Rarin' to go!

[norseofcourse]

Welcome from Ohio, this is a great place to learn and ask questions - and share your progress - as you follow your dream

 

[BlessedWithGoats]

Thank you. I've heard stories of people get dogs to guard the livestock and they turn into more trouble than they're worth (like eating the chickens/rabbits). Has anything like that ever happened with you? And what's your advice for keeping a successful LGD?

I haven't had my lgd eat any of the chickens or rabbits so far, but he's not running loose with them either, so... I'm new to LGD's myself, but @Southern by choice is a great person to talk to about more info on LGD's! She raises these awesome dogs. @Baymule, was it your dog that hated chickens, then learned to live peaceably with them? @InspiredtoHerd, I think that the dogs can be taught to ignore/leave alone the chickens/rabbits... Most people on here will probably attest to the fact that a trained LGD is "worth it's weight in gold" so to speak! Hopefully some of the other LGD owners will chime in with more experienced advise than I can give! Once again, welcome to BYH!!

 

[Southern by choice]

Thank you. I've heard stories of people get dogs to guard the livestock and they turn into more trouble than they're worth (like eating the chickens/rabbits). Has anything like that ever happened with you? And what's your advice for keeping a successful LGD?

The LGD was not originally developed to guard poultry or rabbits.
They were to guard LIVESTOCK.
Dogs generally fail to be trained to poultry due to their owners.
They must be worked with continually til trained. I tell people I am working with that if they cannot bare the thought that they will lose poultry in the process then DO NOT GET A LGD.

Rabbits are generally an animal a LGD would eat in a field. Not recommended for rabbits. Kind of silly really.

Training to poultry is beneficial because once trained than the overall farm is "protected" since many free range chickens with goats etc.

LGD's develop a close relationship with their charges and communicate with them... a bond does develop. Our dogs are all trained to poultry but they certainly are not "bonded" to them.

A LGD is a special animal that requires a responsible owner... I cannot imagine ever having the thought of "more trouble than they are worth". The LGD has GREAT worth. They are the MOST VALUABLE ASSET to any farm.

My goats depend on their dogs just like I do.

 

[InspiredtoHerd]

Wow! Thanks everyone for the great info/attitudes and being so forthcoming and encouraging. @BlessedWithGoats I think it will be quite a while before we have need of a LGD, but good to know for future reference. I've only ever had dogs as pets, so having one that's meant for work would be an adjustment. @Hens and Roos I have to do some more research on the NDGs. How do you insure that the milk stays safe to drink? I've heard that dipping the udder tips in bleach is the best way to go about that but to me that sounds dangerous to the goat.

 

[Baymule]

I was given a free Great Pyrenees because she was a chicken killer. Her former owners punished her terribly and when she came to me, she hated chickens and would charge the coop, snarling. It took 2 years to turn her around, she became the best chicken guard ever! Worth it? You darn betcha she was and is worth it. I was like you, I lurked here a long time, then finally joined and was glad I did. This is the nicest bunch of people, the pooled knowledge here is unbelievable. Welcome!

 

[Southern by choice]

Dipping the teats is really for the protection of the goat so bacteria does not enter up into the teat. Bleach/water is effective so is chlorhexidine. As far as the milk.... hmmm hard to answer really because there are many zoonotic diseases. E-coli, MAP, campylobacter, caseous lymphadenitis, TB, listeria as well as others that cannot be seen. Short of having your milk tested you may not know , they could be fine however that can change quickly.
Pasteurization eliminates many of the dangerous bacteria. Yes, there are benefits to raw milk but there are risks too. Each producer needs to decide if the benefits outway the risks. MAP is not killed through pasteurization. But there are tests that can give some peace of mind such as testing for MAP (consecutively - every year, whole herd) Brucellosis, TB, CL.

Many drink milk raw and have no ill effects.

We have Nigerians, Lamanchas, Nubian, Alpine, and Miniature lamanchas, mini Nubian, mini alpine (soon to come ) and also Kiko meat goats. Goats milk is great and there is so much you can do with it. Cheese- all kinds of cheese , sour cream, cottage cheese, yogurt, ice cream, soap, and MILK!
Goats are wonderful creatures... you will love them! if you go that route.

Often new farmers starting out want to take everything on at once... a word to the wise.... go slow, take one thing at a time so you can really focus on the information and care of one species before going to another. This is the number one reason for burn out. Many that start in small scale farming take alot on and in 3 years give it all up. Little things that you wouldn't think are a big deal can be one in a heartbeat. A bad year of rains, heavy storms, severe cold etc can be devastating... it can take a toll.

So cool you want to do bees! I would loves to do bees. My neighbor does though and it is cool to learn from him. The family wants to do rabbits one day.
I don't know... I lurk in the rabbit section as so many are very knowledgeable but I have a hard time getting past the cute bunny.

Chickens are just FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They are a great animal to start with too! Some birds we strictly have for "eye candy"

Keeping it fun also means keeping it simple. There is a great deal of joy in all of it. Very excited for you on your new venture!

 

[Hens and Roos]

Wow! Thanks everyone for the great info/attitudes and being so forthcoming and encouraging. @BlessedWithGoats I think it will be quite a while before we have need of a LGD, but good to know for future reference. I've only ever had dogs as pets, so having one that's meant for work would be an adjustment. @Hens and Roos I have to do some more research on the NDGs. How do you insure that the milk stays safe to drink? I've heard that dipping the udder tips in bleach is the best way to go about that but to me that sounds dangerous to the goat.

We pasteurize our milk. We wash the udder with soap/water, squirt a little milk into a strip cup(just a small container) to take a look at the milk to make sure the doe doesn't have say mastitis. We milk each doe into their own container for now. When we finish milking we spray fight bac(comes in a black and white can- probably can find by the cow stuff in a farm store) on each teat. We take the milk inside and put into an ice bath to lower the temperature, we try and filter the milk right away too.

 

[InspiredtoHerd]

@Southern by choice That's very good advice. The more I think about it, I'm leaning toward starting out with chickens. Because who can't live on eggs and veggies for a while? But I am anxious to start milking. I found this great website today: http://www.dairygoatjournal.com/goats/getting_your_first_dairy_goat/To all: Do I have to worry about attitude problems with Billy goats. Some of the stuff I read about roosters has scared the bejeesus out of me!

 

[Latestarter]

Pureists will say a male goat is a "buck" not a billy and a female is a doe not a "nanny". Won't address the buck attitude Q as I don't have mine yet.

As for Roosters, they are like people... some are as nice as can be, and others are mean as hell. A lot has to do with genes but some has to do with upbringing. If you get them used to being handled from the time they are chicks and always remember and act/display that YOU are the alpha, you should have few problems. I've had several of my roos come at me and generally a good smack down puts them back in their place. If that doesn't fix the issue, they become freezer bait and can be replaced easily/cheaply. Many chicken owners live where Roos aren't "allowed" and when they find they have one or more, give them away especially if they're going to a "good home". There's many threads on http://www.backyardchickens.com/ dealing with aggressive roos. It's a sister site and if you haven't joined, you should

 

[InspiredtoHerd]

There's many threads on http://www.backyardchickens.com/ dealing with aggressive roos. It's a sister site and if you haven't joined, you should

Oh, I have. That's what put the fear in me!