Newbie from NC!

[nc_minifarm]

My boyfriend and I are renting a small acreage and currently have chickens and rabbits (if they ever get to the making babies part!). We're kinda/sorta interested in goats/sheep. If we go the goats route, it'd be a dairy operation (We don't like the meat) and if we go the sheep route it'd be a fiber/meat operation. We're in the researching stage and would probably have no more then 3 of whichever species we choose. We only have a small area to devote to this project.

 

[Poka_Doodle]

Welcome from the Goldy Show Hens. I have totally devoted myself on a small area to my show chickens to give you an idea what others do with a small amount of land

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Welcome from a fellow North Carolinian

I'm partial to dairy goats, love my dairy girls!

If you love cheese, ice cream, & fudge, you need to get some dairy goats! Don't forget about the soap you can make with the milk!

 

[nc_minifarm]

Hey Goat Whisperer! I'm up in the Charlotte area, where are you at, if you don't mind me asking? We're just worried about escape artist goats...

 

[norseofcourse]

Welcome from Ohio! Sheep can be milked, too (some breeds/types work better for this than others). I have Icelandic sheep, and I've made cheese, fudge, ice cream and soap with sheep's milk. You get less than a milk goat, but then you also get wool and meat, too.

Hate to admit it, but some sheep can be escape artists, too... lol

 

[Libertyangora]

Hello from north central OH! @norseofcourse we used to have Icelandic sheep and one would Jump the four foot tall fence! So we named her bunny. Anyways, welcome from OH!

 

[Hens and Roos]

Welcome , glad you joined us!

 

[Southern by choice]

Welcome to BYH!
We are in the Piedmont Region of NC.

Goats are browsers and sheep grazers...depending on your land and whether it is grassy or woody will aid in your decision. If too small of land you will need to consider how much hay you will need.
Sheep can mow through some grass.

Have had both sheep and goats... we eventually sold the sheep.
Our sheep were easy keepers. We had a primitive breed (Jacobs) never needed anything ... lived off the land . Excellent parasite resistance good hooves etc. But they just aren't the same as goats.
A scratch to the chin was about as involved with humans as they wanted to be. Ours escaped alot. Goats- nope Sheep -yep
Very hard to find a shearer for a few sheep. Will never own a ram.

True goatie here. I love goats.. ours are a lot like dogs, highly social, love to be hugged and cuddled, and wonderful easy animals.
Dairy goats require a good deal of commitment if you milk them.
Ours stay in milk for 10+ months of the year. Some 18 months.
Of course if you don't want that much milk you can milk for shorter durations... We own lots of bucks... stinky in rut but our bucks raised on our farm have all been great.

Hope it gives some insight.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

@nc_minifarm
Have you ever had goat meat? It is great!

Whatever you decide to get, be sure to update us!


Edited my post, it was almost a repeat of Southern's post. We were posting at the same time

 

[OneFineAcre]

Welcome from Zebulon NC
I went to college in Charlotte many, many years ago
Dairy goats are great !!!
I've never had a problem with my goats trying to escape
Just keep them happy and well fed