# Bit by the Goat Bug!!! Im in Love.....



## SueD (Jan 21, 2015)

SO....I now have my 26 acres of land near Lake Lure, NC and have so much to do and land to clear. I dont have alot of money and my husband, youngest son (23yo) and I will be doing the majority of the work. There are old meadows from previous owners of 20 years ago or so that are now somewhat overgrown but salvageable. Im looking for a tractor and bush hog for clearing and then I think to myself, self....what can clear this better and greener? I dont know I replied so I started reading and knew something about goats maybe doing it. In all my reading I discovered that the goat would be the perfect choice but which ones? My best friend raises pygmies and pygoras and another friend had a couple of rescue goats she was going to give me, but I wanted more. I heard about Kikos and read all about them and thought, this is it, now to find some. Easier said than done, however after researching on Craigslist there is a man near Spartanburg that may have some in April. SO this past weekend Im at my new favorite store, Tractor Supply, and I see a book on goats. I bought it and began reading. 
Now let me tell you about living there so far though. I had thought we would live out of our tents for several months while we work at it, but discovered a small one room cabin/shed building and brought that in and set it up, complete with a portable heater. So Sunday Im sitting out in front of it in a fold able chair reading about goats, when I get to the section, Spanish goats...AKA Brush or scrub goats. They sounded perfect!!! So Monday I began my search for Spanish goats , using the Spanish Goat Association web site for breeders somewhat near my area, and the bug has bit...Im so in love with the little guys already and I havent touched one yet. I found a lovely lady in Va with many bucklings still available and fell in love with one called Rocky Road. He was still available and I sent her a check. Another ad posted a rare blue color, and she had one left! I sent her a check today. Finding does has been a bit harder but I sent emails to a few places and lucked up with Waverly Farms also in Va. She has some almost yearling does she will sell me!! So, in the span of 2 days I had found 5 Spanish goats. I dont know which does I will get but they were all lovely ladies. AND I still want a few Kikos, what magnificent creatures.....
Now I have to figure out fencing for them as I will need to be somewhat mobile as the land is rough and thick. Any ideas on this from you seasoned goaters? And LGDs or Alapaca?  So many things to consider and do....not  enough time in the day and I can only get out there on weekends right now.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 21, 2015)

So exciting!
I would recommend hotwire with solar charger. We use this through to move our Kikos to wherever we want them to be. 
Just put some info on this thread not too long ago.

http://www.backyardherds.com/threads/pasture-and-fencing-options.30475/page-2#post-380216


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## SueD (Jan 21, 2015)

Magic worrds there....solar and Kikos!! Do you have or will you have any for sale this year? I found a guy near Spartanburg for April....but if I could find from someone on here that would be wayyyy better


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## Bucking Adoeable Fainters (Jan 21, 2015)

Oh absolutely exciting. Many congratulations on your land and little cabin. Sounds like a dream. 
You have definitely been bit by the goat hoarder. .....i mean HERDER (lol!) You fit right in and welcome to the club!!!! 

I second what Southern said about the hotwire. Always has been the easiest and most cost effective with large spans. 

Alpacas and LGD both do the trick. But in my experience dogs are worth their weight in gold...but to each their own!!

Very excited to see pictures!!!!!!!!


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## Southern by choice (Jan 21, 2015)

SueD said:


> Magic worrds there....solar and Kikos!! Do you have or will you have any for sale this year? I found a guy near Spartanburg for April....but if I could find from someone on here that would be wayyyy better



We only have 1 commercial  Buck at the moment.
We will have Kiko/ Lamanchas sometime soon! LOL


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## SheepGirl (Jan 22, 2015)

Actually from what I've read, you want llamas, not alpacas. Alpacas need guardians, just like sheep and goats.


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## Bucking Adoeable Fainters (Jan 22, 2015)

Maybe it has its just the temperament of the certain alpaca. Our friend has about 80head and has 3 alpacas,  one in each perimeter pen. 2 of them are meaner then the dickens, and i wont go near them! One is a sweetheart, but he also knows his job, he's killed a few coyotes!


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## Southern by choice (Jan 22, 2015)

SheepGirl said:


> Actually from what I've read, you want llamas, not alpacas. Alpacas need guardians, just like sheep and goats.


Agree!


Bucking Adoeable Fainters said:


> Maybe it has its just the temperament of the certain alpaca. Our friend has about 80head and has 3 alpacas,  one in each perimeter pen. 2 of them are meaner then the dickens, and i wont go near them! One is a sweetheart, but he also knows his job, he's killed a few coyotes!


Alpacas really are not guardians... this is an odd case. Alpacas are very small.
A few miles from us there is a huge herd of alpacas... they had no guardian... so many were killed in the first year they have all Anatolians now to guard them.


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## SueD (Jan 22, 2015)

You are right everyone.... I had read about Alpacas being guardians but I was wondering how since they are so much smaller. I know llamas do the job and have wanted to look at them as well. Does anyone know if llamas and LGDs get along and work together? My son has wanted llamas for years now and I thought this might be cool to do.


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## SueD (Jan 22, 2015)

OK, fence question again.....how many strands of wire should I out on a post or tree to keep the babes in their assigned area?


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## Southern by choice (Jan 22, 2015)

Llamas generally do not do well with dogs, same as donkeys.
They are two different guardians with very different guarding traits.
Now, there are many llamas that live peacefully with LGD's but these are non-guarding llamas.

Fencing... depends on the goats. Not sure how you will attach hotwire to a tree though.

If you are getting baby goats it would be best to start them in a paddock or something enclosed where you are able to watch them. 
No adult goats and that could be bad out in a large area unsupervised. 

Also, if you are new to goats there will be a lot you will be learning and need to know. You will want them close by.


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## SueD (Jan 22, 2015)

Ahhh thanks Southern. You are a wealth of information. I love this place!! SO, the only baby I will have will be this little fellow on my avatar, Rocky Road. My others will be older than 7 months old. He will be 3 months old so I will watch out for him. I had goats on a farm a long time ago and learned then a few things NOT to do. Rocky will have to be near us for a while and then I will introduce him into the herd for grazing. Unfortunately I do not have the lxury yet of different pens. I will have to work on these in the next month to have a place for them after their workout.
I did not realize that llamas had different types of guardian and non guardian. ok, more info Im learning.


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## Queen Mum (Jan 22, 2015)

Five strands.  And wire does work much better than any other fencing I have found.  Of course you can buy netting which works even better.  It is an investment but much more portable, if you are going to move it.


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## Queen Mum (Jan 22, 2015)

Five strands.  And wire does work much better than any other fencing I have found.  Of course you can buy netting which works even better.  It is an investment but much more portable, if you are going to move it.

Welcome to potato chip er goat farming.  Can't have just one, you know.  It's an addiction.  And once the babies come you are really in trouble.   They are very CUTE!


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## SueD (Jan 22, 2015)

Queen Mum said:


> Five strands.  And wire does work much better than any other fencing I have found.  Of course you can buy netting which works even better.  It is an investment but much more portable, if you are going to move it.
> 
> Welcome to potato chip er goat farming.  Can't have just one, you know.  It's an addiction.  And once the babies come you are really in trouble.   They are very CUTE!




Thanks so much Queen Mum!! Im already in trouble...as you can see. I will have to look at netting and see what that entails. My area is totally overgrown with blackberry and other bramble so Im not sure how I would get netting in there to start with.


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## OneFineAcre (Jan 22, 2015)

Get dogs


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## SueD (Jan 22, 2015)

Im going to OFA....I just want them ALLLLLLL.....Im looking at Karakachans now and am in the want stage....although Im sure I wont be able to do one of those. Am getting help from a few knowledgeable peeps and am responding to a few ads on Craigslist. I just found someone up in Yanceyville with 1/2 GPs and Anatolians. I believe I need a somewhat older pup to start with....then later could bring in a smaller pup. Thought on that?


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## OneFineAcre (Jan 22, 2015)

I hear a lot of positive things about the Pyr - Anatolian crosses on the forum and people I know In the real world 
My experience however is more pure luck or maybe at least being able to judge an individual animals demeanor
I've been fortunate in that respect


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## MsDeb (Jan 22, 2015)

Welcome and congratulations from KS!  Such fun!


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## Southern by choice (Jan 22, 2015)

Pyr /toli is a great cross! 
Pretty much any LGD breed/LGD breed is great.
In the pet world breed A + breed B= Mutt

in the LGD world
Livestock guardian breed A + Livestock Guardian Breed B =
Livestock Guardian!
This is very common in the LGD world sometimes having 4 different breeds combined.

The dogs in my avatar were suppose to be the parents of my current litter  Our Anatolian Male Pup had other ideas. We had noot planned on using him for another year or so.  oh well we ended up with a beautiful litter!


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## SueD (Jan 22, 2015)

Everyone has been SO very helpful and I appreciate all the help. I am so happy I found this place!!


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## SueD (Jan 25, 2015)

So today I traveled 2.5 hours up to Waverly Farms in Burkeville VA and looked at her Spanish does. They are mostly a Valera blood line and they were so cute. She also had a new doe for her from Pape and her coloring and markings were exquisite. I picked out 3 doelings from July (2 from July one is 2 years old and may possibly be with kidd). I learned quite a bit from her in a matter of an hour. Patti was wonderful as have all of the members here in responding.


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## OneFineAcre (Jan 25, 2015)

Congratulations.


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## purplequeenvt (Jan 26, 2015)

In response to the alpaca/llama/LGD question......

For guarding: NOT alpacas! They are too small and vulnerable themselves. 

Llamas are much better than alpacas, but it's still a bit hit or miss with them. Most of them will guard, but they aren't really attached to their charges, it's just that they don't like dogs. From personal experience, never get just one. Even though everyone says that they won't be effective guards if they have a buddy, it's not true. 

Generally speaking, llamas HATE canines and will chase or try to kill them. One of my llamas in particular was like that. We had to watch the Border Collies around her. When I got my Pyr puppy though, I introduced them and the llamas were fine with her! I think that the llama knew the difference between the Pyr and a normal dog.


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