My Industrial Cabin Build

airbiscuit · Jun 16, 2024

I'd like to know what your shoulder surgeon would think of that video? You are doing a great job out there. That said, I'm not a big fan of goats. I think I'd rather rent goats for brush control.

EddieWalker · Jun 16, 2024

Panik said:
Eddie, off topic and slightly odd flex in sharing advice here, but have you ever looked at any of Temple Grandin's research/work on cattle behavior & livestock handling facilities?

In the latter portion of her career Dr. Grandin has pivoted and gained a good bit of social popularity as an advocate for individuals on the autism spectrum.

Underpinning that success is a very successful career as a research & functional animal behaviorist in the commercial livestock industry.....with a good bit of her research devoted to designing higher efficiency livestock chute systems for slaughterhouses. I'm not suggesting it's worth a deep deep dive, but given the intelligence of goats there might be something in her publications that would be worth skimming for ideas:

- Dr. Grandin: Resume
- Her website

I've worked my fair share of catching up skittish herd/flock animals (kangaroos/wallabies, ostrich, flamingos, emus & and a smattering of hooved species) - as I'm sure you know, sometimes the smallest things can make a huge difference in making the process easier.

I watched the movie about her, and really enjoyed it. I'm a huge fan.

For my goats, I'm building a sweep in their feed area. The sweep will force them into the chute, or a loading ramp. Once they go down the chute, I'll be able to lock them into position to handle them.

We had a doe get a piece of netting from a hay roll around her ankle. It was obviously irritating her, so my wife and I did a little rodeo to catch her. It took everything I had to bring her down, and hold her while my wife cut off that piece of netting around her ankle. At 80 pounds, she was stronger then I am, and it was easy to see how an injury could happen doing something like that.

I don't have a solid plan on "how" I will hold them in the chute, but hopefully that will come to me once I get to that point.

When they leave the chute, there will be a gate that lets them out to the pasture, or sends them back into the feed area, where I can keep them penned up.

This is the feed area. We walk down the outside of the feeder and pour the feed into the trough. It's made from metal gutters from Lowes. It seems that the harder I make it for them to get to the feed, the more they enjoy it. Our main goal was to separate the goats from the chickens. The goats will eat all the chicken feed if they can get to it.

I'm going to remove the white vinyl three rail fence and build my chute there. It will be about 18 inches wide on the inside.

WoodChuckDad · Jun 23, 2024

New goats.

New Goats have arrived - Building our KIKO herd

WoodChuckDad · Jun 26, 2024

Goats are stupid.

Goat rescued from temporary fence

EddieWalker · Jun 27, 2024

I have a few that will do that. Same ones do it again and again. They never learn!!! I did like you did and installed wooden boards, but I also installed chicken wire in other areas until I'm ready to build the permanent fence there. Now I'm only buying 2x4 horse fencing. It's the only thing that holds them in, and stops them from doing something stupid.

Next they will figure out that the hot wire isn't a big deal, and walk right through it. Once that happens, you are really going question why you have goats!!!!

WoodChuckDad · Jun 27, 2024

I try to keep an eye on the wire to make sure it’s running hot. Keeping the grass down under it is very important. It’s amazing how quick a little bit of grass touching it can drop the voltage.

IH3444 · Jun 27, 2024

EddieWalker said:
I watched the movie about her, and really enjoyed it. I'm a huge fan.

For my goats, I'm building a sweep in their feed area. The sweep will force them into the chute, or a loading ramp. Once they go down the chute, I'll be able to lock them into position to handle them.

We had a doe get a piece of netting from a hay roll around her ankle. It was obviously irritating her, so my wife and I did a little rodeo to catch her. It took everything I had to bring her down, and hold her while my wife cut off that piece of netting around her ankle. At 80 pounds, she was stronger then I am, and it was easy to see how an injury could happen doing something like that.

I don't have a solid plan on "how" I will hold them in the chute, but hopefully that will come to me once I get to that point.

When they leave the chute, there will be a gate that lets them out to the pasture, or sends them back into the feed area, where I can keep them penned up.

This is the feed area. We walk down the outside of the feeder and pour the feed into the trough. It's made from metal gutters from Lowes. It seems that the harder I make it for them to get to the feed, the more they enjoy it. Our main goal was to separate the goats from the chickens. The goats will eat all the chicken feed if they can get to it.

I'm going to remove the white vinyl three rail fence and build my chute there. It will be about 18 inches wide on the inside.

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I bought the DVD about her life. Very impressive scientist. Simply the best authority on the subject. Need to watch it again. Thanks for the reminder, Eddie.