building RUN for chickens. Help please?

[Birdsong 82]

the lowest part (see photo in first post) is about elbow height- easy peasy for a goat id imagine (my 4 yr old can climb on it!) but the "skylights" will be the top 1/2 (not lower half) but i will need to prevent a 50 lb goat from falling through!

i think the ears are the best part of a goat!

I am trying to avoid horns because of my 3 daughters faces! (they are small kids and i like their teeth)

I do love Nubians big floppy ears. When I bred my Boer with a Nubian goat One of the kids looks like a bunny rabbit because her ears were so long and she was so small we always made a joke that she had to grow into her ears. She eventually did. Oh everybody definitely has different opinions on horns or no horns. I was a bit skeptical at first about the horns but when I realized that she only use them as a back scratcher which seems really convenient I was OK. I was worried about my young daughter and I getting hurt by the horn‘s But she’s grown up very very friendly since she has been with us since she was a year old. But everybody’s got a different preference I could understand not wanting them

 

[Minky]

no, you're right- its more like chest height. 5 feet at one end but only about 4-6 at the other (ground is sloped)
i think it would be great to see goats on the roof- but not if they ruin it!

 

[Birdsong 82]

the divide between in barn and in coop will be solid board or mix of wire over barn board

You could use several boards with just very small openings or a combination of the 2x3 Galvanized wire. But pallets a lot of the times you can find for free and I’ve used pallets for several things for keeping goats out

 

[Birdsong 82]

And they probably would ruin it. And once they get on that roof they’ll realize they can jump up to the next one too. Those breeds of goats are usually over 100 pounds. Would it be possible for you to put even just a short fence just a few feet from where that is. They will not be able to jump over the short fence because that will not be enough room on the other side on the ground but it will keep them far away where they cannot leave up onto the roof because they can’t get close enough. Again pallets are very strong and I’ve used them for the floor for my goats shelter so I know they will hold up under a goats weight But that clear sky light board is not very thick and I could see a hoof going right through it. If you did sheet-metal it would probably have to be pretty heavy duty to avoid denting it

 

[Minky]

well there are no shortage of pallets around here
i will try and devise a way to stop them from jumping- maybe have the rain barrel or waterer in the way- or some other thing.
it seems i will have to wait and see what they do. maybe they will be well behaved goats?

 

[Leaguinea]

yes- its expensive stuff.

can a weasel climb up the wire? we must have weasles... its forest.... but weve never seen on trail cam.... that would really suck.

Can a weasel get thru 1x 1??

Yes, I am told that weasel will go through anything bigger than 1/2" but my chicken coop was a makeover from an old horse stall and my dad didn't really proof it very good. I haven't had issue since than. But i housed a donkey in the area that the weasel was getting in and that seems to have scared him off for now

 

[Leaguinea]

maybe they will be well behaved goats?

OR you could give them something else to jump onto (away from the roof) and possibly that would keep them occupied.

 

[Minky]

yes, well there is a lot to jump on around here!!!
big rocks and lots of trees in various stages of falling over
stumps etc..

 

[Birdsong 82]

I don’t know if well behaved goats exist. LOL unfortunately putting something like a water barrel well just give them something to prop up on to help them jump up there. But now the question is like a challenge to me so I’m racking my brain for ideas. Sounds Like they’ve got a lot of fun things to do!!! And I do notice when my chickens are free range and they love to be near the goats. I think it helps him feel protected because they’re so big

 

[Leaguinea]

I don’t know if well behaved goats exist. LOL unfortunately putting something like a water barrel well just give them something to prop up on to help them jump up there. But now the question is like a challenge to me so I’m racking my brain for ideas. Sounds Like they’ve got a lot of fun things to do!!! And I do notice when my chickens are free range and they love to be near the goats. I think it helps him feel protected because they’re so big

if the "playground" is kept far enough away from the roof that they cant use it as a stepping stone than it would be fine. I'm thing like 12 - 15' away. They would have something other than the roof to play king of the castle on.... we have had very mature goats that behave themselves well, they remind me of dignified ladies, but you are correct and they are few and far between.