[katlovesaandw]

Ok, we got a GIANT dog igloo doghouse in almost brand new shape....
My question is.....is 1 big enough shelter for 2 mini-nubians that are just pets?

Or do I need 2?

 

[OwnedByTheGoats]

It depends on how big it actually is, really.

 

[katlovesaandw]

It is the Extra large: 30"W x 39.3"H x 51.5"D
Looks like this: http://www.meijer.com/s/indigo-igloo-dog-house-with-microban/_/R-197218

 

[katlovesaandw]

Except mine is measuring 36"W not the 30" it states in the ad.

 

[ksalvagno]

You really need something that can also have hay and water in it. You will also want to be able to clean it out. Goats shouldn't have wet hay and will not come out in the rain to eat.

 

[OutdoorDreamer]

I have a dog igloo that was free. We put it inside the kid stall as a toy so they can play and sleep in it. They love it. My yearling Oberhasli fits inside it, she's goofy so they make great toys but your goats should at least have a small shed to serve as their main shelter.

 

[katlovesaandw]

Ok, thanks! That is exactly what I wanted to know!

 

[katlovesaandw]

Ok, if goats will not come out in rain to eat.....do they exit house in rain at all? I live in Portland...aka POURtland....9 months of year we have RAIN and lots of it. Yes, we get breaks but like month of Nov. and April/May....it may rain daily for weeks.
I want to make sure my goats are happy before I even get them.....I know others have goats in Portland....

 

[LuvmyGoaties]

I have Igloos for my goats - 3 of them for 4 goats - and it works great. I do live it the high desert though so we don't get much rain. I also have a stall in my horse barn that I can move them into if we get a lot of snow in the winter (I have only had to do that once and they hated it down there LOL).

The only problem I have had with the dog houses was when I had 2 dog houses for 4 goats - while 2 goats (Mini LaManchas) fit easily in one house, one goat would decide that one of the houses was hers and hers alone and she would keep everyone else out just because she could. Once I got the third house it took the fun out of being a bully and the doe quit the behavior - now there is usually 1 empty house and 2 goats in each of the other 2 houses. LOL.

 

[DawnStar]

I agree with a previous statement (based on my experience) the dog-gloo's are a fun toy and sun shelter especially for babies, but I would have a shed structure for them to take refuge in.

The biggest thing about winter goat shelters is that they must not have drafts, hold standing water, and must be easy for you to get into to clean.

With so much rain I would set something up like a horse shelter, and then put my goat shed under that.. This way the goats can still go out side when it's pouring, and have a dry shed to retreat to at night to keep warm.

I would also dig a drainage trench around the structure so water is carried away from the goats. They can get thrush just like horses if they stand in a muddy pen.

 

[stevepax]

Ok, if goats will not come out in rain to eat.....do they exit house in rain at all? I live in Portland...aka POURtland....9 months of year we have RAIN and lots of it. Yes, we get breaks but like month of Nov. and April/May....it may rain daily for weeks.
I want to make sure my goats are happy before I even get them.....I know others have goats in Portland....

I know this thread is a bit buried, but I wanted to respond here. I live in Vancouver, just across the river from Portland. We have a shelter for our two Nigerian dwarf wethers, measuring probably 10x10 feet or so. It's just a big tarp pulled over bowed cattle panels, like a hoop house. Their food and water is in there, along with a platform to sleep on. When it rains (which is a lot, as you mentioned), they just hang out in their shelter and lay around. As soon as ther is a break in the rain, even just for an hour or two, they will come out in the yard to play. Drops start falling again, they are right back inside there. It's totally doable, mine are doing just fine with this setup.

In fact, if it's just sprinkling, they will often lay up on the deck under the eaves of the house. Rain isn't their favorite, of course, but as long as they have a good shelter to hang out in, they do just fine.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Mine will go inside with a light sprinkle. So since it rains over there so much (we used to live near there) make sure they have a large shelter they can go in. Doesn't have to be fancy, just keep the rain and wind off them, with plenty of space to run around.