The Ultimate Guide to Goat-Proof Fencing: Shelter Design for Nigerian Dwarf Goats

 

The Ultimate Guide to Goat-Proof Fencing: Shelter Design for Nigerian Dwarf Goats

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we use and trust on Windy Bluff Farm.

When you buy your first goats, the excitement quickly turns to the realization that your entire perimeter is now a challenge. As seasoned goat farmers, we believe goat-proof fencing is the number one thing that determines whether a new owner loves or regrets getting goats. You will always get that one goat that jumps like a gazelle over 6 feet, is a climber, or escape artist!

To save yourself weeks of chasing escapees and ensure the health of your new herd, you must over-engineer your initial fencing and shelter.

I. Designing Truly Goat-Proof Fencing

Goats are masters of finding the weak spot. To save time and frustration, always focus on height, sturdiness, and closing the smallest gaps.

A. Height and Stability Requirements

  • Rule: Fences must be a minimum of 4-5 feet tall, but we prefer closer to 6 feet in buck pens, breeding areas or pens where the specific goat climbers/jumpers are. We have found that you can get away with 4 ft tall fences if you use the recommended fencing materials in part B below with the correct post spacing for non jumping and climbing goats.

  • Post Spacing: Place sturdy heavy duty T posts every 4–6 feet (tighter than other livestock). They will climb and rub against the posts. 

B. Recommended Fencing Materials

  • No-Climb Horse Fencing: This is the most ideal choice. 

  • Cattle Panels: These can work, but for owners of Nigerian Dwarf Goats, you must be careful: the large holes are gaps for kids. You must layer the large holed panels with small welded wire to close up gaps where little dwarf goats and goat kids can squeeze through. 

  • Chain Link Fence: Offers excellent durability.

II. Providing Weather-Proof Shelters 

Your new goats will need a shelter that keeps them dry in the rain, warm in the winter, and shaded in the heat. Crucially, it must be something they cannot easily destroy!

A. The Simple 3-Sided Structure 

A weather-proof shelter needs only three walls and a solid roof. This allows for air movement but blocks wind and rain. We find that dog igloos make really great sturdy shelters for Nigerian Dwarf Goats. A mama goat with her junior kid goat can fit in a large one comfortably. We have several of them as extra shelters for our goats and personally know other goat friends who only use dog igloos as their goats main shelter.

Real-life winter goat care: Farmer caring for baby goat inside a coat at Windy Bluff Farm in cold Tennessee climate


We learned quickly that dairy goats require imagination. You don't need a huge, expensive barn. We actually have a salvaged truck cab in one of our pens which houses up to 10 Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats, and it is totally weather-proof and it was free. Our kidding goat barn walls were also made mostly of free pallets and wood from our old tobacco barn, making a strong weather-proof structure that we only improved through trial and error. This inventive approach saves money, but always ensure the materials are heavy-duty and the structure is tough—goats break things often!

B. Winterizing and Bedding

Goats must be kept dry. Wet conditions lead to respiratory illnesses and foot rot. One method we use is "deep litter bedding" with straw or wood shavings to keep the floor dry and warm in winter. We like this method because in the Spring time (or really any time) when the goat stalls and other pen areas get cleaned the manure and bedding can be put in the compost pile or used to top off our garden beds! Make sure to get yourself a gorilla cart for this. You will thank me later. 

III. Hoof Care and Nutrition Basics

Providing a sturdy shelter and secure fencing is only half the battle; proper herd management involves routine maintenance. We have found that addressing nutrition and hoof health prevents many common and costly goat health issues.

A. Consistent Hoof Trimming

Goats in the wild wear their hooves down naturally while climbing rocky mountain terrain. On a farm or homestead, they rely on you for this critical maintenance. If you can provide a rocky area in their pens or pasture, that will help wear their hooves down, but most dairy goats will still need their hooves trimmed every month or two. Using a high-quality pair of hoof trimmers or shears makes this job much easier and safer for both you and the goat. You can also get really sophisticated with your goats hoof trims and get a battery powered Hoof Boss but it isn't necessary. 

B. Proper Goat Nutrition and Ratios

The key to long-term goat health is adhering to the correct mineral ratios, especially in their grain. All goats require a 2:1 ratio when it comes to the Calcium to Phosphorus ratio in their feed.

Having an incorrect ratio can cause serious health conditions and mineral deficiencies, particularly with bucks and wethers who are prone to urinary calculi. We purchase our grain from our local farm supply and ensure it meets the right ratio. If you can afford to the goat granola for lactating doe goats is amazing!

Reminder: While you will feed more grain with a higher protein percentage to lactating does and kids, your non-milking goats, bucks and wethers don't need large amounts of grain since they aren't in milk. Always provide a high-quality orchard or Bermuda hay, green browse, and offer a free-choice, good quality goat mineral with the correct added copper. We ensure that our lactating does are getting some alfalfa hay (or pellets) and black sunflower seeds as well which will boost milk production and make kids strong and healthy. 

Lastly (I'm sure there's more to add) never feed your goats on the ground! We use several of the Little Giant Rubber Feeder Pans to "mob feed" our goat herd. 


🧼 Quality Care Leads to Quality Products

The intensive care and attention required for secure housing and herd health directly translate into the quality of every product we make. This commitment to detail is carried into our farm products.

If you are looking for a cleanser made with the same commitment to quality and natural goodness, check out our artisan goat milk soaps and products at Windy Bluff Farms Online Shop.


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