Just one???

[RachelA]

Hi all.

I had a goat growing up and she did well on her own and lived around 18 years.

Now with my own home, we have chickens and 2 dogs and looking at getting one Pygmy goat. Did we luck out when I was growing up and the herd issue of just having one?

 

[rachels.haven]

Yes, you lucked out. It's a rare goat that likes being alone. Buying just one goat to be a herd of one is paying for trouble.

 

[RachelA]

Yes, you lucked out. It's a rare goat that likes being alone. Buying just one goat to be a herd of one is paying for trouble.

I was wondering...when you say trouble meaning health, emotional?

 

[rachels.haven]

Escape, wandering, screaming all day, refusing to eat, deciding to destroy things, behavioral problems towards you...I'm sure I'm missing some. Disbudded small breed wethers are cheap and plentiful. Also frequently long lived. If you need a milker's companion it's cheaper to buy and keep one of them than to fix your car's hood or the screen door on your house are the two more light hearted things I've seen over and over again.

They're herd animals. Sentencing a member of species that you are supposed to work in harmony with to ensure mutual happiness to a lonely existence is unwise, especially if you want to be happy. Quite bluntly, if those are your target animal husbandry conditions, you'll find that few breeders would sell to you and none should. The risk to their animal's well being would be too great (and the risk of them getting it back or it getting sick or killed would be too high).

Goat keeping is like a contract. Goat signs, and you sign. Keeping them alone, just as not feeding, watering, or not providing shelter, breaks the contract, and the goat is free to get sick and die or wreak havoc.

Rarely will a goat be content to live alone.

 

[RachelA]

Escape, wandering, screaming all day, refusing to eat, deciding to destroy things, behavioral problems towards you...I'm sure I'm missing some. Disbudded small breed wethers are cheap and plentiful. Also frequently long lived. If you need a milker's companion it's cheaper to buy and keep one of them than to fix your car's hood or the screen door on your house are the two more light hearted things I've seen over and over again.

They're herd animals. Sentencing a member of species that you are supposed to work in harmony with to ensure mutual happiness to a lonely existence is unwise, especially if you want to be happy. Quite bluntly, if those are your target animal husbandry conditions, you'll find that few breeders would sell to you and none should. The risk to their animal's well being would be too great (and the risk of them getting it back or it getting sick or killed would be too high).

Goat keeping is like a contract. Goat signs, and you sign. Keeping them alone, just as not feeding, watering, or not providing shelter, breaks the contract, and the goat is free to get sick and die or wreak havoc.

Rarely will a goat be content to live alone.

Thank you! This is very good points and my chickens have each other and makes sense goats would want a companion. I would never want to subject a goat to that if I was aware. Like mentioned growing up we had a goat but we did have two beef cows for short periods she would hang with and I walked her a lot and hung out with her. I think we just happened to have a very special goat in her that was okay with it all.

 

[rachels.haven]

She definitely sounds very special. Wow, 18.

 

[Mini Horses]

. Like mentioned growing up we had a goat but we did have two beef cows for short periods she would hang with and I walked her a lot and hung out with her. I think we just happened to have a very special goat in her that was okay with it all.

Re-read this -- she had companions with YOU and the cows when you weren't there. As a growing child you probably spent a lot of time with the goat...who was obviously well loved and content, special indeed. If you can still provide as much companionship, great. Perhaps a pair would be better now that you are grown.

Goats really love a companion -- be it goat or another animal with whom they can be compatible.

 

[RachelA]

Re-read this -- she had companions with YOU and the cows when you weren't there. As a growing child you probably spent a lot of time with the goat...who was obviously well loved and content, special indeed. If you can still provide as much companionship, great. Perhaps a pair would be better now that you are grown.

Goats really love a companion -- be it goat or another animal with whom they can be compatible.

Agreed and as mentioned above I think this group has brought some great mentions to the herd mentality and their love for companionship.

 

[chickens really]

Yep..Definitely get two and be prepared for Goat addiction to set in.