Goats!?!?!

[Mini Madness]

I have raised pygmy goats for 16yr. Dead lvs and such are fine-no table scraps they are not pigs and despite rumor they don't eat anything. Chickens can cause them to have coccidiouses as well. They need shelter and occ worming and I give mine cd&tvaccine) and hoof trim every2 or 3 months. They need loose minerals labled for goats and proper goat feed about 1cup per day if they are adults. They need horse quality hay Not cow hay if there is not a lot of forage or grass. Some plants can kill them as well. Wild cherry/english ivy/azalea(rhododendron) for example. 478 357 0826 if you want to gv me a buzz. This is a cell phone I live in Athens now. Feel free to come and see me if you think they would do it.

 

[Mini Madness]

I have raised pygmy goats for 16yr. Dead lvs and such are fine-no table scraps they are not pigs and despite rumor they don't eat anything. Chickens can cause them to have coccidiouses as well. They need shelter and occ worming and I give mine cd&tvaccine) and hoof trim every2 or 3 months. They need loose minerals labled for goats and proper goat feed about 1cup per day if they are adults. They need horse quality hay Not cow hay if there is not a lot of forage or grass. Some plants can kill them as well. Wild cherry/english ivy/azalea(rhododendron) for example. 478 357 0826 if you want to gv me a buzz. This is a cell phone I live in Athens now. Feel free to come and see me if you think they would do it.

 

[Mini Madness]

So recently my parents announced that we are getting goats. I was skeptical then, and I still am for these reasons. For one, they didn't even really think about it. From what they have told us, they talked to some friends who had them, saw some pictures, and decided to get them. This is a problem in my opinion because they aren't weighing the good with the bad. The reason they say they want them is to eat leaves, branches, ect. in the woods so they will look better, and also "just because" I know close to nothing about goats but I'm pretty sure they can't eat dead leaves and branches and the occasional table scraps and be healthy can they? Wouldn't they need supplementary feed like chickens do? I tried explaining this to my parents but they won't listen. Also, we live on 1.3 acres and they are planning on having them in a crecent moon shaped fence (on the outside of the chicken run) which they say will help keep predators away from the chickens... The area can't be more than 100 sq. feet. (they also want to move them around... on a leash... so that they can eat leaves and sticks in other places) They are planning on getting two "female pygmie goats" Sorry about this load of information but I really don't think it is a good idea even though I would like to have goats. can somebody explain what I should do?

I am going to second tadpole here. I had pygmy goats as well and they are not good with their kids most of the time. We had about 10-15 goats on 40 acres and I remember many a night helping deliver triplets in the pouring rain and then she didn't want to feed them. Goats are a lot of work. They will require special fencing as tadpole said because they will get through everything else. To me, they are worth the work. I absolutely loved our goats but between injuries and trouble in labor and bottle feeding often...they are not something to jump into. With 1.5 acres you would only need probably two goats and I would suggest another breed. They are good at clearing land but what are they going to do with them after the land is cleared? They also will need feed year around as 1.5 acres is not enough to keep them satisfied after they clear it. I hope your parents will reconsider or think on it more.

 

[Mini Madness]

I disagree with SteelMagnolia my pygmy goats are awesome moms! Not to say occasionally that there is 1 in the bunch but overall great. As far as quads pygmy can have 1-4 kids but usually 2 is normal it just depends on the genetics as well. You can milk pygmy they actually have great quality milk but if these are not used to being milked(any goat)then a battle will ensue! I also raise lamanchas that I milk. I have pygmy goats that I have 2 milk down because they are so full the kids can't get anything out without me doing so~I can get about 32oz out of them without taking all the milk. This isn' a lot of milk but not bad it just depends on how much you need. Also, if you milk goats you have to still gv milk to kids so....may want to wait till they wean. I rent my bucks out if it is 1 I am fixing to sell. Pygmy and nigerian are in heat Every 18~21 days year round and are fertile at 3month so boys need to be seperate.

 

[SteelMagnolia]

I disagree with SteelMagnolia my pygmy goats are awesome moms! Not to say occasionally that there is 1 in the bunch but overall great. As far as quads pygmy can have 1-4 kids but usually 2 is normal it just depends on the genetics as well. You can milk pygmy they actually have great quality milk but if these are not used to being milked(any goat)then a battle will ensue! I also raise lamanchas that I milk. I have pygmy goats that I have 2 milk down because they are so full the kids can't get anything out without me doing so~I can get about 32oz out of them without taking all the milk. This isn' a lot of milk but not bad it just depends on how much you need. Also, if you milk goats you have to still gv milk to kids so....may want to wait till they wean. I rent my bucks out if it is 1 I am fixing to sell. Pygmy and nigerian are in heat Every 18~21 days year round and are fertile at 3month so boys need to be seperate.

Maybe mine were just stubborn then

 

[Stacykins]

Chickens can cause them to have coccidiouses as well.

Actually, the coccidia that infect chickens cannot infect goats, and vice versa. The protozoan is species specific. Both types are very commonly found in healthy, adult animals at sub infectious levels. Though stress or illness can cause it to proliferate in adults, and young animals also have few defenses against it, which is why they are often given prophylaxis until they are six months old.

 

[Mini Madness]

ok, that really made me giggle. probably because it's so true!

 

[Mini Madness]

Pygmy Do Not have a hard time kidding and are great moms! You just have to watch how you breed them and nigerians as well. Genetics can play into it back 2 'great grandparents' on both sides. This is what people don't understand! Wethers do make better pets I do have 2 agree. Pygmy are easy keepers and are awesome pets. They do not require the amount of food bigger goats do or the space. Educated breeders know this. Genetics can also play to the temperment of a goat as well as health and birthing capabilities and nuturing capabilities. I have lamanchas as well and they are great as with any dairy breed the amount of feed and supplements if u want to call it that so they can be milked and have all the requirements they need is Huge compared to a pygmy or nigerian. I should know. Your parents sound like they have a lot to learn and I suggest they talk to goat vets or even if your extension service has a 4h dept

 

[Mini Madness]

Pygmy Do Not have a hard time kidding and are great moms! You just have to watch how you breed them and nigerians as well. Genetics can play into it back 2 'great grandparents' on both sides. This is what people don't understand! Wethers do make better pets I do have 2 agree. Pygmy are easy keepers and are awesome pets. They do not require the amount of food bigger goats do or the space. Educated breeders know this. Genetics can also play to the temperment of a goat as well as health and birthing capabilities and nuturing capabilities. I have lamanchas as well and they are great as with any dairy breed the amount of feed and supplements if u want to call it that so they can be milked and have all the requirements they need is Huge compared to a pygmy or nigerian. I should know. Your parents sound like they have a lot to learn and I suggest they talk to goat vets or even if your extension service has a 4h dept

 

[Mini Madness]

Stupid phone! 4h dept that has a goat club and ask the person in charge there. People who don't do extensive research on any animals is just plain irrisponsible!! Like eating table scraps and branches and so on if someone came up to me and said this I wouldn't sell them a goat until they did more research and such! One lady asked me if her stautuary would be ok I said why wouldn't it be then it dawned on me she meant would the goats eat it~I mean really?! So she didn't ever get any from me just couldn't get it thru to her they Don't eat anything~as far as having a hard time birthing anything will have an occasional issue but it is not the norm~know your goats and generations b4 them on both doe/buck sides and for Petes sake breed them at the right age 12-18months as I said they are fertile at 3months but don't need to be bred then. I have some does that are for pets only because they will never be big enough to breed now not to say there aren't idiots out there who did anyway....