# 2 Pygmy Goat Does, food and space help/info



## secuono (Jan 26, 2011)

I am looking into getting two female Pygmy Goats sometime soon. We live on 2 acres, about 1.5acres for the goats/chickens and rest will hopefully be fenced off soon for human use, lol. 
I'm wondering if I let the goats meander 24/7 on the land, how much feed would I need to keep on hand? How much would I give them and when? How much would it cost me monthly? 
These will be pets, they are 5-6 years old. 
What other things other than grain and hay will I need to provide them?
Will they get along with my chickens and dogs if they don't pester them first?
Thanks!!


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## 20kidsonhill (Jan 26, 2011)

Where do you live, what is on the 1 1/2 acres as far as pasture or lawn or brush and trees?


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## Ariel72 (Jan 26, 2011)

I'm thinking the dogs could be a issue, especially with small goats.  Goats are natural prey for dog like creatures.  You didn't mention whether the girls will be closed in at night or not.  If not they can easily be attacked by a neighborhood dog...or like in my area coyotes.  If you're not going to breed them, you may not need grain if you have enough browse for them.  Unless you want to use it as a treat to making friends with them.


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## secuono (Jan 26, 2011)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> Where do you live, what is on the 1 1/2 acres as far as pasture or lawn or brush and trees?


I'm in northern Virginia. It's mostly grass, a bit of trees here and there, but a solid acre of grass. I'm not sure what 'pasture or lawn' means. It's thick and lush, we mow it every now and then, never toss grass seed though.


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## secuono (Jan 26, 2011)

Ariel72 said:
			
		

> I'm thinking the dogs could be a issue, especially with small goats.  Goats are natural prey for dog like creatures.  You didn't mention whether the girls will be closed in at night or not.  If not they can easily be attacked by a neighborhood dog...or like in my area coyotes.  If you're not going to breed them, you may not need grain if you have enough browse for them.  Unless you want to use it as a treat to making friends with them.


Our big dog, a Doberman, won't bother the goats, he may try to play with them or something until he learns not to pester them. Same with the chickens, he will sniff them and 'check up' on them from time to time, but other than that, he could care less. As far as the little dog, Spitz mutt, she kills chickens and any other bird, but she is wary of anything larger or that doesn't fly, lol. I've been working with her about being more calm and restraining herself around the birds, I really don't know what she would do with the goats. We have cows behind us, she totally ignores them. 

I don't know if they should or not. If they should I will lock them in at night when I close the chicken coop up. Hopefully, they learn to like me and I can round them up.


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## elevan (Jan 26, 2011)

You can obtain a lot of information here  http://www.npga-pygmy.com/resources/resources.asp

You can also do a search for pygmy goats on this site - I just answered a couple of questions for someone else and their titles had pygmy in the subject.



> We have cows behind us, she totally ignores them.


There is a HUGE difference between cows and pygmy goats in size, so please don't use that as an indicator to how your dogs will act.



> Our big dog, a Doberman, won't bother the goats


Your pygmy does will be smaller than that doberman.  Doberman's have a prey drive, whether or not they've exhibited it before.  Again please don't assume that your dog won't go for them.  Also the dog can do some serious harm even "just playing"  I lost a pygmy to a dog because I was complacent - never again.



> I'm in northern Virginia. It's mostly grass, a bit of trees here and there, but a solid acre of grass. I'm not sure what 'pasture or lawn' means. It's thick and lush, we mow it every now and then, never toss grass seed though.


Your pygmies aren't going to be extremely interested in grass / lawn...it's the weeds, bushes and trees that they will want - that is what we refer to as browse.

Here is a thread on what to feed:  http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=7998


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