GOAT PLAYGROUNDS
AND STUFF!
I began building wood structures
mainly for my human kids as they were growing up and then for my goats about 2 years ago when I was first getting started
in the Nigerians. I started out with just providing shelters and then adding different size benches for
them to sleep on and also to just hang out on during the day in the shade. I figured since they seemed
to really enjoy being up high when they were in their shelter that they may enjoy being up high out in the pasture and in
the sunshine as well…so construction of my mega bridge and the Six Flags for Goats began! I started
out just wanting to have a ramp up and over a fence (to keep donkeys out but allowed goats access to both sides) but then
I just kept adding on and on and it ended up being about 35 feet long and about 4 ½ foot tall!
I concrete the post in the ground and normally use the 5/8’s
decking boards or whatever scrape wood I can find and for the ramps I also put another small strip of wood to help the goats
grip so they do not slide going up or down the ramps. I also leave a small gap between the boards so that
the goat berry droppings can fall thru to the ground below but do not space too far apart or you risk a foot getting stuck
in between the boards!
I have a separate area where I
keep my newborn and young kids called “The Kiddie Corral” and in this area I have built a much smaller version
of my big bridge for the little ones to enjoy as well. The height is only about 2 foot tall and I make sure the little ones
have a small step or ramp to climb up on. They absolutely love it and there is never a dull moment!
I also use wagons and plastic barrels cut out for them to explore.
I
have found that my goats are much happier even in small areas where they are kept if they have some type of playground or
platform to play on or bounce off of so I have gone back and added small structures off of all of my shelters in smaller pens.
The
latest project my goats have enjoyed have been the addition of two real surfboards and believe me it was no easy task finding
used (and cheap!) surfboards in Atlanta! Ahhhhh, thank goodness for Craigs list and some animal lovers
who had my vision of “surfing goats”! I just finished making an adjoining Tiki
Hut with a thatch roof and real bamboo sides for them to hang out in. Surf’s up anyone?
I also plan on building a treehouse and a swinging bridge as soon as time and
weather allows. Stay tuned for more craziness! (and if my family calls
the men in white suits to come get me, will someone please come and bail me out!)
Dianne Cassara
- Double Durango Farm
