Goat advice

[Jesusfreak101]

Okay that's nasty i thought them burping in my face was gross. The throwing up a new one i haven't seen. It was Texas nightshade that vanished before i could get to it. I was shocked they even touched it. Maybe it wasn't as toxic as other nightshade i don know. These ones are not like my last herd these tend to eat things they didn't such as mesquite trees.

 

[MiniGoatsRule]

Starting off: I want to get goats. For milking and/or pets. The problem with milk goats is obviously you need to breed them to keep the milk coming, and I'm not sure what I'd do with extra kids, especially since I don't want them butchered. I can't turn a kid into chevon! Anyway, I have my sights set on Nigerian Dwarfs, Nubians, and Saanens. Any tips or insight about these breeds? Also, what kind of fencing would you recommend? And I've seen that the minimum size requirements are twenty square feet per goat in the shelter, and two-hundred in the pasture. I can't donate a very large amount of land to goats, so comments on this would be nice. I just want two to four, would getting pygmies or dwarfs offset this? I also would like ANY other helpful information about goats. I barely know anything about them.
I know this is way too many questions for one thread, but oh well. Thanks for reading!

I'd get Nigerians if I was you. I have one with a pygmy goat, both as pets. Here's a list of reasons why I would:

1. I'm not sure how they are for milk, since we dried ours (we wouldn't be able to milk her whenever we needed to), but my cousin (her old owner) said that they are a great milk breed. I've done some research on it, and I agree that they'd be great "milking pets."

2. I do like how they think that they're the biggest things on earth, but aren't that big.

3. They are small, meaning they don't take up too much space. We actually free-range our goats, which works great! They know where the treats and petting comes from, so they stay there.

4. They can be warmed up to any animal and will get along fine with them. Our Nigerian Dwarf is so used to horses, she just goes and lies down under the most dangerous one and uses him/her as a shed, and the horse just hangs out there with a little goat underneath.

5. They are great for walking, if you'd want that. Since we don't have a stand to trim their hooves on, we walk ours in our neighborhood, which is super close to our barn, where the goats live. The pavement wears down the excess length on their hooves, and they love seeing the neighborhood. All the kids love coming out to pet them. All we do is clip a lead to their collars and walk around, no need to halter train them. The Nigerian does pull, and I don't know if they all tend to do that, but I will try to fit her for a harness.

6. Their cheeks have the softest fur you will ever feel. Well, second softest if you intend on petting a chinchilla's forehead.

7. They don't eat a lot, from my experience. mine, believe it or not, is a picky eater.They've had the same flake of hay for 3-4 days now, I forget. And it's gonna be there for awhile!

8. They don't need a very tall or strong fence. Just get hogwire on some wooden fence posts, just around 5 feet tall. You'd probably be safe with 4.

 

[MiniGoatsRule]

And, @Caprine what is your profile photo? I can't figure it out.

 

[Wild Bug Ranch]

So I have 5 goats and I give them 1 bale in the morning. You can give them between 1-1 1/2 bales

 

[Caprine]

I'd get Nigerians if I was you. I have one with a pygmy goat, both as pets. Here's a list of reasons why I would:

1. I'm not sure how they are for milk, since we dried ours (we wouldn't be able to milk her whenever we needed to), but my cousin (her old owner) said that they are a great milk breed. I've done some research on it, and I agree that they'd be great "milking pets."

2. I do like how they think that they're the biggest things on earth, but aren't that big.

3. They are small, meaning they don't take up too much space. We actually free-range our goats, which works great! They know where the treats and petting comes from, so they stay there.

4. They can be warmed up to any animal and will get along fine with them. Our Nigerian Dwarf is so used to horses, she just goes and lies down under the most dangerous one and uses him/her as a shed, and the horse just hangs out there with a little goat underneath.

5. They are great for walking, if you'd want that. Since we don't have a stand to trim their hooves on, we walk ours in our neighborhood, which is super close to our barn, where the goats live. The pavement wears down the excess length on their hooves, and they love seeing the neighborhood. All the kids love coming out to pet them. All we do is clip a lead to their collars and walk around, no need to halter train them. The Nigerian does pull, and I don't know if they all tend to do that, but I will try to fit her for a harness.

6. Their cheeks have the softest fur you will ever feel. Well, second softest if you intend on petting a chinchilla's forehead.

7. They don't eat a lot, from my experience. mine, believe it or not, is a picky eater.They've had the same flake of hay for 3-4 days now, I forget. And it's gonna be there for awhile!

8. They don't need a very tall or strong fence. Just get hogwire on some wooden fence posts, just around 5 feet tall. You'd probably be safe with 4.

Thanks. Another bonus is they're easier to find around here.

6. Their cheeks have the softest fur you will ever feel. Well, second softest if you intend on petting a chinchilla's forehead.

Seeing as I might get a chinchilla...

And, @Caprine what is your profile photo? I can't figure it out.

It's a hamster. He's the only herd animal I have right now. The choice was obvious.

 

[Ridgetop]

Goats will usually browse on a poisonous plant then move on if given a choice. They won't eat enough of the poisonous to do more than give themselves a tummy ache and then remember to stay away from it. If they have nothing to eat and have to eat the poisonous plant or starve, then you might have goats poison themselves to keep from starving. We had oleanders in our pature and they occasionally nibbled a bit. DH was frantic they would get poisoned and tore out the bush in our yard, but there are bushes next door that grow over and through the fence. No problems with the goats.

Here in southern CA though there is a town where most of the people own and ride horses and the town council years ago passed an ordinance forbidding the planting of oleanders! They are a large, pretty, flowering shrub that comes in red, pink and white. They are much planted in desert areas and along freeways due to their drought tolerance. Highly poisonous though! As children we were told the story of the Spanish conquistadores whose cook used an oleander stick to stir the stew, The entire troop died. My grandmother made us wash our hands with soap and water if we even touched one! Beautiful but deadly.

 

[Wild Bug Ranch]

So I have 3 full grown goats and I give them 1 bale of Orchard Grass in the morning every other day. And I have babies so I also give them 1 bale a day and that normally lasts them 4-5 days. I leave it in there 24/7

 

[Jesusfreak101]

My husband grandfather's cousin step (bare foot and from what i am told it went into her foot) on an olander stump and died from it. They are very popular in Texas because of the flight resistance. We get very hot summers with little rain in our area and try do very well. I am not a fan of them.

 

[Wild Bug Ranch]

what are olander stumps? and how did it make her die? Sorry if that is personal I understand but I never heard of those before

 

[Jesusfreak101]

If you milk they tend to eat alot more then those who aren't in milk. So you will have to adjust while in milking. I personally allow free acess when are supplementing with hay. We have coastal which i think i mentioned before.