To get goats or not to get goats?

[mully]

What ever you do ...do not rush into this. Be prepared and know you CAN do this even though you want to. If you plan right you can be totally ready when it is time to get goats.... you Both have to agree so work out the details so no one suffers.....you, your husband or the goats.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

TEN DOLLARS A BALE!?!?!

wow.

the thing is - you want to make sure you're getting more $$ worth from the milk then you are pouring into them. otherwise you got yourself an expensive hobby. you can milk a doe on grass/weeds but you wont get a lot of milk that way.

we totally make our money back on our milkers - just by using the milk to supplement the rest of the barnyard (chickens, pigs, turkeys) and for our dairy needs. it would be tough on $10/bale.

if it would be worth it to have them clear out your weeds - but you'd need to factor in hay for the winter (depending on where you live).

can you visit someone with goats locally? search online for breeders or check out your local 4H club. you'll get a better idea of costs and how others are set up by seeing someone already in action.

good luck!

 

[PureSnowChic]

Thank you for all the replies everyone.


Food is really expensive here, so I think we would be saving some money. I told DH that we need to calculate how much milk, cheese, buttermilk, sour cream, etc we buy each month, and compare that to how much feeding goats would be.

I still think they could get a lot of their feed from the hillside. And we don't really have winter here. It just gets greener with more grass. Here are pics from November.

I think we are going to wait a bit. Maybe next spring. I would like to make them their own pen and wait until I start working again, just in case.

 

[mossyStone]

you have a beautiful place and lovely chickens.. I see goats in your future!!!!!! ps 10 bucks a bale i wish i could find good hay at that price


Mossy Stone Farm