thinking about getting 2 milking goats... questions, please help!

[MaddiesMomma]

Hi All!
I found my way here from BYC, where I am also a member and I have already started a small backyard flock
I'm not a newbie to owning goats, I had 1 Nigerian Dwarf Pygmy mix for 4-H a few years back but my mom wouldn't let me breed her but now I'm all grown up and happily married with my own 2yo daughter and I've been thinking about maybe getting 2 does for milking. I want to get away from store bought milk and cheese and since I only have a small backyard I can't have a cow so I was thinking I could have a couple goats. So here are my questions...

1. What would be the minimum outside pen for 2 does? I'm thinking I would get Nigerian Dwarfs so maybe I could get away with a smaller pen. The biggest pen I could do for them would be 13x16 and I had read somewhere that they would need a minimum of 30sq ft per goat, is that true? could I get away with a 13x16? I don't want to have unhappy goats Also my neighbor would probably let me graze them on his yard every-so-often, since I will be supplying him with fresh eggs when my hens start laying in a month. We have a shared garden too so we are very close neighbors who share freely So I'm sure he wouldn't mind saving some gas money and letting goats do some of his yard work

2. I know goats need to be bred to be kept in milk, but I have no experience helping an animal give birth and I know goats need help sometimes and I don't know if I would be getting in over my head with that? How hard is it to help a laboring goat? I have no qualms about sticking my hands where ever they need to be to help, I just don't know if I would know what to do. Would I need to get a vet involved? We aren't rich and I don't want a huge unnecessary vet bill.

I want to be a good goat mom and I have lots of love to give. I just don't know if I have enough room to make them happy.

 

[woodsie]

In my opinion that is a very small pen but I know people that do use small pens for their goats, I just couldn't do it.

Something else to consider is the noise...many people keeping goats in the backyard are not prepared for the noise the goats can dish out. You can get quieter goats, but often you don't know if they are noisy or not when you are buying them and then sometimes it changes with the circumstances. I had the WORST bellyacher buckling when he was in a small pen with my chickens and another buckling...now that he's out in pasture with my other goats, he's the quietest one and the other buckling is noisier. Go figure, oh and my milker who was always very quiet before I started milking her now SCREAMS at me for hours until I come and milk her. Just something to be prepared for as a LOT of people have been forced to give up their goats in consideration of their neighbours.

I do love my goats and LOVE their milk however and recommend it if you can make your situation work for them.

 

[SheepGirl]

I have a 130# ram and his 65# son in a 28x8 pen, which is roughly the same size as the pen you want for your goats. They are completely fine in there. They turned the pen into dirt after about a week, so it does get muddy when it rains, especially right next to their hay feeder. Over by their little shelter it doesnt really get muddy at all.

The most amount of sheep I have had in this pen was 7, but that was just for a morning (they had to be penned up for shearing). However I have had my ram and his 3 lambs, weighing 30 to 50 lbs each, in the pen with him too for a couple weeks while I was weaning them. Because they arent grazing, they spend a lot of time eating hay and sleeping and chewing cud. They may be bored, but they look forward to seeing me everyday to feed them. My sheep out on pasture dont care if they see me or not. They will baaaa hi at me but most of the time they dont even walk up to me lol

 

[MaddiesMomma]

In my opinion that is a very small pen but I know people that do use small pens for their goats, I just couldn't do it.

Something else to consider is the noise...many people keeping goats in the backyard are not prepared for the noise the goats can dish out. You can get quieter goats, but often you don't know if they are noisy or not when you are buying them and then sometimes it changes with the circumstances. I had the WORST bellyacher buckling when he was in a small pen with my chickens and another buckling...now that he's out in pasture with my other goats, he's the quietest one and the other buckling is noisier. Go figure, oh and my milker who was always very quiet before I started milking her now SCREAMS at me for hours until I come and milk her. Just something to be prepared for as a LOT of people have been forced to give up their goats in consideration of their neighbours.

I do love my goats and LOVE their milk however and recommend it if you can make your situation work for them.

I know all about the noise, my Nigerian was quite the talker! My neighbors won't mind at all they have at least 3 roosters and 6 ducks over there currently and they had a cow a couple years ago, so noise isn't an issue. I'm just worried my goats would feel cooped up, like I said though my other neighbor would probably let me stake them in his yard, unless you think they would be unhappy on a stake? I used to stake my Nigerian in a harness in my old front yard and and she didn't seem to mind it at all. I have room to make 2 pens just not together one would be 13x16 on one side of my house and one on the other side at minimum would be 10x11 but I could probably get the hubby to help me rearrange stuff and make it bigger.

 

[MaddiesMomma]

I have a 130# ram and his 65# son in a 28x8 pen, which is roughly the same size as the pen you want for your goats. They are completely fine in there. They turned the pen into dirt after about a week, so it does get muddy when it rains, especially right next to their hay feeder. Over by their little shelter it doesnt really get muddy at all.

The most amount of sheep I have had in this pen was 7, but that was just for a morning (they had to be penned up for shearing). However I have had my ram and his 3 lambs, weighing 30 to 50 lbs each, in the pen with him too for a couple weeks while I was weaning them. Because they arent grazing, they spend a lot of time eating hay and sleeping and chewing cud. They may be bored, but they look forward to seeing me everyday to feed them. My sheep out on pasture dont care if they see me or not. They will baaaa hi at me but most of the time they dont even walk up to me lol

That makes me feel better! I'm a SAHM so I'm home all day usually so me and my DD would be out there with the does a lot if we get them!
I'm starting to get excited! I should be able to do this and have happy goats! thank you!

I'm prepared for dirt and mud too, my chickens have already made a dustbowl out of their run

 

[MaddiesMomma]

oh I forgot to add that they would only be confined to the 13x16 during our gardening season... come fall and the end of the harvest they could have free reign over most of the backyard

 

[OneFineAcre]

oh I forgot to add that they would only be confined to the 13x16 during our gardening season... come fall and the end of the harvest they could have free reign over most of the backyard

Did you think about putting a fence around the garden?

 

[OneFineAcre]

Hi All!
2. I know goats need to be bred to be kept in milk, but I have no experience helping an animal give birth and I know goats need help sometimes and I don't know if I would be getting in over my head with that? How hard is it to help a laboring goat? I have no qualms about sticking my hands where ever they need to be to help, I just don't know if I would know what to do. Would I need to get a vet involved? We aren't rich and I don't want a huge unnecessary vet bill.

I want to be a good goat mom and I have lots of love to give. I just don't know if I have enough room to make them happy.

Most laboring goats don't need any help. Nigerians are particularly easy kidders. Two times this year we were keeping a close watch on does that we knew were due that day. Checked one she was fine, not even breathing hard. 30 minutes later went back outside and she had delivered 4. Had another same thing, except she delivered 3.

We've come home and found new babies too.

But, that's not to say you can't have a complication. Most common is an incorrect presentation at birth. A breech is relatively easy to deal with, you grab the legs and pull.

Worse is if the head is first with the front legs are tucked back down along the body. You then have to reach in and get a leg forward to pull on. And most of the time they could deliver on their own even then.

I wouldn't let the fear of kidding complications stop you from getting goats. Do your homework. Get Storey's Guide to Raising Goats.
Go to the Fiasco Farm site, they have good information too as far as husbandry. Although, many on here would tell you the information isn't 100% perfect from either source. But, they are both good sources for general information.

 

[MaddiesMomma]

oh I forgot to add that they would only be confined to the 13x16 during our gardening season... come fall and the end of the harvest they could have free reign over most of the backyard

Did you think about putting a fence around the garden?

we have small raised beds everywhere, not one big plot so it isn't really feasible
thanks for the input though

 

[OneFineAcre]

oh I forgot to add that they would only be confined to the 13x16 during our gardening season... come fall and the end of the harvest they could have free reign over most of the backyard

Did you think about putting a fence around the garden?

we have small raised beds everywhere, not one big plot so it isn't really feasible
thanks for the input though

I made the suggestion because we have our garden fenced.

I have raised beds although all in one location. I should send you a picture of the fence where Ginger and Cookie bent it down because they decided the okra looked tasty.