Bringing Home New/First Goats

[MsLadyChickens]

Hi there!

Any advice for transporting the two Nigerian dwarf does that we are getting (boyfriend has a F150 and I have a ford escape...and a large dog kennel. I heard they can ride in the car for an hour in your back seat until they need a break?)

And is there any special "coming home" ceremony or gestures that I have to do lol? Just walk them to the barn? I plan to pick up the does (one is in milking) that afternoon, I plan to milk her that evening to keep her on schedule and to relieve her...unless someone doesn't agree?

Thank you guys!

 

[dhansen]

A dog kennel in the back of my Prius is how I transport the little guys. An F150 sounds much easier! I usually get them to the barn area, give them a treat, and check on then every few hours at first.

 

[MsLadyChickens]

That is amazing that you fit them in a Prius! Good for you!!!

Thank you! I'm hoping they'll adjust well and enjoy their newly built goat palace lol

 

[hcppam]

A dog kennel in the back of my Prius is how I transport the little guys. An F150 sounds much easier! I usually get them to the barn area, give them a treat, and check on then every few hours at first.

Prius that's what I'm going to do too when I pick up my girls!

 

[Teeah3612]

I took my bottle baby back and forth to my farm with me all fall while I worked on the house. He rode in a dog crate in the front seat of my mustang. I would stop 1/2 way there to let him pee at the on ramp to the interstate. There was a big grassy area. I know people driving by thought I was some sort of crazy woman!

 

[fortheloveofgoats]

I put my nubian mix doe in the back seat of my chev malibu, I also did that with my boer goat. He was a little bit more excited. He put his head out my window. It was pretty cute. We now have a van, so I will be using that, when/if I get my nigerian dwarfs. Good luck. Would love to see some pictures when you get them.

 

[mydakota]

If you are going to put the kennel in the back of the pickup, make sure you secure it to the bed so it doesn't slide wildly around. I know that is probably obvious. But had to say it just in case.

 

[pridegoethb4thefall]

I put down a tarp, then put down old towels, then put my new, heavily preg ND in the back/trunk of my Honda van. She had no problems and slept the whole two hour ride home. She only pooped a little and it was an easy clean.

I also put 2 ND babies in the same trunk a few days before that. No crate, but the trunk on my van is very deep, so little goats cant really jump over the back seat, and the towels give them something not slippery to stand on.

If your crate fits in your car or cab of your truck, by all means, use it. If you are getting babies, you could even hold them in your lap (if youre a passenger of course). Thats one of the nice thing about dwarf goats- they fit darn near anywhere!!

 

[Mamaboid]

We brought our two three year old goats, one doe, one buck with very large horns, home in the back of our station wagon. They both stood the whole hour trip, and we got lots of really funny looks from the people passing us on the interstate. Our Dusty girl we brought home riding on my husband's lap in the front seat.

 

[CocoNUT]

We brought our two boer x nubian kids home in the back of my Forrester. After the first few minutes they laid down and hung out for the two-hour ride home. Having some kind of blanket or towel to lay on also helps in case of accidents!

We had collars and leashes on our kids...we didn't want them to run away the second we opened up the back hatch when we got home! They were pretty mellow after the trip but you never can tell.