quality kids cost an average of $300 to $350. Pet quality doelings without registration cost around $75 each.

You can have your animals vaccinated yourself, but you should ask the breeders what vaccinations they have given the animals. The more vaccinations that are given by the breeders, the less of an expense you will have.

There are several characteristics to look for when buying Jamunapari goats. First of all, these goats are awesome dairy goats, especially when compared to other breeds. The milk is exceptionally tasty, and it is healthy, with the exception of the high fat content (which gives it so much flavor), about five to six percent.

They tend to be large animals, and the males are larger than the females. They have a very convex nose line, and they also have a little tuft of hair that is called a Roman nose, which gives their mouths the appearance of parrots. They have very long ears, which are flat and droopy, and the males and females have horns that curve backwards. Both the males and females have short, thin tails.

Jamunapari goats come in a variety of colors, including white, black, brown, yellow, and a mix of these colors. These goats have a well-developed udder that is roundish, and the teats are large and conical. The body is well developed, and they have long legs. They tend to have longer hair in the back area, particularly around the legs and thighs. Bucks tend to weigh around 110 to 130 pounds, while does weigh 90 to 110 pounds. These goats have large bodies and longer legs than many other goat breeds. Females stand at about 79 inches at the withers, while males stand about 89 inches at the withers. They have medium to longish hair.

This is a sweet, friendly goat breed that makes a great pet, but because it has horns, it is best to make sure children are supervised when around this type of goat. It’s a large breed and its main purpose is for milk, but it is also used for meat. It is an animal that is easy to breed, and can be used for commercial purposes or for those who like to have unusual animals. It is easy going, calm, and friendly, and as with most goats, it is very gentle.

These goats need to have a medium to large sized pasture, and they also need to have plenty of greenery for grazing. They can be raised in all climates, and there are no conservation status issues. They are not known to be prone to any serious health conditions, and if you are a beginner in goat farming, they are ideal as starter goats. They belong to no known goat associations, and there are no known breeding clubs.  

Investing in goats is much like investing in anything else. You need to shop around to make sure you are getting the best animals at the best price. Be sure to talk to a number of breeders. It may be that the breeders from further away have the best animals, and you will be making the best investment in the long run.

Once you have decided on a Jamunapari goat breeder, it’s time to get down to the business of haggling. You may be thinking that it is a terrible thing to haggle over the price of a living creature, but it is something that is expected in the goat farming world.

If you are lucky enough to be able to visit a livestock market in India, it is a good idea to make your purchases there. You will be able to talk to a number of breeders, and you don’t have to track them down online to find them.

If you are thinking about buying your goats at a market, make sure that you don’t buy the first goats you see. Browse around for a while and as mentioned earlier, try to negotiate the price. Remember, the later in the day that you buy, the better the deals you are going to get, because breeders often want to sell their stock before the market is closed for the day.

Unless you are very familiar with Jamunapari goats and understand everything you need to know, it is wise to take a vet with you whenever possible. This way, you will be able to know if the animals have any health issues, if they are old, etc.

Often, people are sold animals that are old or sickly, and the breeders will try to convince you that the animals are young and healthy. Taking a vet or another expert with you will prevent being ripped off by unscrupulous breeders. Make sure you are buying animals that are free of disease, and that are of the highest quality for breeding.