Newbie questions...

[buzymom13]

Ok...so I'm not a goat "owner" yet. I'm still in the learning as much as I possibly can stage of my journey in goatville.

My questions are these: Are goats hard to deal with? Just to give an idea of what I can handle. I'm an adoptive mom of 6 kids. Foster parented for 11 yrs for "difficult to place" children and homeschooling mom. Four of my 6 kids are special needs learners. (None with physical demands but MR and developmental delays) My youngest is now 7 yrs old.



I'm looking to get Nigerian Dwarf Goats as I've read that they are easier to deal with children (due to size) and because I just really like the looks of the kids/adults that I've seen.


What problems or issues can you think of that would be "severe" or if not "severe" something that a "hands on...get the job done" kinda mom would have trouble dealing with?


Thankx for everyone's experience and time... I appreciate it greatly!

 

[lilhill]

As a Nigi breeder, I chose them because of their small size and ease of handling. After 5 years and up to a herd of 30 Nigerians, I do most of the maintenance on the goats myself, but another hand is always appreciated when disbudding or tattooing, and if you don't have a stanchion to put them on to trim hooves and give shots, that extra hand is great. They would make great additions to your family, but do purchase from reputable breeders that actually handle their babies (if you are going to be getting babies) so you don't have to worry about having to chase "wild" goats. Whatever you decide, do your research on the care, feeding and management goats (they really don't eat everything). Also preditor control is a must. Then go for it! You'll love it.

 

[freemotion]

If you do your homework, it will be fun. The most severe problems are almost all preventable. To me, the worst non-preventable problems are vet issues.

Preventable: Escapes. Mostly. Have fantastic fencing in place long before your goats arrive. Inspect closely for any space that a goat about a tenth of the size of the goats you want to get could squeeze through. It is amazing how boneless they can become when they see a leaf they want on the other side of the fence!

And how high they can leap, especially if they have a launching pad inside their enclosure.

How they can figure out how to open gates. I use double-end snaps and chains now. One of my girls learned how to rub on and jiggle the gate just so, and would wiggle the latch loose! Sheesh!

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