How to Make a Goat Shelter Out of Wood Pallets

Goats need a shelter which provides protection from sun, wind, rain and snow. It needs to be large enough to move around inside, yet small enough to keep warm with the animal's own body heat. It is often possible to find pallets free or at a very low cost from a nearby warehouse. Wood pallet goat shelters are easy to assemble and make additions to the existing shelter as new goats are acquired. The two stall wood pallet goat shed pictured here has been sheathed with 1 inch by 6 inch boards for additional winter warmth, but you can also use a tarp or plastic sheeting over the roof and sides to keep your goats happy through any weather.

Decide how many goat stalls you will need in your wood pallet goat shelter. Each stall can hold two large breed goats such as Alpines or three small breed goats. You will need 5 pallets for a single stall, 8 for a double stall, and 12 for a triple stall shelter.

For a double stall wood pallet goat shelter, wire two pallets end to end and stand them on edge. Wire a third pallet perpendicular to the first two pallets to make a wall between the two stalls, centered on the line where the first two pallets meet. Center a fourth pallet across the third pallet, making a doorway as shown in the picture. Wire a pallet at each end of the shelter to finish the walls. There will be about a two foot wide opening at the right and left side of each stall for the goats to go in and out of. Lay two pallets on top of the double stall for a roof, using the center pallet as a support. Wire all the pallets into place.

Wrap plastic sheeting around the sides and back of the shelter and staple every 2 to 4 inches. If there is any slack in the plastic, your goats will pull it loose and eat it. You may also use plastic tarps for this instead of plastic sheeting. Do not use cloth. Goats will eat it right away. Cover the roof with plastic sheeting or a tarp, pulled tight and stapled every 2 to 4 inches. If desired, you can nail 1-inch by 4-inch wide boards onto the shelter as siding, but this is not necessary. The plastic will provide sufficient wind blockage and trap body heat for a far less cost than wood.

Attach a salt spool inside the shelter. Keeping the spool inside will make it last longer, as the salt will not erode due to exposure to rain.

Wire feed and watering troughs to the outside of your goat shelter. If the troughs will be used in the winter, run heat tape around the troughs and plug into the nearest GFCI outlet. Have a licensed electrician run an outdoor GFCI outlet for you if you do not already have one.