Raising goats

scrubber3

scrubber3

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2009
Location
Fayetteville, NC
Since we are on the subject of raising chickens in another thread, figured I'd ask about goats. I have half an acre fenced in. Looking to get a couple that can't jump a standard chain link. They need to be easy to care for, hardy, eat the grass in the back yard and aren't very loud.

I already have a house for them in the back corner of the yard that will have heat. The yard has a lot of shade. Might add a smaller above ground pool back there this summer about 4 feet high.

Any suggestions on breeds, tips, tricks, food suggestions, etc?
 
My daughter raises pygmys and nigerian dwarfs.
They are awesome pets but not a great business venture. Depends on your needs.

They dont make much noise at all. They will jump but more climbers. Heat not as much a need. But they do need a house.
Goats HAVE to be in multiples. A single goat is miserable and will get ill jut from stress.
They are foragers. They will eat whatever plant life there is and will stretch to get leaves off trees etc.
Regarding feed be careful. Most goat problems actually come from feeding them. You need to keep hay available in the winter. We built a small crude box with the bottom slatted thats holds an entire square bale. They just reach up and eat it through the slats and make it last monger.
Treats are fine. Fresh fruits and veggies they love. Mine will fight you for some lettuce or strawberries...but people screw up goats by offering too much grain. This can actually kill them. We don't supplement grain at all except for nursing mothers or when one is sick...or for an OCCASIONAL treat.

They cant swim so if you add a pool make 100% certain you can keep them out of there.
I rank goats right behind dogs, ahead of cows, and way ahead of most people in the list of things I most enjoy their company.
 
This is one of our current babies. She’s minutes old in the first pic and 2 days old in the other 2 pics. First time mama and a mean bully Billye so we moved her and mom inside their first few days. I had my hand resting on her in the one photo ...I moved my hand and you can see her reaction.
They require a pack that’s why solo doesn’t work.

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Thank you so much for the insight! They would be pets with a secondary usage of helping to keep the grass in check. Considering pinecones, are they a non issue? Will they hurt a goat?
 
scrubber3 said:
Thank you so much for the insight! They would be pets with a secondary usage of helping to keep the grass in check. Considering pinecones, are they a non issue? Will they hurt a goat?
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Goats are surprisingly smart. They wont eat anything that would hurt them...with the exception of processed grains and human food they will eat enough of that to destroy their rumen and kill them. But pine cones, rocks etc they may well eat them. But if they do they wont hurt them.

They do like salt licks.
 
Ron said:
Goats are surprisingly smart. They wont eat anything that would hurt them...with the exception of processed grains and human food they will eat enough of that to destroy their rumen and kill them. But pine cones, rocks etc they may well eat them. But if they do they wont hurt them.

They do like salt licks.
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Poison ivy?
 
Ron said:
This is one of our current babies. She’s minutes old in the first pic and 2 days old in the other 2 pics. First time mama and a mean bully Billye so we moved her and mom inside their first few days. I had my hand resting on her in the one photo ...I moved my hand and you can see her reaction.
They require a pack that’s why solo doesn’t work.

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Click to expand...
Makes me want to get goats!
 
I have Nubians and Nigerian dwarf goats on my farm approximately 20 head.
Not all goats are created equal. Some are more susceptible to disease, sickness, worms and other illness.
I recommend researching goats that are less maintenance in your case. Just because they are pets does not mean you can skip on the maintenance it takes to
care for them.
Goats are browsers not grazers like sheep so you will have to be careful of worms especially barber pole worms, they are bad in the south. They like the woods, brush, shrubs and weeds best but grass is okay.
Don’t be deterred to own goats but a lot of information you read ends up in death if you do not care for them properly.
Goats are cute and fun but can be a handful if you do not do your research and are properly prepared to care for them.
 
Fabrik8 said:
Poison ivy?
Click to expand...
Poison Ivy doesnt hurt them.

In fact mine actually seem to prefer it and kudzu. As mentioned above they will eat grass, but they much prefer leaves, vines etc...Mine love to run and eat wild onions.

Worms mentioned above are a great point I omitted (foolishly) we've lost 1 goat in 4 years to worms but had 2 other close calls.

The other important thing to remember is they are flight not fight animals. Everything to them is either a predator or part of the herd. If they are confined and cant run and a true predator gets in they have zero chance.
 
Today’s goat adventures...
Reminder I live in a neighborhood with a cul-de-sac and a HOA...

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So I've pondered and researched what I can. I've determined that I need to prepare more and gather more knowledge/ experience before I get some of my own. Might be a couple months to a couple years. I just want to be sure I can meet the needs that will arise.
 
Yes, what I know about goats, they actually love Poison Ivy, poison Oak. And wanna clear Kudzu, they are the ones. The other things is, they do like to mate, so make sure you either want a herd, or there is a market for the ones raised, Even for the milkers, can't milk them everyday, for months at a time, at some point, they need to breed.
 
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