Making a shelter for your goat ensures that they are protected from the harsh weather and preys that may cause health problems and hunt them, respectively. However, to make the most suitable housing system for your goats is determined by the scale on which you are raising them.
A goat keeper with just about ten goats in his herd is not expected to have the same facilities as one whose herd comprises more than 50 goats. Also, if you are raising oats commercially, you are expected to invest heavily in the housing and security of your goats, at least more than people who raise goats to meet their meat and milk needs, and maybe a seldom cash inflow from them.
A goat house or shelter doesn’t have to be the most elaborate or complex construction. In fact, the same shelter can be shared among other ruminants such as sheep and cattle. There are numerous goat house plans that are simple and easy to build for your herd. Some of them may require that you have a good knowledge of joinery, while others can be built out of whole materials.
This piece is aimed at providing you with some of the simple goat house plans that will give your goats security and protection at very little cost to you. Some of the house plans will carry explanations on how they can be achieved and the materials you will need to fashion them.
However, before we venture into that, let’s see what’s important for you to know before making a goat shelter. Or if you are looking for a complete starter guide on raising goats then we have a great article available as well.
What to Look Out for When Deciding on Your First Goat Shelter?
Yes, your goats need protection from the weather and potential animal threats. However, just putting up a structure and putting them in it won’t guarantee their safety. There are certain things the shelter must be able to keep out, and with these things in mind, the design of the shelter provides adequate protection.
Flood susceptibility
One of the elements goats are anxious about is water. It is therefore your responsibility, as a goat keeper, to ensure you protect the herd from any hazard that can come from water. Ensure the shelter is constructed on a highland, where flooding as a result of rain cannot reach them.
Although the case of flooding might not be severe in your area; however, if the shelter allows water in through its base, soaking the hooves of your herd, you will have a big foot rot issue on your hands.
Drainage
Disallowing water into the shelter may seem like an almost impossible task, especially when goats can fall their drinkers over, wetting their bedding. It is for situations like this you need to have a drainage plan in mind when constructing a shelter for your herd. It helps water move out of the shelter quickly.
Ventilation
Exchange of air is important, regardless of how hot or cold the weather is. Ventilation aids in removing excess moisture from the shed and helps to regulate the temperature for the comfort of your herd. It also prevents the build-up of ammonia gas in the shelter.
Temperature and moisture control
While ventilation and drainage help to bring moisture and temperature under control, insulation helps to further make the temperature drop easier on the herd, especially during winter. It helps to prevent water from getting in the shed and increases the temperature in the shelter.
Also, while constructing your goat shelter, ensure that it is made to disallow the entry of rainfall.
Space
Depending on the size of your herd, it may be wise to divide the shelter into sections to accommodate different age groups of goats. Kids require less space compared to bucks. Let the bucks have the largest space (approximately 3 m per buck), due to their propensity for aggression. Also, give pregnant goats adequate space (about 2 m per goat), and other adults can be in space (1.5 m per goat).
Simple Goat House Plans
Pallet Goat Shed
Pallets are relatively easy to come by and it comes with the added advantage of saving you from many wood-joining. The pallet goat shed promotes ventilation and can be made to different sizes, depending on the size of your herd.
However, it may not provide the needed protection against rain and consequently is not a good goat shelter for raising kids.
Alaskan Goat Igloos
Igloos are a common sight in the temperate regions of the world. It is more commonly used to house dogs but is soon discarded for better dog cages. They can be used to provide shelter to your goats, or more correctly, goats, due to their smallness.
If you raise goats in the temperate region, this is a good goat housing option.
Large Goat Shelter
The large goat shelter is made using planks and metal. It is rectangular at the front, divided into two sections, or can be left as one continuous shelter, with its back rounded over the top to form the roof.
The roof and back are made from corrugated sheets and the shelter doors are made of metal. The hinges are strong enough to withstand the ferocity of bucks and the insides are large enough to hold some large goat breeds.
It is well ventilated and can have beddings on its floor.
Double-Sized Pallet Goat Structure
This goat shelter plan is for goat raisers that have a seemingly large herd. The double-sized pallet goat structure is made to accommodate as many as 5 goats, depending on their size. It is completely covered on three sides by pallets that leave little space for ventilation. However, it is partially covered on the fourth side by pallets, leaving the open half to serve as an entrance and exit.
The top is covered with any type of roofing material, usually corrugated sheets, and it is sturdy enough to last for years.
Goat Tower
The goat tower is a cylindrical goat shelter that is closed off at the top and has spiral walkways around it. It is a more permanent structure since it is constructed using bricks and it provides the needed protection against harsh weather.
The inside is made in levels, a lower and upper one, that goats can be separated into. A spiral walkway is a good place for goats to have fun.
The 3-Sided House
The 3-sided goat house is a simple structure that uses wood and roofing sheets to protect goats from harsh weather. It is easy to construct and the materials are easy to acquire. However, it may not perfectly protect goats from rainfall as one side is left open for ventilation and to serve as an entrance and exit.
It involves erecting four posts and four or six beams, then covering the top and three sides with roofing sheets. It does not require much expertise.
The Wooden Teepee
The wooden Teepee is a triangular goat house that will work well during winter. It has three sides covered and one left open.it looks like a dog’s kernel but is bigger. The top of the structure is also covered with wood.
It is a cheap goat housing option but may not retain its strength after an intense summer. The interior is fit for adding bedding and can accommodate about three goats.
The Raised Goat Bed
This doesn’t pass as a goat shelter but it is an addition that you can make to your already existing shed. The raised goat bed aims to keep your goats away from the floor where they can be away from possible moisture and have better ventilation.
You can put pallets on a raised platform to serve as beds or leave them on the floor.
Shelter and Playground Combo
With this goat shelter plan, you get more than a place for your goats to sleep and be protected from the vagaries of the weather. Your goats also get a space they can use as their playground, and that’s not all. They have a companion in other animals such as chickens and ducks, as they can share the same playground and have their coop integrated into the shelter.
It is a complex construction that may require some expert carpentry work. The playground is usually at the top of the structure, affording your goats the fun of climbing and the warmth of the interior during winter.
Goat Shed with Stalls
Stalls are demarcations made to separate goats according to certain criteria. For instance, pregnant goats can go in one stall, bucks can go in one stall, while weaned kids can go in another stall. With this type of goat shelter, it is easier to manage goats that have different needs.
It is usually made of wood, but can also be made of brick or steel, as it can be used by commercial goat keepers as well. You may have to enlist the service of professional carpenters or builders for this.
Scrap Wood Shelter
Just as the name implies, the scrap wood shelter is made from pieces of wood that have been discarded and deemed to be of no use. They are quite easy to obtain and have a surprising aesthetic look.
They can easily accommodate medium-sized goats and provide good ventilation. However, they may be a challenge to insulate during the cold months.
The Small Animal Shelter
Made from zinc sheets and wood, it is similar to the 3-sided goat shelter, only with more finesse. Its base is wooden and the floor can be wooden or made of concrete. However, it is advisable to use bedding on the flooring.
It’s covered all around, but the opening serves as an entrance and exit.
The Lean-To Goat Barn
This is a wider goat barn choice. It is big enough to house about ten goats. However, it is without stalls, but you can choose to install them for easy goat management. It has excellent ventilation due to the openness of its front end and window on one side of the barn. It is usually made with wood and the roof with metal sheets.
Despite its sturdiness and ease of cleaning, it is susceptible to flooding, especially if constructed in flood-prone regions.
The Detailed Goat Shelter
This is by far the most sophisticated goat house plan you will see on this list. While other plans are relatively easy to achieve and do not necessarily need the service of an expert, this one does.
It is made of planks and steel rods. The interior is divided into stalls where different categories of goats are kept for easy management. The floor can be made of concrete with gutters by the side for easy drainage and bedding on the concrete floor for comfort.
The steel rods are used to make fences around the structure to discourage goats from roaming outside the house. It also contains a ramp where goats can play by climbing up and down its length.
The stalls can be made into milking areas, birthing areas, general roam ground and feeding areas.
Tunnel Goat Shelter
The tunnel goat shelter is so named due to the shape of the metal covering that meets the ground. It is a simple goat shelter that is fashioned from a convex-shaped metal sheet that touches the ground on both ends to form the sides.
One end is left open and the other is closed. It provides good protection against cold weather but can only take a few goats.
Raised Tunnel Goat Shelter
Similar to the tunnel goat shelter except that the two ends of the metal sheet are raised from the ground, usually attached to wooden or metal bars. It allows more ventilation but also allows in rain
The 8×10 Goat Shelter
This eighty square feet goat shelter will house your goats in its wooden frame design as it is covered with zinc roofs. It employs the use of 2×4, 4×4, and 3×4 planks to achieve its sturdy structure.
Ventilation is good, so is protection from the rain.
Goat Shelter with Storage
This structure makes goat feed management easy as it has adjoining storage where they can be kept. The shelter measures 140 square feet and will easily accommodate 4 or 5 goats. Its wooden frame is covered with corrugated metal sheets, the same as the roof.
Wood-Polythene Goat Storage
The wood-polythene goat shelter employs the use of planks to cover the sides of the barn. Three sides are completely covered and the front end is partially covered to create room for entry and exit.
The top is lined horizontally with planks and covered with a polythene sheet. It is cheap and easy to build.
Homemade Tunnel Goat Shelter
The raised tunnel goat shelter is similar to the tunnel goat shelter. However, they differ in the fact that the ends of the metal sheets do not touch the ground. One end of the sheet is attached to wooden or metal bars that are driven into the ground while the other end hangs in the air.
It allows for plenty of ventilation but also lets in rain, it is therefore not suitable for cold months.
Pallet-Tarpaulin Goat Shelter
This goat shelter is made of pallets. The pallets have space between each plank used to make them, which may make the cold weather unbearable for your goats. However, the pallets are covered with tarpaulin as a form of an insulator to provide heat.
The front end of the structure is left open to allow for ventilation.
The Goat Bed
The goat bed is done using old tires. It is a structure that is placed inside the goat shelter to improve the comfort of your goats. It can be made of two tires, one placed above the other, or one tire, cut to widen the one end of it.
Rooftop Terrace Goat House
Made of wood, it is a goat shelter that can hold about 5 goats. It comprises the shed, the ramp, and the terrace. The terrace is above the shed, and it is accessible by the ramp. It is a structure that ensures ventilation for the goats, protection against rain, and fun while climbing the ramp to the terrace.
Perfect Pen for Pygmy Goats
Pygmy goats are quite small and it will be a waste of resources to make structures that are unnecessarily tall for them. The perfect pen is made to suit their sizes. It also has a small fence that holds them in the perimeter.
Made majorly of wood, it is suitable for holding one pygmy goat but you can modify the construct.
DIY Goat Shed
This goat shed can be done without employing expert services. It involves erecting posts and laying the concrete floor to hold the posts in place and create an easy to clean floor. Cover the sides of the barn and leave ample space as though you would install a door.
Make the roof slant to facilitate water run on it. The floor can be covered with bedding to make waste management easy.
Wooden Goat Shelter
As the name implies, it is made from wood, except the roof – which is metal. It is covered on all sides by wood and the front is also partially covered. Inside it, a raised bed is made for the goats and covered with bedding for improved comfort,
Off the Ground Goat Shed
This type of goat house is best suited for areas that are prone to flooding or where the soil has a high water holding capacity. It is made of food that creates a clearance off the ground before the wooden flooring is installed some feet above the ground. The posts are usually supported by concrete and there’s a ramp to lead to the landing.
The sides are covered with bamboo, the floor is covered with bedding, and the roof is made from metal sheets.
Custom Weed ‘em and Reap Goat Shelter
It is made of wood and closed off on the lower part of the shelter. However, it has doors that provide added security for the goats. The presence of windows and open-top doors promote ventilation.
It is efficient in protection, ventilation, and temperature management. Also, the floor allows for easy cleaning since bedding can be applied.
Final Thoughts
Housing is as important in goat keeping as it is in any other livestock-raising endeavor. To protect your herds from the harsh weather and their possible natural enemies, ensure they have a sturdy shelter.
Making a shelter for your herd should not be an expensive thing to do. You can choose any of the highlighted goat house plans and make them to your specification as it suits your herd.
Comment (1)
Thank for all your information – we are three generations of women farmers and plan to build housing for our 10 goats.