# Cattle panel shelter covering?



## Lamar (Oct 13, 2011)

I've been thinking of making a cattle panel shelter for my goats. What can I cover it with that they will not eat?

TIA
Lamar


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

We have 1 we put up last year in one of our pastures in case we aren't home & it rain's, etc. & we just used a heavy duty tarp to cover the panels.

They do nibble or chew on it a bit at first but then get bored & on to something else after the newness wears off. They haven't ruined it or anything yet at least.


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## JBarGFarmKeeper (Nov 1, 2011)

This is a "heavy duty" silver tarp. It has been up for a few weeks and I have never seen them even nibble at it...


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## PaulNKS (Jan 11, 2009)

If you have any tin lying around, you can cover it with that. When weaning kids, I wire tin to the bottom of the cattle panels to keep them from squeezing through.


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## andabigmac (Jan 10, 2011)

My girls don't bother theirs. The boys have been through 2 tarps this year alone... I'm ready to eat them. Tin would work if you're concerned. I'd start with tarps though. Much cheaper.


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## Oat Bucket Farm (Jul 28, 2006)

None of our goats bother theirs. Both the does and the bucks have the cattle panel hoop shelters covered in heavy duty tarps.


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## LFRJ (Dec 1, 2006)

Our gals LOVED their cattle panel covered shelter - rain or shine!










...until I looked out one day and saw this. 



We have since moved the shelter and closed off the sides so they can't climb. Now we're all happy again. 

Suffice to say that eating the tarp might not be your only concern.

...j_ust sayin'_....


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## colemangirly (Sep 30, 2010)

Hey JBarG how far apart did you put yours posts? Also what size tarp did you use? Thinking of something like this for the coming winter.

Tadpole Acres


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## wintrrwolf (Sep 29, 2009)

LFRJ said:


> Our gals LOVED their cattle panel covered shelter - rain or shine!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Oh yeah my boys did that..first it was the smaller nigi boys that did it, which then Shaq my nubian buck figured if they could he could too, and he ended up squishing one side of the panel. (stoopid goat)


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## whodunit (Mar 29, 2004)

Our goats dont bother the tarp in their pen.


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## Josie (Mar 30, 2012)

I built one of these and covered it with heavy duty tarps. It was two cattle panels wide and attached to landscaping timbers, stabilized with t-posts etc. Worked fine for the goats until they learned to climb on it. They shredded the tarps and started to collapse the panels. I was afraid they'd break a leg and end up hanging from it as they fell thru. Yikes! I couldn't decide how to keep them from climbing on it...I removed it from their pen. Next up some sort of lounging A frame made out of solid wood...hopefully a safer option for my guys.


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## prairiedog (Jan 18, 2007)

We've been using ours for several years and it holds up great.


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## JBarGFarmKeeper (Nov 1, 2011)

colemangirly said:


> Hey JBarG how far apart did you put yours posts? Also what size tarp did you use? Thinking of something like this for the coming winter.
> 
> Tadpole Acres


The posts are 8' apart, 4 cattle panels, and a 16x20 heavy duty tarp. The one we finished yesterday we drilled holes in 4x8 sheets of OSB and wired the sheet (on their sides) to the inside of the panels before putting to tarp on.

I then (went to the clothesline and) stole a turnbuckle and some clothesline cable. I ran the cable around a wooden corner post and hooked the end of the turnbuckle on the cattle panel toward the top. I pulled up the slack and tightened the turnbuckle and, like magic, that house is solid as a rock!!!:happy2:


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

One of the local CGL's (Crazy Goat Ladies) used those giant billboard signs (the big heavy plastic ones). They worked great, and no goat nibbling.


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## JBarGFarmKeeper (Nov 1, 2011)

Added pics above...


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