After we decided to bring two goats onto our homestead, we needed to build an affordable yet sturdy goat shelter that would withstand the weather conditions of northern New England. We decided wood pallets would offer the most economical design because we knew we could retrieve them free from the local newspaper’s office. We were only building this structure for two goats and didn’t need a separate milking or birthing space. We built a rectangular frame out of seven wood pallets, and then attached an eighth pallet on hinges for a door. After nailing the pallets together, we covered the outer wall with oriented strand board (OSB) sheathing.
We purchased 2-by-4s from a local hardware store to form a sloped roof. We salvaged the remaining roof materials from the Swap Shack at the local transfer station and from the leftovers of other home-improvement jobs completed by friends and family members. Overall, this sturdy goat shelter cost less than $100.
With additional pallets and a little extra money for materials, you could easily enlarge the layout to provide enough space for more goats, or add a separate stall for birthing or milking. The structure could also accommodate a couple of pigs.
Sarah Plotczyk
Westmoreland, New Hampshire
