Basic Goat Housing

[BarredBuff]

What are the requirements for this? I want two Nanny goats and one Billy, what would you suggest?

 

[freemotion]

Depends on your climate. DRY is the first requirement, in most goat's opinions!

 

[BorderKelpie]

Wouldn't it be better to just get two does and bring them to a stud? Maintaining/managing a buck is difficult and he may not be the best cross for your girls.
That's what I did. It was worth the drive to get my girls bred to a nice buck rather than keeping yet another mouth to feed.
Just a dumb thought.
Best wishes for a successful little herd for you!

 

[DonnaBelle]

Yes, we bought two little Nubian does, who are now 1 year old.

We plan on breeding them this fall. There are several people around a drive away who have bucks. We will take them up and leave them to be bred.

Also, something else to think about, get an older doe (ours is 4 yrs old) already bred and that has freshened before a couple of times.

I decided I would like to have a doe that knew what she was doing since I didn't. I have also done a lot of research on the web at Fias Co Farm website. That lady is obviously knowledgeable and has a terrific website full of goat knowledge. Also, order a Hoeeger's supply catalog. It's a family owned business, and has a help line and has anything you might need for your goats.

Above all, get Storey's book on Dairy Goats.

I try to learn something about goats every day.

DonnaBelle

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

you can search on 'goat housing' - there are some great ideas is you are starting from scratch. the big thing i'd say is make sure you can lock them up at night.

and to Free's point - make sure you have good drainage in whatever you end up with. we dug out our goat shed to about a foot and filled with gravel. worked great as we have horrible clay soil.

good luck!

 

[freemotion]

Yep, and as far as bucks, for me it was FAR less expensive to buy a buck than to bring my does out to be bred. Of course, I live in the 'burbs, not too many goats around. And he is going to freezer camp since I couldn't sell him for a reasonable amount.

Another point on housing...build it bigger than you think you need. You will add more critters. It is an illness, and it is contagious. You can even catch it by coming here!

You will need to separate them, too, so three stalls, and then you will need to wean the babies, and separate the bucklings unless you wether them.

Or you could run everyone together. That is asking for trouble, imo, for the inexperienced.

 

[lupinfarm]

That is all supposing you can find a buck to breed to who is negative for all the nasty diseases you want to avoid. That's also all supposing anyone with a buck wants to breed to your girls, plus you need to catch them in heat, which can be a pain, as I know from Doggy experience.

IDK, we're planning on getting a buck because there is no one who wants to breed.