How to Build a Goat Shelter Barn

A basic goat shelter can be built with a pole barn design.

The type of shelter needed for a herd of goats will vary by climate and the type of goats in the herd. Dairy goats require more substantial shelter than meat goats. Goats in warm dry climates require less shelter than a herd kept in a rainy and cold region. A basic three-sided shelter provides enough shelter for goats under most conditions, according to the North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension.

Things You'll Need

• Treated wood posts or poles
• 2-by-4-inch lumber
• Rafters
• Sheet metal siding
• Pole barn nails

Instructions

1. Plan the goat shelter. Design a shed type building that will be open to the south. The building should be large enough to allow 10 square feet per goat. Feeders, if included in the shelter barn, should allow 16 inches of space for each adult goat and up to 12 inches of space for younger animals.

2. Place treated wood posts every 4 feet around the three-walled sides of the barn. Use 8-foot posts sunk 2 feet into the ground. Place perlings—lateral 2-by-4-inch boards spaced 2 feet apart horizontally—on the three sides of the shelter barn that will be enclosed. Use 4-inch pole barn spikes to attach the perlings to the posts.

3. Set rafters on post tops on opposite sides of the barn. Place perlings across the rafters laterally with spacing of 2 feet.

4. Cover the building with sheet metal siding. This siding is nailed to the perlings with nails that include a rubber gasket. The interior of the goat barn can be lined with treated lumber.

Tips & Warnings

• Although goats are shorter than other animals, the barn should be built tall enough to accommodate other livestock and people. The barn may be used for other animals at some time, and also needs to be cleaned by people. Shoveling manure while hunched over in a barn with a low roof is no fun.

• This type of building provides shelter for goats under most conditions. It would not be sufficient for kidding (birthing) in wet or inclement weather.

References

• North Carolina State: Housing and Facilities for Meat Goats

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish