While goats are pretty rugged animals, they like to have a place to get out of the weather. Whether you are building a shelter for new goats or need to accommodate an expanding herd (goats math!), we have found the inspiration for their new goat shelter. We found ten DIY, easy, and cheap goat shelter ideas that will please even your most stubborn goats.
We even found one shelter made of pallets that could cost you nothing to build!
10 DIY Goat Shelters You Can Build
Like DIY Chicken coops, you can build many different types of goat shelters depending on your budget and skill level. We’ve found ten different DIY goat shelters to help give you inspiration. Whether you want a goat palace or simply something to keep the rain and snow of your goats, there’s something here for you.
So let’s take a closer look and find the shelter that works for you.
1. 8 X 10 Goat Shelter
You can’t go wrong with this basic 8 X 10 goat shelter for your herd. The plans are straightforward and easy to assemble (assuming you have some previous DIY experience).
You’ll find a complete shopping list that includes every piece of lumber and screw that you need. Simply print it out and bring it to your hardware store. You also need some basic tools to complete the project, like saws, screwdrivers, and a drill, so make sure you have everything you need before you get started.
Once you have all your equipment and materials together, you are ready to get started. The website provides easy to follow instructions for every step of the construction. You’ll also find that the author does respond to comments if you have any questions along the way.
You can find examples from others who have also completed this goat shelter. It’s great to see other real world examples from people who have built this goat shelter. They include photos, comments on the process, and their costs.
2. 10 X 14 Goat Shelter
This 10 X 14 goat shelter includes storage space as well as a home for your goats. You can use this extra space to store your feed as well as your goat tools, like hoof trimmers and milking supplies. This shelter also features a door which the smaller 8 X 10 shelter doesn’t. This door can add an extra layer of protection for your goats.
These top notch goat shelter plans include everything you need to keep your goats warm and dry in inclement weather. Like the 8 X 10 plans, you’ll find a detailed shopping list and cutting list. But this website also provides an ad-free downloadable pdf of the plans.
You can expect the project to take you a couple of days to complete. You do need to have some basic carpentry skills to complete this project, but your goats will thank you for all your hard work when you are done.
3. 12 X 16 Goat Shelter with Storage
Depending on how large your herd is, you may need more space for your goats. This 12 X 16 goat shelter will house more goats than the smaller shelters and includes additional storage space.
Like the other shelter plans discussed, you will find a detailed shopping and materials list as well as step by step instructions on the process. You also can download the plans as a pdf for easy printing.
The one thing I find odd is that the roof and doors are not included in these plans. You have to open another set of plans for the lean-to roof. When planning your costs, make sure you carefully examine the materials list for BOTH projects.
4. 8 X 10 Goat Shelter #2
The same author who wrote the plans for the 12 X 16 goat shelter above also has plans available for an 8 X 10 goat shelter. Like his other plans, this one also doesn’t include the plans for the roof. There is a link in the article to the roof plans, but again don’t forget to figure the roof materials into the final cost.
On the topic of materials, while there is a materials list provided, it is not as detailed as some of the others that tell you exactly how many screws to buy of which type. So you will want to make sure you carefully read all your directions and do some math before you visit the hardware store.
Other than that, there isn’t a lot of difference between these plans and the other 8 X 10 goat shed plans.
5. Double Pallet Shelter For 3-6 Goats
While all the previous shelters have included detailed instructions and schematics, this double pallet shelter for three to six goats is a little different. You won’t find a detailed materials list or a downloadable pdf. Instead, you’ll get a photographic journey of an actual build.
You see photos of the planning with the pallets, their disassembly, and then reassembly as a shelter. You will even see pictures of actual goats in it (which you don’t see in any of the previous plans).
If you want to build a double pallet shelter yourself, you will have to figure out a few more details than you will when using the other plans. Heck, you probably want to draw your own plans.
But this website gives you all the key information your need to truly DIY a goat shelter.
6. Single Goat House Made of Pallets
The same author who wrote about making a double pallet shelter also has plans for a single goat house made of pallets. The plans are actually a bit better than the plans for the bigger shelter. It includes a materials list and what you could call step by step instructions.
The truth is these shelters look ridiculously easy and cheap to build. Let me sum it up for you, though. All you need to do is get three pallets and screw them together to form the sides. Then attach some kind of roofing to the pallets. That’s all there is to it.
While these shelters certainly aren’t fancy, they do the trick. They help block wind, rain, and snow, so your goats aren’t completely exposed. Plus, they are super quick to build, and you can get the materials for free.
7. Pallet Shelter
If you want to use pallets (and let’s be truthful, if you can get them, who doesn’t want to use pallets) but you want something more substantial than the rustic pallet goat houses above, check out this pallet shelter.
Significantly larger than the other pallet shelters, this one uses pallets for the wall, and a large tarp stretched over cattle panels for the roof. While the investment is more than some of the other pallet shelters out there, it is still much cheaper than the shelters made entirely out of new lumber. Also, it doesn’t require any real carpentry skills like some of the other larger shelters.
While this shelter is quick and easy to assemble and relatively cheap, it won’t have the longevity of a shelter made from lumber with a proper roof. You can clad the pallets and seal them to increase their durability, but that will increase your costs as well.
8. Goat and Sheep Pens
Much of what we see for goat pen designs comes from other goat owners. But these goat and sheep pen plans are a little different. They were assembled and printed as a Fact Sheet by the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute.
While these designs were published back in 1986, animal housing needs don’t change a lot with time. This document includes plans for several different sized houses depending on your needs and finances.
While you won’t find step by step assembly directions included with the plans, there are detailed materials lists for each of the architectural drawings.
9. DIY Goat House
Even if you only have a few goats, it doesn’t mean they can’t have it all. And this DIY Goat House holds nothing back. The design comes complete with instructions for adding the trim and a milking stand, everything you and your goats need.
On this website, you find a complete materials list, cutting list as well as detailed step by step instructions. There is a link to download the plans for free, which is in a more accessible format to follow. I like that on this site, not only do you see the architectural plans but also some photographs of the process.
Personally, I always like to see what the final product will look like, especially when the photos include real, live, adorable goats. It gives you a good idea of how the goats will actually fit and use the structure.
Here you can clearly see the benefits of this design. It has two 4 X 8 stalls as well as a separate 4 X 8 milking area. But what really sets this design apart from the others, for me at least, is the access from both the front and back of the shelter. That access can be so important when dealing with stubborn goats.
10. Frugal Goat Shelter
The frugal goat shelter is another pallet shelter cause we just love pallets. And I mean, really, what’s not to love about pallets? Though I have to say I think the best part of pallets is that usually, you can find them for free. That makes building with pallets a great option if you are looking to DIY on the cheap.
Other than pallets, you don’t need a lot of other materials to complete this shelter — just some nails and some scrap plastic or a tarp. And the only tool you need is a drill. How easy does that sound?
This shelter is a variation on the pallet ideas we saw above. While this shelter doesn’t include detailed plans, they do show you step by step photos of the construction process, as well as adorable goats. All and all, it’s pretty basic– just some walls and a roof to keep out the weather.
This is an excellent basic shelter you can build if you have goats for clearing brush and want to set up something quickly where you have your goats out foraging. This way, they can have shelter if there’s bad weather.
Finally, you can also watch this great video about cheap DIY goat shelters:
Final Thoughts
Goat shelters come in all shapes and sizes. You will want to choose your shelter based on the size of your herd, your budget, and of course, your DIY experience. While most of the plans we found are pretty straightforward, some do require that you use power tools to complete them.
But if you aren’t confident with a circular saw, don’t despair. We included a number of plans that can be made by even the most inexperienced builder. While these shelters may not be the fairy tale goat palace you dream of, they still get the job done. And you can always improve and expand on your shelter as you learn more DIY skills.
Remember, the most important thing about a goat shelter is that it works for your goats. If your goats are happy and healthy, then all the rest is just a bonus.
Rachael and her husband arrived on Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua in 2011. There they founded El Jardin de la Vida, a tropical micro food forest, focusing on Sustainable Living Education. She teaches others to build with natural materials, live off-grid, and appreciate slow food.
