How much space do goats need?

[chicken farmer]

I'm wanting to do goats for 4-h and wanting to know how much outside/pen space each goat needs? Thanks for any help

 

[res]

Your best resource will be a mentor from your 4-H club - county - community.

Space depends a lot on what type of goat you are getting to show.

Market does and wethers actually gain better in confinement, so a 20x20 pen can house 3 of them, as long as you take them on walks once or twice a day. Walking them is a necessity to build their muscles, and train them to behave in the show ring. We don't walk our on show chains, we use dog collars and leashes, and keep them loose, not dragging the goats. The goats LOVE it. The kids run them up and down the hills around our house and they end up being VERY muscular.

Breeding animals and dairy animals do better with a more "natural" environment, with the ability to roam and browse. That doesn't mean you need 10 acres, but keeping a couple animals in a 3/4 acre or more pasture is great.