-20 and goats are COLD! Much better!

[dacjohns]

I don't know much about goats and how hardy they are but I would offer just a little bit of advice.

Give them a fully enclosed place that is draft free. Hay to lay in.

Windchill matters only when you are exposed to the wind. If you are out of the wind and the temperature is -10 then that is what counts. The windchill can be -100 but it doesn't matter if you are not in the wind.


Fairbanks can get those cold temperatures but they are not sustained. I lived there for three years.

 

[TanksHill]

poor goaties, I hope they are feeling better.

 

[Wannabefree]

The best thing we ever did was toss a pallet down and throw hay on it to get them up off the ground. The ground is cold, even with bedding (hay) on it. I'd maybe give them a place to get off the floor/ground that is protected from the wind, but allows for some ventilation.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

I don't know much about goats and how hardy they are but I would offer just a little bit of advice.

Give them a fully enclosed place that is draft free. Hay to lay in.

Windchill matters only when you are exposed to the wind. If you are out of the wind and the temperature is -10 then that is what counts. The windchill can be -100 but it doesn't matter if you are not in the wind.


Fairbanks can get those cold temperatures but they are not sustained. I lived there for three years.

I live just 5 hours south of there

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

The best thing we ever did was toss a pallet down and throw hay on it to get them up off the ground. The ground is cold, even with bedding (hay) on it. I'd maybe give them a place to get off the floor/ground that is protected from the wind, but allows for some ventilation.

Actually, they are in a raised solid floored greenhouse!
We just turned it onto a barn

 

[Wannabefree]

The best thing we ever did was toss a pallet down and throw hay on it to get them up off the ground. The ground is cold, even with bedding (hay) on it. I'd maybe give them a place to get off the floor/ground that is protected from the wind, but allows for some ventilation.

Actually, they are in a raised solid floored greenhouse!
We just turned it onto a barn

Smart idea! Hmmm, dunno why they'd be so cold other than your locale. I live in Tennessee so can not fathom the Alaskan cold! It's rather toasty here in comparison

 

[ksalvagno]

http://www.kalglo.com/845027.htm

Look into a kalglo heater. An alpaca breeder that I know has them all over her barn. She really likes them.

 

[THEFAN]

What to do. Bring em in the house!! Just Kidding!! I really have no answer. I like the idea of tarping off an area and putting a heater in. Somewhere where the goats can't get it. This sounds good to me.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

http://www.kalglo.com/845027.htm

Look into a kalglo heater. An alpaca breeder that I know has them all over her barn. She really likes them.

Those heaters are awesome!
Something to look at for sure.
It would only be used a few weeks a year, but hey! When you need it, you need it!

ETA
I just found prices onthose heaters ...

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

So, I added temporary leanto over the corner the goats prefer, and where I added the little heater.
We will mae a proper box on Monday.
Every time I peek in there, they are clustered around the heater, basking in its little bit of warmth
None of them are shivering anymore either.
Amazign what an 8 degree rise in temp will do!

We have two super XL tarps, so we plan on wraping the walls with them to add an air layer for the rest of the winter.
Next summer, we will add insulation and a thin wood skin to finish it out.