Goat Coats

I went out to my barn yesterday morning and found very un-happy goats lying in a knot.  They weren't eating from the feeder and they didn't get up to greet me.  It was -18 degrees Fahrenheit.  This is a sign that they've gotten too cold and the next step is hypo-thermia and after that, death.

I leave my goats to the cold as much as I can because it stimulates hair growth and makes them hardier.  If you coat them too early or keep them in a heated place there's no way to make them warmer when the real cold hits. It's a progression of measures to deal with the cold.

First we begin giving hot water in the morning and evening.  Next we moved them to a smaller, more air tight barn (the kidding barn), next we put in a heat lamp near the hay feeder but even with all these measures they are critically cold.  It's time for more.

I brought them inside the house so they could get warm and stop shivering.  My rhododendron has put an ad in craigslist that reads "Free to GOOD GOAT FREE home, Beautiful house plant"  While the goats explored, I pulled out the goat coat from last year-- a red coat that had become too grungy to wear with the arms cut off.  I went in search of suitable other garments and found an old hoodie and a sweater.  They all were warmed on the stove and the two new goat coats had their arms cut off.  Over the head and onto the goats they all went.  They may not be fancy, but they do the trick.  I added another heat lamp to the barn for good measure.

This morning, after hitting -20, the goats are all up and eating.  My littlest one has put her back feet through the arm holes and is wearing her sweater on her butt...it's an easy fix.  They aren't happy with the cold but I'm not afraid for their lives!  If it gets any colder I will hit the Goodwill in search of down or thinsulate vests which work even better.  Come on Spring!

Here are the new goat coats.  I figured winter is not done with us yet and went to the thrift store to get wonderful vests for the goats:

Since  vests are out of style you

can find them at any thrift store.

These cost me a whopping $5 each

For warm goat's it's a steal

2014 Breeding

We brought in a new buck this year.  Woodland Gardens Foghorn pictured here with Mirabelle.  He has some of what we are missing in our goats--big bones, level top-line.  On the down-side I think only one of my does settled.  We will see what he added to our bloodlines in early February.