7 Reasons to Use a Goat Sleeping Platform (and 3 ways to build one)

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Do you have goats? Have you seen other goat farmers with goat sleeping platforms? You may have wondered if your goats need a goat sleeping platform. But really, why do some farmers use sleeping platforms and is it really something that would be useful for your goats?

White goat on snow in the village over her straw bed

Here are some reasons to use a goat sleeping platform:

Table of Contents

1. Necessary for Aged Goats

As goats age, they develop stiff muscles that cause them discomfort. You should help your aged goats by giving them a sleeping platform.

A goat sleeping platform can help your aged goat to achieve comfort at night while they sleep.

2. Necessary for Fiber Goats

If you are raising fiber goats, it is useful to build a sleeping platform. Without a sleeping platform, their fleece will become dirty and fall easily.

Generally speaking, it is important that fiber goats sleep on a sleeping platform and not on the bare ground.

3. Prevents Soil-Borne Diseases

You can easily prevent some soil-borne diseases of goats such as foot rot when your goats sleep on a sleeping platform. If foot rot is present in the pen, it is very difficult to fully eradicate it.

A sleeping platform limits the amount of time your goats spend on the ground and so limits their exposure to foot rot and other soil-borne illnesses.

4. Goats Love Climbing

As you already know, goats love climbing. As browsers, goats love to climb. This is why a goat prefers to eat the leaves of a shrub while standing on grass.

If you give your goats an elevated sleeping platform in which they have to climb the stairs or ramp, they will feel more comfortable in the pen.

5. In Case of Emergencies

If your area is prone to flooding or other emergencies that would require your goats to stay off the ground, a sleeping platform could be just what your goats need.

6. Extra Pen Space

Cute little goats eating straw and looking from cage in old shelter

With an elevated sleeping platform (i.e. a sleeping platform with legs), you have extra space just below the platform.

You can use the space below as you wish. You can store straw or bags of various materials in the space.

7. More Comfort in Cold Months

The ground can become very cold in winter. To prevent your goats from feeling too cold at night, you should build them a sleeping platform.

A sleeping platform with appropriate bedding will keep your goats comfortable and happy at night.

Goats sleeping platforms have many benefits, both for comfort and practicality.

Types of Goat Sleeping Platforms

Even though there are a million designs of goat sleeping platforms, this article highlights three basic and easy to build sleeping platforms.

1. Stacked Pallets

This is the easiest goat sleeping platform to build. The design is very simple and it does not require a ramp as goats can easily climb it.

How to build:

Choose and clear the location: You need to select an area not too close to a window so that rainfall and wind do not disturb your goats. Also, clear out the location. It will need to be clear and flat.
Stack the pallets: You can use two or three pallets. Just place one on top of the other. You can nail the pallets together to make the platform more stable
Cover the pallets with plywood: If you do not use plywood to cover the pallets, your goats can get hurt by stepping between the boards of the pallets.
Cover the plywood with bedding: You can use any bedding material of your choice.

2. Bed Frame with Stairs or Ramp

two cute goats resting on yoga mat with two people sitting on another yoga mat

This is an even easier platform for your goats. If you want to dispose of your bed frame, you can reuse it to make your goat sleeping platform.

This goat sleeping platform is simply your bed without a mattress in which the bed slats are covered with plywood and bedding.

How to build:

Choose and clear the location.
Cover the bed with plywood: If the plywood is long and large enough, you may remove the slats.
Build a ramp or stairs if the platform is too high for your goats to climb easily.
Cover the plywood with any bedding material of your choice

3. Elevated Platform with Staircase or Ramp

This goat sleeping platform is more complicated to construct. This platform is just like other platforms, but it has long legs.

The platform can be as high as you desire. This platform is mostly used if the area is prone to flooding.

How to Build:

Decide the type of platform to build: This platform is just like others, but has legs. You can choose between the stacked pallets, bed frame, or others.
Choose and clear the location: Since this platform has legs, do not build in an area where the wind could destroy it.
Fix the legs: As a rule, half the length of the legs should be in the ground, so if you want your goat sleeping platform to be 3 feet high, you need legs of 6 feet with 3 feet below the ground.
Fix the legs above: To place your pallets or bed frame on the legs, they have to be properly fixed together so that they do not fall off. Use nails to fix the legs.
Stack your pallets or place the bed frame of the fixed legs: You should use a hammer and nails to properly attach the pallets or bed frame to the legs.
Build stairs or a ramp: This style of bed will be too high for your goats to access on their own.
Cover the sleeping platform with plywood.
Cover the plywood with any bedding material of your choice.

Little girl playing with a goat inside the barn

Caring for Your Goat Sleeping Platform

Here are some goat sleeping platform care tips:

Always keep it dry
Change the bedding regularly
Always keep the ground below the bedding dry
If the platform becomes unstable, replace old or damaged wood.
For elevated platforms, always check the legs and make sure they are strong and durable.

Final Thoughts

Goat sleeping platforms are needed by aged goats and fiber goats. You should also build a sleeping platform if the area is prone to flood. A sleeping platform will help to keep your goats safe, healthy, and happy.

What sleeping platform will you build for your goats? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.