I am toying with the idea of a goat

[vfem]

Shhhh... I do not want to say this out loud as hubby will freak and say NO, and my daughter will freak and start begging for one now! But I absolutely love the idea of making soap or our own butter eventually. However, we have some wooded areas and a hill that can get pretty covered in 'stuff' I can't get the mower to. This includes posion ivy and oak as well. Things I'm told goats like to forage for.

So I guess I'm waiting to hear what people have to tell me... yes, no... watch out for this... housing needs... what will they do to my fruit trees if they get over there.... what won't they eat... is an acre 'shared' enough to keep a goat?

And oh dear... what will my chickens think?!?!

 

[freemotion]

Read everything you can on www.fiascofarm.com, then read it all again! Also do a search here....several people have asked the same questions, and there is a wealth of info right on this forum.

And, um....it is more accurate to say, "I am toying with the idea of a herd of goats!" Shhhhhh.....don't tell hubby! You need babies in order for the doe to give milk, and you really should not keep a goat by itself. They are herd animals and desperately need a buddy.

The chickens will get along famously with them. Just keep the goats out of the chicken food, and be sure to arrange things so that the chickens can't contaminate the goat's food/water with their poo. Mine spend the days together, and I've created one chicken-free stall for babies. I put no food or water under any place where a hen can roost, also blocking chicken access to hay racks. I would not do this in a small space, though, it would get too poopy and germy. I have lots of room.

 

[glenolam]

You sound just like me, vfem!

First, WELCOME!

I started out just like you, just chickens, ducks and guineas and now we've added goats and cows!

Take a look at some of the threads on this site. Search for titles like "Looking to get a goat" and you'll find a lot of info.

As freemotion said, you'll need to get at least two, and in order to have milk you must have a doe who has kidded.

I started out with a doe and her wether (neutered male) and added a yearling doe and now have my eldest doe's two doeling kids. They all share about an acre and half of woodland and an 8x12 barn (Another one to be built this year to accomodate the fact we just can't give up those two kids this year!!). My birds live in a house with fully enclosed pen, but that's only when we're not home. When we are home they free range where ever they want, and it really helps in the goat pen! They eat all the little bugs running around.

As far as your fruit trees, you'd better block them off completely. Poisonous or not your goats will LOVE them! Mine did and almost ruined our 6 apple trees!

I'll start by saying the basics are:

More than 1 goat
A shelter of some type
A pen to browse in or pasture
Hay fed 24/7 (there's some great threads on how to build one here!)
Fresh water (mine have a stream so I'm lucky I never have to worry about that!)
Grain fed in specific amounts depending on your goat
A vet or read up on vaccinations/illness treatments
A camera because you just won't be able to resist!

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[vfem]

Well obviously chickens are like the gateway drug you know!

I'm going to spend some time learning and figuring out the possiblities. My entire property is only an acre, so I don't want to cramp anyone. My neighbor's are very close as its a 'subdivision' but they LOVE the chickens and now they are the popular thing to have in the neighborhood.

We have a pond and a good amount of wooded area around the pond that are on our property we share with a few other houses, so we keep ducks... but it sounds like a nice addition for the goat to have access to that as well.

I would so love to see pictures of people's set ups for their goats.

If I get excited and educated enough... I can talk hubby into ANYTHING!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

obviously chickens are like the gateway drug you know! lol

ohmigosh! chickens ARE a gateway drug!! ha ha ha ha ha... but then they are kinda like crack and it gets ugly
;-)

this is what i know about goats - includes pix of set up and such:
http://adventuresinthegoodland.blogspot.com/p/what-i-know-about-goats.html

you mentioned butter.. unless you have a separator its hard (but not impossible) to get cream from goats (did someone already say this???) to make butter.

we got goats b/c our property was infested with poison ivy. they totally cleaned it out.. but then again, so did the pigs!

and if you're looking for someone to talk you out of it... baby, you've come to the wrong place