We brought home our first four gorgeous Nigerian Dwarf does a few years ago. I knew I wanted to give my girls the best life possible - and that meant giving them free access to all the yummy plants their hearts desire.

Letting goats have access to pasture and woods is one of the cheapest and best ways to feed your herd.

On top of it being more affordable it's also healthier for them. Rotationally grazing goats helps keep parasites away!

Thus I needed to build our sweet girls a safe, sturdy, and functional shelter that would stand the test of time (and of course look super cute), but since I wanted to rotationally graze our goats, I also needed a goat shelter that could *move*.

​So my husband and I went to work learning about all the available options and experimenting with our own different designs until we finally came up with a design we loved. Our goats have never been happier and safer thanks to our Mobile Goat Tractor.

I want you to feel the same sense of security and relief I now feel as a goat owner, so that's why we created the Goat Tractor Build Plans!

GOAT TRACTOR FEATURES:
  • Raised loafing area with sliding access door and clear paneling to let sunlight in
  • 4-6 grain/mineral bin spaces with exterior access
  • Exterior access hay feeder
  • Gravity waterer with a 35gal water tank
  • Large storage compartment for feed, minerals, first aid, electric net fencing, milking equipment (yes you can fit all of that in there!)
  • Removable folding milking stand/stanchion
  • Two large access doors 
  • Heavy duty tubeless tires
  • Towing bar attachment kit + instructions for moving the tractor 
  • Specially designed wheel mounts and caster wheels with durable metal axles
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What tools do I need for building the goat tractors?

Here is a list of the tools you will need to build the goat tractor:
•Circular or table saw
•Miter saw
•Jig saw
•Drill
•Assorted drill bits
•Stapler - T50 or equivalent
•Tin snips or nibbler
•Pliers
•Screwdrivers
•Assorted sockets
•Assorted wrenches
•Paint brush
•Square
•Tape measure
•Straight edge
•Pencil and Sharpie

How much does it cost to build?

 The total cost to build the  tractor will depend on how you configure it.
  • Base Tractor (Stationary): $1100 - $1300
  • Mobilization System: $925 - $1000
  • Automatic Watering System: $200 - $300

A fully equipped tractor is estimated to cost between $2225 - $2600.

How many goats does the tractor fit?
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The Mobile Goat Tractor is the perfect moveable goat shelter to rotationally graze pygmy goat breeds, like Nigerian Dwarf goats. The total amount of goats the tractor can fit is a function of how often you plan to move the shelter. The tractor can comfortably house up to four adult-sized pygmy goats and their respective kids when you move the tractor on a weekly basis and lay down a layer of fresh straw inside the tractor. The number of goats you can house goes down the longer you want the tractor to sit in one place. 

Based on size alone, we don’t recommend more than six adult-sized pygmy goats per tractor. 

​Psst! This mobile goat tractor also makes the perfect buck barn for your male goats that you’d like to keep separate from your does. We recommend housing no more than three pygmy bucks per goat tractor.
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Can you move the goat tractor by hand or do you need assistance?

​​If you are moving the tractor a very short distance on a pasture that is fairly level and dry (an example being one space over within a fenced-in paddock to give your goats a fresh patch to loaf in), yes the tractor can be pushed from behind or be pushed/steered inside the tractor. Both my husband and I can move the tractor a short distance by hand on level and dry land. 

If you need to move the tractor a longer distance (an example is when you are moving goats to a new paddock for rational grazing) then you will need a garden tractor or ATV to move it. We include a universal no-weld tow bar design that hitches to most tractors and ATVs. The tow bar is detachable so it can be stored out of the way (in the goat tractor storage compartment) when not in use. The towing bar also has an ample turning radius so the goat tractor can be tightly maneuvered. We move our goat tractor weekly with a John Deer 445.
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Can you move the tractor with the goats inside?

If you need to get your goats safely and securely from point A to point B, you can close them off in the back loafing compartment and move the tractor using a garden tractor or ATV.
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Do you need to set up fencing with the goat tractor?

Yes! We use and recommend Premier 1 PoultryNet® Plus 12/48/3 for pygmy goats. While this style of fencing is meant for poultry, we have found that the smaller sized squares keep pygmy goat kids contained, the fence posts are spaced at 6'8" vs 10’ preventing sagging in the fence, and the posts are double spiked which makes sinking posts into the ground much easier and sturdier overall.
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Can this goat tractor be used in winter?

The goat tractor was designed for rotational grazing purposes, but that’s not to say it wouldn’t work year-round with some tweaks. Since this is a new build we are open to customers experimenting! Currently, we don’t recommend using the goat tractor year-round in climates that see freezing cold winters unless you winterize the back loafing compartment so the goats can find complete shelter from the elements at night. 
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We personally move our goats back to our barn in the winter since we live in Zone 3, with temps getting to -30F for weeks at a time and the windchill going even lower.
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How does the gravity waterer work?

​Hauling water is my least favorite farm chore! Since the goat tractor has a nice-sized storage compartment above the back loafing area, we fit a 35-gallon water tank, strapped it down securely with rachet straps, and hooked it up with some simple plumbing to a stainless steel waterer with a float-valve. You can fill the 35-gallon tank with a garden hose thanks to the plumbing attachments we list in the plans. As the goats drink, gravity continues to provide water to our goats! This waterer also works great for livestock guardian dogs. We include all the materials and instructions on how to set up the gravity waterer in the build plans.
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Do you close the goat tractor up at night?

​ Yes! For the safety of your goats, we recommend closing the tractor every night. We get our goats inside the tractor at the end of the day by providing grain in the grain feeder and then simply shutting the door behind them. Every time you move the tractor we recommend adding a layer of fresh straw in the front feeding area for them to loaf and sleep in without things getting too stinky. If you are night weaning your goat kids, we recommend also adding straw to the back loafing compartment to keep them warm and comfortable.
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What can you fit inside the storage compartment on the goat tractor?

​ Thanks to the pest-proofing we recommend in the plans there’s a lot you can keep tucked safely away from the elements inside the storage compartment:
•Medical and veterinary goat supplies
•Minerals
•Baking soda
•A bale of hay
•35-gallon water tank
•Tow bar attachement
•40lb bag of feed
•​48” tall Premier 1 Electric fencing
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How does the foldable and detachable milk stanchion work?

The milk stanchion we include in the plans simply folds up and ties off with a cleat on the side of the tractor. This makes moving the stanchion along with everything else so much easier. If you have inclement weather and don’t want to milk in the rain, the entire stanchion is easily detachable via pins and can be moved inside the tractor.
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How does night weaning work with the goat tractor?

If you are like me and don’t want to bottle-feed all your goat kids, night weaning may be your answer. Night weaning is when you keep your does and kids separate from each other overnight, then milk only one of the two teats on your does in the morning. Once you're done milking, you let the kids finish off the milk in the remaining teat and the kids stay with mama the rest of the day - getting to drink their fill. With our goat tractor design, you simply put the kids in the back loafing compartment and close the sliding door at night. The back loafing compartment door has the option to add a second gravity-fed waterer and mineral feeder for your goat kids. In the morning you milk all your does first, then let the kids out with their mamas! 

Got more questions? Send me an email at [email protected] and I'll get back to you ASAP!

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Here's to happy, healthy, and safe goats!