Donkey shed is now officially the Goat House

We were pretty convinced when we bought this place that the building that became the donkey shed was a tear-down. It was a simple 3-sided structure, a quarter of which had been sectioned off for a pig shelter. We figured we would be replacing it as soon as we got things under control. One thing we did when we moved in to maximize its usability was to cover most of the open side with leftover sheets of metal roofing. Montana painted it to match the house. We needed weather-proof storage for hay, and it worked great.

Who knew that it would actually turn out to be quite a versatile and sturdy little structure.

Now that we have 3 adorable goats that need a little more nighttime protection and privacy than the donkeys, it was time to do a little retrofitting. Goats like to have little beds and platforms that make their house cozier. And they should be closed in at night, because coyotes are all over.

So this weekend Steve and Elijah tore down the previous dividing wall and built a new wall that more than doubled the usable animal space. In doing that, they had to relocate the electric and also added an internal door. Montana and Elijah finished the space by repurposing the wire. The whole project turned out just perfect!

I didn’t take a truly “Before” shot, but this is pretty close. The board along the bottom is new. The electric used to run across the board along the top, with an outlet on the center post (and a quagmire of wires behind the left-hand post.) Basically the original configuration had 1/4 of the space wired for an animal area, and 3/4 of the space available for storage.

All of the metal was added by us to winterize the space a bit.

Yes, we have fine art hanging in the barn, who doesn’t? I always loved this stupid painting of sheep.

While Steve and Elijah worked in the shed, Montana was giving Samson another trim.

Middle dividing wall removed, and new wall and access door assembled. New electric mounted on the left away from where the animals will be.

Elijah and Montana add the wire.

Cute antique sign we recovered from a storeroom we were cleaning out in our Grange building.

Ta da! The sliding door keeps everybody warm and safe in the evenings.

View from the paddock. So much space for Montana & Elijah to build some beds/platforms in. Sammie getting in the shot.