Worst aspects of having goats?

[barefoot_bast]

In preparation for eventually having goats, I want to steel myself. Prepare myself. What have you found to be the worst (or most humorous, or whatever) part of having goats?
Is is the escaping? The eating things they shouldn't? Something I have yet to imagine? Tell me!

 

[Mini Horses]

Surely, their penchant for challenging fences!

But the antics and love they give far outweighs this for most of them. . Not all are so mischievous. My milking does know their names and respond to it. Quiet time for me as I listen to them chewing contentedly, while the sound of good milk goes into the pail...it's therapeutic.

If you don't want milkers, their companionship and goofy antics are fun...especially young ones playing chase. Goats are very, very smart, clever and have elephant memory. They often learn to open locks, gates, etc. Months later, not forgotten.

GET THEM!! Never a dull moment....and they will grow on ya.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Forewarned if you get a billy (buck): They pee on their faces, and generally STINK to high heaven, especially if there are nannies or does nearby. They require strong fencing.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I may be the only one who says my goats aren't escape artists. If there's an open gate they will go through - if the fence has a tree on top of it from a hurricane they'll take advantage - but they aren't jumpers and they don't destroy fences.

The exception to that is their penchant for trying to commit suicide by food. They will definitely kill themselves willingly with overeating. Make sure your gates into any feed area are secure. My feed storage is totally outside their area - learned the hard way.

Yep - boys are odiferous during breeding season!

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I may be the only one who says my goats aren't escape artists ..... and they don't destroy fences.

You are lucky! My wether, Camo, when ye was a youngster, could climb. He climbed chain link fences, trees, sheds, anything under 6' tall. Mostly he stayed near the pen anyway, because the other goats couldn't get out and he didn't want to be far from them. LOL But every evening, he'd be waiting by the gate to be let back in, or he'd just climb over again. He grew out of it. Now he just gets stuck in the fence.

Spot, my billy, can tear hell out of a fence. I have rigid livestock panels lined with chain link, and T-posts every 6-feet. Looks like ocean waves where he's beat his head against it.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I think part of the trick is to not let them make a habit of it. I had a Nubian buck once jump a stock panel with a 2 x 6 on top from a standstill. He never did it again because by the next day there was a hot wire topping it.

 

[Alaskan]

I definitely found fencing the goats the biggest challenge.

Milking with arthritis was a huge challenge.

But with that said.... milk goats are great.

 

[barefoot_bast]

Spot, my billy, can tear hell out of a fence. I have rigid livestock panels lined with chain link, and T-posts every 6-feet. Looks like ocean waves where he's beat his head against it.

That's crazy! Is that from horns, or is he polled/disbudded?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

That's crazy! Is that from horns, or is he polled/disbudded?

He has horns! A beautiful matched set.

 

[rachels.haven]

Coccidia is the worst thing about goats.
My goats do what I want as long as I make it in their own self interest. My children on the other hand...nope.