Dimensions and drawings of sheds for goats, how to make and equip them with your own hands

Keeping and breeding goats takes into account the characteristics of pets. During the cold season, goats need a barn; for walking in the summer, it is necessary to fence the area so that the animals do not get lost. Building a DIY goat shed starts with planning. It takes into account the number of heads in the farm yard, the characteristics of the breeds and sex of animals.

Basic requirements for a goat shed

The construction is carried out according to the rules that have developed over the years of domestication of goats. When planning, it is necessary to take into account numerous nuances so that you do not have to redo the work when cold weather sets in or after the arrival of the rainy season.

Often a walking area is organized next to the barns. In summer, goats move freely from indoors to outdoors, and in winter they only go out when the owners open the exit doors for them.

The choice of material for construction is of particular importance. The walls are erected from foam blocks, lumber or brick. These materials can be plastered and insulated. It is not recommended to build sheds from stone. It is difficult to heat a stone barn, it does not allow air to pass through well, and in a stone room it is difficult to properly design a ventilation system and build a layout. For flooring, metal sheets, roofing felt or removable wooden panels are used. The roof of the barn should not leak, so it is better to purchase high-quality slate.

Choosing a place to build

The place where the walls of the pen are erected has several requirements:

1. Flat or elevated surface. Buildings in lowlands where there is a risk of water accumulation are excluded. This will lead to an increase in indoor humidity, which will affect the health of the goats.
2. A surface devoid of vegetation. Before construction, it is necessary to uproot large roots and remove plantings. The goat's rue should not be placed in the shade of buildings or large trees.
3. Calculation of area taking into account the number of heads. For an adult goat, a minimum of 1 square meter of area is required; for young animals, it is enough to provide 0.6-0.8 square meters.

Experienced builders advise correctly calculating the depth of groundwater. Small soil changes can provoke disturbances.

Reference! If you plan to fence off a walking area next to the barn, you should choose sunny areas.

List of tools and materials

To build a goat house with your own hands, you should prepare in advance. In addition to building materials, special tools and devices will be needed during construction:

• ropes intended for marking, with rods or pegs;
• shovel type for digging up soil;
• axes, hammers, saws;
• a tank used for mixing concrete;
• building level;
• drill with drills;
• reservoir for collecting water.

Barn drawings

A goat flock must be well planned. The plan takes into account the number of goals:

• the layout of the building for 10 goats assumes the presence of a site of 20 square meters;
• scheme for 20 heads - from 45 square meters.

When designing a pen, it is necessary to take into account that a goat with kids needs a separate place. They remain near the mother goat during the first weeks of life.

Construction process

Construction is planned for the warm season. The soil must be warm and suitable for digging. The best option is to choose a time when there is no rain. Precipitation slows down the construction process, especially during the foundation or roofing phase.

Foundation

Buildings on a foundation are justified in climate zones with cold winters. They help retain heat indoors. In the southern regions, it is enough to create a sand cushion by building a strong drainage mesh under it.

Creating a columnar foundation:

1. Markings are made using pegs and ropes.
2. The rope is also pulled above the ground level, leveling the indicator with the building level.
3. Recesses are made in the corners for mounting the main pipes.Sand and gravel are loaded into each hole.
4. Installation of supports begins with alternately filling the space with bricks and cement.
5. The free space is filled with cement and covered with gravel.

Reference! Each stage of pouring cement assumes that the material must dry completely.

Floor

The floor in the goat shed must be of high quality. When keeping goats, it is important to provide such flooring so that the animals are warm and comfortable.

Requirements for laying the floor:

1. Creating a slope. This is necessary so that the liquid flows at a certain angle and does not stagnate, creating the preconditions for dampness or mold.
2. The presence of a pallet. To promptly remove the flowing liquid, special trays are provided.
3. Characteristics of the upper part. The creation of an upper stone cold part is excluded. To rest, goats need to create a comfortable environment. The flooring is made from wooden panels.

A special bedding is placed on the floor. Different materials are used for this:

• sawdust;
• straw;
• shavings;
• dry leaves.

Walls and windows

It is preferable to build walls from wood, brick, foam blocks or adobe. The choice depends on the climatic conditions of the region and the characteristics of the content. If you use wooden beams, use expanded clay or sand to fill cracks. Brick walls are usually plastered.

Windows and doors are located on the south side. It is recommended to make double-leaf doors; this is required by safety regulations. The barn must be built so that the doors open outward. The number of windows is calculated based on the area of ​​the room. Recommended ratio: 1 window per 12 square meters.

Reference! For a small shed, one window located next to the door is sufficient.

Ceiling and roof

A pitched roof prevents leakage after rain or from water when snow melts. Covering with slate or tiles will help protect the ceiling from mold or dampness. The ceiling is additionally insulated, reinforced with mineral wool or polystyrene foam, and plastered.

The choice of a gable roof is justified if the building occupies a large area and is built on foam blocks or wooden beams. For walking, it is recommended to additionally make a canopy that protects from rain and wind. Goats can rest under it in warm or cool seasons. The material for the canopy can be slate, as well as stretched film.

Arrangement of the barn

The interior decoration of the premises takes into account the peculiarities of keeping goats. In addition to finishing work, it is necessary to provide special devices to facilitate the care of animals.

Stall

Stalls can be shared or individual. Goats should not be housed in such a way that they are cramped. This will affect the overall psychological state of the animal. For an adult goat, you need to calculate 1-1.5 square meters of free space. Between the stalls it is necessary to erect walls 1.5-1.7 meters high. The front part of the stall, separated by a door, should have a hollow part at the level of the goat's muzzle. This is a kind of house for a pet.

Shared stalls require separate housing for goats and bucks. If goats are kept next to goats, then after milking the milk develops a peculiar smell. In the area of ​​the common stall, it is necessary to build individual beds for goats. They should be raised above the floor and covered with hay. Goats rest on the beds and sleep at night.

Reference! Separately, they build a special nook for the kids and goats. They are kept together for some time.

Feeder

For feed you need to equip 3 devices:

1. Nursery. This is a device that is designed to accommodate hay. The mangers are boxes made of lattice materials from which the goats freely pull out clumps of hay. The manger is suspended at a height of 1.5 meters from the floor.
2. Feeders. Tanks designed for filling concentrated feed. They are installed next to the manger. It is prohibited to use galvanized iron containers for feeders. The design of the feeder should prevent food from spilling out. This will help preserve the product.
3. Drinking bowls. Water tanks. They should be kept within the feed compartment and kept full throughout the day. At the same time, it is necessary to control the purity of the water so that food does not get into it and spoil the drink.

The main condition for organizing goat feeding is to provide the animals with free access to feed. They should be able to drink and eat throughout the day.

Advice! To avoid the loss of hay, special tray traps are placed under the manger. They help protect the hay from getting wet or spoiling.

Stall

One of the purposes of keeping goats is to produce goat milk. The process of milking a goat requires a special place. It is necessary to arrange a warm and windproof area for the milking machine. A milking machine is used to prevent the goat from turning over the milk container. In addition, young goats often get nervous during milking, and the machine fixes parts of the body and prevents sudden movements.

The milking machine can be used when performing hygiene procedures: combing, washing, dressing. Steps are attached to the machine, along which the goat can climb onto the structure.The machine rises 20-30 centimeters from the floor. The milking machine consists of three parts connected in series:

• flooring made of boards, rising 20 centimeters above the floor, which stands on 4 or 6 legs;
• a design that helps hold the goat's head during milking;
• A feeder is attached to the head structure so that the goat can get hay or feed during milking.

During milking, the owner sits on a low stool and begins to milk the goat. The advantage of equipping the pen for the housewife is free access to the goat's udder.

Organization of a walking area

The summer option for organizing the life of goats involves building a pen for walking. It starts from the exit from the main room and continues to a specially designed border. The size of the pen is calculated based on the number of heads.

The walking area for goats is fenced off with a fence made of boards or a special mesh. On farms, it is common to use a special electric fence, the rods of which carry a current. Within a few days, the goats get used to this and no longer approach the boundaries or touch the fence. It is necessary to install special devices around the perimeter of the walking area, where you can easily place replaceable nurseries, feeders and drinking bowls. Outdoor feeding has many benefits for goats and owners. The feeders are easy to put away, clean, and wash.

A special canopy is made over the selected area of ​​the pen, which will protect the goats from precipitation or the scorching sun. Most often, a canopy is made where the fence of the paddock connects to the roof of the room.

Recommendations for winter insulation

Insulating the barn for the winter is especially necessary in the northern regions.If the room remains warm at sub-zero temperatures outside, the goats will still produce milk and will save the owners from developing numerous health problems that can result from a freezing barn.

In addition to installing a heating system, it is necessary to provide additional insulation of walls, ceilings, and windows so that the resulting heat is retained indoors for as long as possible. Tips for insulation at the stage of choosing building materials:

1. For the construction of walls, it is recommended to use hollow-type materials. They are easy to seal, insulate, and have good insulating properties.
2. As insulation, it is enough to use polystyrene foam, mineral wool or glass wool. These materials must be impregnated with special solutions to repel rodents.

The work process is quite simple. Holes are drilled in the blocks into which plastic dowels are secured. Then the insulation is fastened with nails over the entire surface of the walls. Insulated walls are additionally plastered at the interior finishing stage.

A room can lose a significant amount of heat through the ceiling, so it should be additionally insulated. If there is an attic, the ceiling is insulated with hay or straw, if there is no attic - with polystyrene foam. This technique helps maintain up to 8 degrees of heat. Concrete floors are insulated using wooden flooring and creating the bedding the goats need. The most common thermal insulation material used as bedding is shavings. In winter, the layer of litter must be doubled. This will create an additional flow of heat inside the goat's rue.