# Gatting Started



## Watch Your Step (Feb 11, 2012)

I do not have goats, (yet)I want some though. I really like Aplines, (correct me if I'm wrong) I hear they are good for beginnings and are herdy.(I also love the way they look ) I already know what I need for fencing, but I need to know:
How much they eat (On Average)
What they eat (I know they eat hay, but don't they need other special food....)
How much they typically cost
What are some illness that I need to look out for
What poisinous plants I need to look for (I'm in NH)
And anything else I might have missed

                                                                                            Thanks.


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## Lukius (Feb 12, 2012)

Good luck, I'm new myself so no help. This forum is great just sift through the threads and you'll find pretty much everything you need.


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## SmallFarmGirl (Feb 12, 2012)

They need to eat hay, alfalfa, and grain.
They should have free choice hay and a certain amount of grain for the breed. 
I've got minis so can't help you  on how much.
I would suggest going to the library and find a goat book. They'll list what to look out for and how to prevent.
Well goat's cost A BUNCH when you first jump in but, they pay off.
~ You'll need a companion for a goat so you'll need 2. goat's price= anywhere from $150 to $400
~Hay,feed, and other needs will vary. (remember having some extra for vet trips)
~Shelter can be a lean to or a fancy barn so costs differ.
There is a list somewhere on here for plants they should stay away from. I would search for it! 


 Hope that helps.


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## Queen Mum (Feb 12, 2012)

Watch Your Step said:
			
		

> I do not have goats, (yet)I want some though. I really like Aplines, (correct me if I'm wrong) I hear they are good for beginnings and are herdy.(I also love the way they look ) I already know what I need for fencing, but I need to know:
> How much they eat (On Average)
> What they eat (I know they eat hay, but don't they need other special food....)
> How much they typically cost
> ...


If you have GAS  (goat addiction syndrome)  they will cost a fortune, because you will end up buying all sorts of stuff that you don't need.  But really,  you will need to feed hay on a regular basis.  Grain when milking or conditioning.  

They need regular minerals.  

How much it costs depends on your area, whether you have browse (weeds, trees, grass) for them to eat besides the hay?

They will need to have their hooves trimmed regularly.

You will need buckets for feeding,  feed pans and a hay rack. (You can build the hay rack and feed stands cheaply out of scrap lumber.

You will need a simple shelter for the goats.  this can be built out of scrap lumber as well.   

You will need some first aid supplies which you can purchase at the feed store.  Penicillin G, with syringes.  Vitamin B injectible,  Betadine or iodine.  CD/T vaccine.  to name a few.  (There is a good thread on this website with first aid list.)

You WILL need a milk stand (not just for milking but also for trimming hooves.  Fias Co farms has free plans for a very simple milk stand that can also be built out of scrap lumber.  

Otherwise plan on spending every spare penny on your goats because they are like children.  they grow on you and they are like rabbits they multiply.  

And plan on falling in love with the babies.

Also, beware, of GAS.


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## Watch Your Step (Feb 12, 2012)

I'll look out for GAS How much land/area do they need?


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## autumnprairie (Feb 12, 2012)

Watch Your Step said:
			
		

> I'll look out for GAS How much land/area do they need?


avg back yard is fine watch out for the poisonous plants


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## Queen Mum (Feb 12, 2012)

Land area depends on the size of goats.  Alpines need more land than Nigerians because they are bigger.  Of course, if you have time, you can train your goats to follow you anywhere (like I do) and ride in your car or truck.  Then you can take them hiking and backpacking.  That way you can take them up in the hills and feed them on the bushes and trees in vacant lots, in which case you don't need much space at all.  You can dry lot them and then they will require lots of hay.


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## Watch Your Step (Feb 12, 2012)

We have a little over an acre, is that enough?


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## Queen Mum (Feb 12, 2012)

Yes.  An acre is fine for a couple goats.  But remember, they do multiply.


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## SmallFarmGirl (Feb 12, 2012)

Queen Mum said:
			
		

> Yes.  An acre is fine for a couple goats.  But remember, they do multiply.


Exactly. AND watch out for G.A.S. It makes all that saved up money for stuff dry up like magic. You'll spend it on goats!


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## Pearce Pastures (Feb 13, 2012)

Goats are awesome!!!!  You are wise to get educated on them before getting them 

I have a bunch of links on my webpage to lists of potential plant dangers but here is one of them....University of New Hampshire's "Poisonous Plants in Pasture"

http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000623_Rep645.pdf

When I first started out, I also bought the books "Goats for Dummies" and though it is not the end all of books, it definitely gave me  a solid basis to build on.  Link to some freebee info from the book http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/common-vaccinations-for-goats.html

There are a lot of different illnesses and parasites that can bring down goats and fast (coccidiosis, worms, bloat, enterotoxemia...).  Definitely educate yourself on preventing, reconizing and treating the more common ones and find a vet in your area to help out 

Good luck!!


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## Queen Mum (Feb 13, 2012)

All kidding aside, really an acre will be fine.  A couple of alpines will do OK on that amount of land.  The start up costs can be high, but they can be cost effective if you do alot of your own building with scrap materials.  AND if you are actually milking and using the milk and then eating the bucklings instead of falling in love with them and wanting to keep all of them.


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## Mamaboid (Feb 13, 2012)

Queen Mum said:
			
		

> All kidding aside, really an acre will be fine.  A couple of alpines will do OK on that amount of land.  The start up costs can be high, but they can be cost effective if you do alot of your own building with scrap materials.  AND if you are actually milking and using the milk and *then eating the bucklings instead of falling in love with them and wanting to keep all of them*.


Yup, there's the catch....Knew I had something I was supposed to remember.


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## Watch Your Step (Feb 20, 2012)

What breed would you recommend? I wanted Aplines, but now I think we need a smaller breed. I'm considering Nigerian Dwarf Goats or Pygmys? Which one would you suggest, or is there a different breed that would be better.


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## SmallFarmGirl (Feb 20, 2012)

Watch Your Step said:
			
		

> What breed would you recommend? I wanted Aplines, but now I think we need a smaller breed. I'm considering Nigerian Dwarf Goats or Pygmys? Which one would you suggest, or is there a different breed that would be better.


Pygmys for meat and pets & nigerians for milk and pets
or you could combing the to for a goat that provides milk,meat,pet!


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## Watch Your Step (Feb 20, 2012)

Well we are leaning towards pygmys, we don't really care about the milk anymore. If they give milk, that's great, but what we want is pets and brush eaters. We need smalll goats, don't think our town would let us get large full-sized goats.


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## SmallFarmGirl (Feb 20, 2012)

Watch Your Step said:
			
		

> Well we are leaning towards pygmys, we don't really care about the milk anymore. If they give milk, that's great, but what we want is pets and brush eaters. We need smalll goats, don't think our town would let us get large full-sized goats.


Go with pygmys then! OR fainters


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## Watch Your Step (Feb 20, 2012)

Fainters aren't the same as pygmys right? They are a different dwarf breed right?


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## Pearce Pastures (Feb 20, 2012)

We have pygmy and Nigerian goats and love them both!  I do think my Nigerians are louder and more vocal (annoying in other words) than the pygmies and we milk the pygmies, so you can use them for milk as well (just won't get as much or be able to make as much cheese if you were ever feeling jazzy  ).

Fainters a.k.a Myotonic Goats I believe are a meat goat and are indeed a separate breed from Pygmy or Nigerian.  I do not really know how they compare in size though, but I would guess they are larger.  Everyone I know who has them says they are super sweet.


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## Watch Your Step (Feb 20, 2012)

A few more questions...

-Are buck pygmys sweet, like NDG or aggressive like other breeds?
-How much milk do pygmys give?
-Are pygmys easy to train?
-What kind of fencing do you need for pygmys?
-Are they jumpers?

   Thanks
  -WYS


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## Watch Your Step (Feb 20, 2012)

Oh and another, What do you feed your goats as treats, apples, carrots IDK? And what can't they eat as treats?


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## Pearce Pastures (Feb 20, 2012)

-Are buck pygmys sweet, like NDG or aggressive like other breeds?
_Well, bucks of any breed can be aggressive Nigerian and Pygmy included.  I think you can discourage aggression but if you are worried about that as a possibility, you might want to hold off on a buck.  Really, I am just now getting my first buck (I've borrowed them in the past for breeding) because I wanted to get a hold on goats before taking on bucks._
-How much milk do pygmys give?
_Mine gave about 15-20 ounces twice a day._
-Are pygmys easy to train?
_If you start working with them young and keep with it, they are.  Mine goes on walks with us all over, understands "NO", comes when you call her.  _
-What kind of fencing do you need for pygmys?
_We just invested money in a bigger fence and learned that 1) We should have used ALL wood posts instead of alternating metal T-posts  2) Should have bought some 2x4s to attach along the bottom of the fence at about one foot of the ground.  The height of ours is fine (four feet) but goat LOVE LOVE LOVE to throw themselves against the fence and rub along it, resulting in a bowed look around the entire perimeter.  We are now having to retrofit it=PAIN IN THE GOAT!_
-Are they jumpers?
_I am not sure I understand what you mean completely bu goats will jump on you if you don't teach them not to from the very start.  They love to jump on other stuff and it is hours of fun watching them on a little tikes slide._


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## Queen Mum (Feb 20, 2012)

Watch Your Step said:
			
		

> Oh and another, What do you feed your goats as treats, apples, carrots IDK? And what can't they eat as treats?


Apples, carrots, bananas, raisins, pecans, cedar cuttings, maple leaves, cucumbers, zucchini, veggie peelings.  peanuts, fresh corn, sunflowers, (stems, leaves, flowers, seeds).   They LOVE dried orange peels and dried banana peels. Kiwi leaves and stems, roses, rose petals, rose leaves, ivy, poison ivy (Mine don't like lettuce)    

DO NOT FEED THEM:  Peaches, Cherries, Apricots, plums (fruit with big pits)


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## Watch Your Step (Feb 21, 2012)

-Are they jumpers?
I meant, do they jump high, try to jump over fences.

Also would chicken wire work or do we need something stronger?


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