Today I built a goat shelter.

It is something I've wanted to get done for a long time. Because all our paddocks are rotational, made up of two 50 meter electric netting lengths that I move across the pasture, I needed a shelter I could move with them. I designed this one on skids, I hate to have more complication than necessary as I think it leads to things breaking down for example, I was thinking about making this on wheels but decided against it due to the risk of getting flat tyres or moving parts breaking down over time.

It has two shade cloths that come out the sides that I can tie up to trees or tie up using tent poles, this give the girls more room to move and gives the goats who get bossed around some extra space to sit when it rains. There is a hierarchy in herds of animals, the boss' always get the prime spots so you have to compensate for this when feeding and providing shelter. I also built a small nutritional elements tray, it has seaweed meal, salt, copper, sulphur, borax and Epsom salt. They have been eating it so that is good to see. 

Now to hand it over for the real test...goats are brutal on stuff like this. 


UPDATE: Yes they are brutal! They have been using the shade cloths that sick out the sides as slippery dips and trampolines. I have to tie the ropes up extra high so they can't get any traction on them. It was also tipped upside down the other day. I may have to work out a way to tie it down so that when they are using it as a parkour training unit it can withstand their antics.