.5 acres. Should we have one big lot or two small ones?

[Mini-M Ranch]

We are getting goaties this fall nigis and mininubian (it all depends on who kids what...haha)

We have about .5 acres that we can use for the goats. We plan on ending up with three goats that we will keep all the time, plus breeding the does with SOMEONE else's buck one a year to keep them in milk.

Should we fence in one big lot for them to run and jump in? Or two smaller lots that we can rotate out every now and then? I don't know how much stress three little goats will have on .5 acres. Part is wooded, brambles and ivy, part is just grass right now.

Also, if anyone is growing their own hay, what are you growing? We are considering growing our own, but it would be sort of near the house, and I am concerned about ticks and chicken predators hiding in there.

 

[lilhill]

You could do it either way. If you break it up, then gates could make it separate pastures or one big one that they can have access to.

We planted our hay fields with chicory, Max Q fescue (it's not toxic in drought situations like the regular fescue is), and orchard grass.

 

[mully]

I would go with two connecting areas, this way they can use one big area or if you need you can close them off to let one side recover.

 

[nightshade]

I agree with mully one big one ii great when the cover is doing well. But if they find a certain spot they like to eat more then the rest you may need to section them out of it til it can recover or you will be left with nothing but dirt.