# Tying up a goat



## CPT Bluegrass (Nov 28, 2011)

Ok I haven't read much on goats so I'm very new to this.  I have a question for many of you who know much, much more about goats than I do.  I was wondering if until I get my fences installed in the spring if I could tether a goat or two to a chain and let him/her clear a section of foliage on my 2.5 acre property and then move them when that area is treated and into a pen when the fences are built.  They will be provided water and shelter from the elements, and I haven't even bought any yet, I'm just curious to see if this practice may work.  These animals will not be abused or left of their own.  This may seem like a strange post for some people also, but I drove by a small town not too long ago and the owner of a small property had a goat tied up in his front yard with a 20-30' chain like a dog.  Just curious...

Any and all advice would be helpful!  I want to start a homestead lifestyle with the 2.5 acres I bought and want to know what might be the best ways to start out/give different ideas a try.


----------



## autumnprairie (Nov 28, 2011)

CPT Bluegrass said:
			
		

> Ok I haven't read much on goats so I'm very new to this.  I have a question for many of you who know much, much more about goats than I do.  I was wondering if until I get my fences installed in the spring if I could tether a goat or two to a chain and let him/her clear a section of foliage on my 2.5 acre property and then move them when that area is treated and into a pen when the fences are built.  They will be provided water and shelter from the elements, and I haven't even bought any yet, I'm just curious to see if this practice may work.  These animals will not be abused or left of their own.  This may seem like a strange post for some people also, but I drove by a small town not too long ago and the owner of a small property had a goat tied up in his front yard with a 20-30' chain like a dog.  Just curious...
> 
> Any and all advice would be helpful!  I want to start a homestead lifestyle with the 2.5 acres I bought and want to know what might be the best ways to start out/give different ideas a try.


The two concerns I have would be predators and them getting tangled and hurting themselves. you may be able to construct something out of free pallets I always check the free section in craigslist or freecycle.com

I am new to goats too, I got mine in september and thought the same thing until I watched dogs always coming in my yard, ( my kids dogs, which they get along but didn't know that then)

Good Luck


----------



## Roll farms (Nov 28, 2011)

I had a fella tell me 'My goats do fine tethered' when I told him it was a bad idea.
The next week, one got attacked by a dog. 
A couple weeks after that, one broke it's neck or choked to death after getting tangled in a tree.

You may start out w/ the best intentions in the world, but if you turn your back for 15 minutes, a goat WILL find trouble.

I would wait to get any until the fence is up.


----------



## Hillsvale (Nov 28, 2011)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> I had a fella tell me 'My goats do fine tethered' when I told him it was a bad idea.
> The next week, one got attacked by a dog.
> A couple weeks after that, one broke it's neck or choked to death after getting tangled in a tree.
> 
> ...


definately!!


----------



## marlowmanor (Nov 28, 2011)

We tie our 2 wethers out on occasion. We do not use chains though, we use the tie out stakes you can buy. They are only tied out if we are out with them, like when we are working in the yard for a while. This way we always have an eye on them to make sure they don't get into trouble. We have plans to fence in the backyard for them, but finances haven't let us get it done yet. Usually they are in their 10x6 dog lot though. We want to fence in the backyard so they have more room to roam. I agree about the dangers of tying them out though. Probably is better for you to have some type of fence for them before you get them.


----------



## 20kidsonhill (Nov 28, 2011)

electric netting or 16 footlong hog panels with t-posts, work pretty well for movable fencing. What we like about the hog panels, is they are fairly versatile, so we can use them for gardening or quick emergency pens when needed and they last a long time. and then you just need a small shelter for the goats that keep them dry.  A calf hut works well.  
and some breeds of goats do better on pasture only than other breeds, so you wouldn't want to deal with a hard keeper, since your goal is pasturing the animals.


----------



## elevan (Nov 28, 2011)

*Keeping in mind that we are an international community...there are plenty of countries where tying goats is the norm - they don't do fences.*_
_
Predators are a concern here in the states and so are laws...some laws do not allow for the tying of certain livestock (such as in Ohio).

What you use to tie and how long the tie is is important if you chose to tie.  Hopefully our international members who stake their goats will speak up and share their experiences.


----------



## MyKidLuvsGreenEgz (Nov 28, 2011)

My experience: We try to tie our nigerian dwarfs up when we're working on their pens, but it's always horrible. I would love to know how others do it successfully but here's what we've had happened:

(1) they inevitably knock over their water ... no matter where you put it, the chain will snag on it.

(2) the chains / tether will snag on something ... a rock, a fence, the water bucket, a weed. They will end up with about a foot (or less) of give. Then bleat until you get down there and fix it.


----------



## Hillsvale (Nov 28, 2011)

elevan said:
			
		

> *Keeping in mind that we are an international community...there are plenty of countries where tying goats is the norm - they don't do fences.*_
> _
> Predators are a concern here in the states and so are laws...some laws do not allow for the tying of certain livestock (such as in Ohio).
> 
> What you use to tie and how long the tie is is important if you chose to tie.  Hopefully our international members who stake their goats will speak up and share their experiences.


Good point, the Dominican and Cuba commonly tether their various animals... lots also let theirs roam free! lol

I can imagine the fuss it I tried too tie out ours...


----------

