Hi all I am new to the forum. I have been raising chickens since February and now have decided I want a goat. I have found some pygmys and pygmy/nigerian dwarf crosses for sale that are 2 months old and was thinking of those. Can you give me a rundown of what I need to begin with when I bring them home and any tips you have? I do have a barn for them. Thanks so much!
Help please
- Thread starter lolalucy
- Start date
Mea
Overrun with beasties
There is a Lot of information on this site ! Quite a few members have posted almost that exact question, and received great answers,
First You will need Good fences... but that is true for any kind of livestock
Will these be pets or milking animals ? That will make a lot of difference in ammount and type of feed and equipment You will want.
Dry shelter and clean water ... and Lots of pets and scritchees....Goats are a lot of fun.
Keep us posted.
- Thread starter
- #3
ksalvagno
Alpaca Master
Fiasco Farm has a wealth of information for new goat owners. http://fiascofarm.com/goats/index.htm
You can also do searches on this site and find a lot of information.
Mea
Overrun with beasties
Ja, one goat can be very unhappy !!! You could get a wether for a companion...or with two does...You can stagger when they are bred so You have milk all the time. There are a lot of options .lolalucy said:
I wholeheartedly recommend the Fiasco farm site. ( just never can remember the link...)
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- #6
lilhill
Loving the herd life
Yes, unless you get a doe already bred, then you will need to breed the doe for her to produce milk.
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freemotion
Self Sufficient Queen
I love my dairy girls and my dairy projects! However, it is a huge commitment and a lot of work that you can't take a break from. So my recommendation is that you first buy some goat's milk and make a batch of soap and make a batch of cheese and see if it is really something you want to do on a weekly or twice a week basis, along with dealing with breeding, babies, the extra stalls and work and selling the kids, milking once or twice a day no matter the weather......before you jump in with both feet.lolalucy said:
Yes, goat's milk is expensive to buy, but it will be a lot cheaper for you if you find that you don't want to deal with a lactating animal before you get one.....or maybe you will completely love it and want to get a doe that will produce more, or two does for milk, or you might even want to buy a doe that is lactating right now!
Goats make the BEST pets, too, btw! I love my goaties!
jodief100
True BYH Addict
I second that. I added one milk goat to my meat goat herd this year and she is a LOT of work. I enjoy it and know I made the right decision for me but it is a big commitment.
I am up at 4:30 AM to milk her before I leave for work. The other goats I just have to check they have water.
I have to home by 6:00 PM to milk her. The others can wait, they have pasture and water. Unless one is due to kid they do not have to adhere to a precise schedule.
When I had to leave town my other half had to take care of her and did NOT enjoy it at all.
Bucks are more trouble than does. If you want milk or want to breed, remember bucks STINK. Some zoning laws allow for female goats but not male for this reason. When rutting, bucks can be aggressive.
Goats in general are a lot of work. Worming, vaccinating, trimming hooves in addition to feed and water.
I love mine, but do your homework FIRST.
I am up at 4:30 AM to milk her before I leave for work. The other goats I just have to check they have water.
I have to home by 6:00 PM to milk her. The others can wait, they have pasture and water. Unless one is due to kid they do not have to adhere to a precise schedule.
When I had to leave town my other half had to take care of her and did NOT enjoy it at all.
Bucks are more trouble than does. If you want milk or want to breed, remember bucks STINK. Some zoning laws allow for female goats but not male for this reason. When rutting, bucks can be aggressive.
Goats in general are a lot of work. Worming, vaccinating, trimming hooves in addition to feed and water.
I love mine, but do your homework FIRST.
