greybeard
Herd Master
I can't imagine not having cross fences. They make life so much easier.
Senile Texas Aggie - comic relief for the rest of you
- Thread starter Senile_Texas_Aggie
- Start date
Have to echo what was already brought up... you need to have a "reason" for getting the goats and know what their end purpose is going to be. It sounds like initially they were to be pets for your better 1/2, and then their use got expanded to clear fields for you.
I also think that pasture you've marked out would be better utilized to run some steers in. Adult steers will not be bothered by coyotes. Goats would be better kept closer to your home and outbuildings for safety at night and for ease of care during the day. You can then cross fence in additional pastures, expanding outwards to rotate them through over time. I presently have 13 goats on ~1 acre of fenced area and they are basically able to keep it controlled. Until the recent dearth of rain, I still had to mow it to knock down the herbs they didn't prefer. I have 4 other pastures delineated, with gates set to open on to them, that I haven't fenced yet.The first 2 are also about an acre each & the rest, larger. But all are around my home which sets right in the center.
You'll want to keep the goats in a very small confined area for a while (several months most likely) so they become accustomed to you and will come to you (for food/treats) when called. When you let them out, they have to NOT be afraid of your approach, or you'll be in a world of hurt as they scatter to all directions on the compass looking for their next delicious bite. You'll be amazed how much ground they can cover and how quickly they can scatter. Once you have a herd routine established, it becomes much easier. I can now let all 13 of mine outside their fenced area and I monitor them with a stick/staff to direct them where I want them to go or stop them from going where they want to go but I don't want them to go.
They know where their water is, inside the fence and further, inside their night pen, so after foraging for an hour or two, they head toward water and that's when I "guide" them all back inside the fence and close the gate. After I finish that fencing, I won't have to monitor them any longer and will put water in those pastures for them. They will still however spend the night up close to the house in their night pen/the barn (when I get it built).
I also think that pasture you've marked out would be better utilized to run some steers in. Adult steers will not be bothered by coyotes. Goats would be better kept closer to your home and outbuildings for safety at night and for ease of care during the day. You can then cross fence in additional pastures, expanding outwards to rotate them through over time. I presently have 13 goats on ~1 acre of fenced area and they are basically able to keep it controlled. Until the recent dearth of rain, I still had to mow it to knock down the herbs they didn't prefer. I have 4 other pastures delineated, with gates set to open on to them, that I haven't fenced yet.The first 2 are also about an acre each & the rest, larger. But all are around my home which sets right in the center.
You'll want to keep the goats in a very small confined area for a while (several months most likely) so they become accustomed to you and will come to you (for food/treats) when called. When you let them out, they have to NOT be afraid of your approach, or you'll be in a world of hurt as they scatter to all directions on the compass looking for their next delicious bite. You'll be amazed how much ground they can cover and how quickly they can scatter. Once you have a herd routine established, it becomes much easier. I can now let all 13 of mine outside their fenced area and I monitor them with a stick/staff to direct them where I want them to go or stop them from going where they want to go but I don't want them to go.
They know where their water is, inside the fence and further, inside their night pen, so after foraging for an hour or two, they head toward water and that's when I "guide" them all back inside the fence and close the gate. After I finish that fencing, I won't have to monitor them any longer and will put water in those pastures for them. They will still however spend the night up close to the house in their night pen/the barn (when I get it built).
greybeard
Herd Master
- Thread starter
- #204
Senile_Texas_Aggie
Herd Master
Thanks to all for your inputs. You folks have given me a lot to think about. It certainly makes sense to have cross fencing for 30 acres. I think what I will do is simply mow the back pasture to clear out all of the brush as best as I can, then start learning as much as I can about taking care of farm animals, primarily goats. Once I learn that, then I'll come back and get advice on fencing.
In the near term, my wife and I are clearing out around the north pond. We make about 10 feet of progress a day clearing the vines, small trees, and MIss @Baymule's nemesis, green briars. I know, 10 feet a day isn't much. But we are give out in this heat after about 2 hours, and besides, we don't have a boss over us -- we are retired, damn it! (Never mind what you folks, such as @babsbag and others, who said they work harder in retirement than they did before retiring!)
Once we finally get the pond cleared, then I will post before and after pictures. In the meantime, I will be stalking for awhile (currently on @Latestarter's journal on page 24), so I won't be providing comic relief that much on this journal.
Senile Texas Aggie
In the near term, my wife and I are clearing out around the north pond. We make about 10 feet of progress a day clearing the vines, small trees, and MIss @Baymule's nemesis, green briars. I know, 10 feet a day isn't much. But we are give out in this heat after about 2 hours, and besides, we don't have a boss over us -- we are retired, damn it! (Never mind what you folks, such as @babsbag and others, who said they work harder in retirement than they did before retiring!)
Once we finally get the pond cleared, then I will post before and after pictures. In the meantime, I will be stalking for awhile (currently on @Latestarter's journal on page 24), so I won't be providing comic relief that much on this journal.
Senile Texas Aggie
Bruce
Herd Master
OK, see you in a month, there are currently 505 pages in his journal!
So what's wrong with reading a good novel? Hmmmmmmmmm 
ETA: And keep in mind, they are not all my posts!
ETA: And keep in mind, they are not all my posts!- Thread starter
- #207
Senile_Texas_Aggie
Herd Master
I know! It makes it an adventure -- sort of like a treasure hunt -- to read these different posts for folks like yourself!
Senile Texas Aggie
Bruce
Herd Master
Yep these journals are the wikipedia of herd/homestead life. Learn a TON of stuff from various people asking advice and getting it from the "been there, done that" posters. 
- Thread starter
- #209
Senile_Texas_Aggie
Herd Master
All,
I have been busy reading @Latestarter's journal (up to page 141), so I have not posted much. But today I thought I would.
After watching plenty of chainsaw safety videos (and I am glad I did), I finally decided that today was the day I would use the chain saw. Wow, what a difference it made! I made more progress in 45 minutes than we had in 2 days using the reciprocating saw and loppers/pruners. The bad news is that because I am so doggone fat (about 40 lbs overweight) that when I bend over or squat I find it hard to breath. Imagine having to hold your breath for 30-45 seconds while sawing. After doing that for 45 minutes, I was completely give out! Still, it was so much more satisfying to see more progress in 45 minutes than in 2 days previously. I am hoping to finish in the next 2-3 days, if I can learn to hold my breath longer.
Senile Texas Aggie
I have been busy reading @Latestarter's journal (up to page 141), so I have not posted much. But today I thought I would.
After watching plenty of chainsaw safety videos (and I am glad I did), I finally decided that today was the day I would use the chain saw. Wow, what a difference it made! I made more progress in 45 minutes than we had in 2 days using the reciprocating saw and loppers/pruners. The bad news is that because I am so doggone fat (about 40 lbs overweight) that when I bend over or squat I find it hard to breath. Imagine having to hold your breath for 30-45 seconds while sawing. After doing that for 45 minutes, I was completely give out! Still, it was so much more satisfying to see more progress in 45 minutes than in 2 days previously. I am hoping to finish in the next 2-3 days, if I can learn to hold my breath longer.
Senile Texas Aggie
Bruce
Herd Master
Are you cutting for firewood or just taking down trees that are where you don't want them?
I don't have the breathing problem but bending over and cutting up a tree is rough on my back. That is why I got forks with the tractor. I should be able to lift and balance the logs at a height that is comfortable for me. Of course that means I'll be transporting them up by the barn to be cut to 16" lengths. I want to handle it as few times as possible and if I cut it out at the edge of the woods I then have to put them in a conveyance of some sort and unload to the splitter before stacking cutting to length by the barn takes out 1 step.
I don't have the breathing problem but bending over and cutting up a tree is rough on my back. That is why I got forks with the tractor. I should be able to lift and balance the logs at a height that is comfortable for me. Of course that means I'll be transporting them up by the barn to be cut to 16" lengths. I want to handle it as few times as possible and if I cut it out at the edge of the woods I then have to put them in a conveyance of some sort and unload to the splitter before stacking cutting to length by the barn takes out 1 step.
