I AM GETTING A GOAT !!

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Totally understand, such dilemmas is why I don't eat meat, if I did I would want my own as well.

 

[cassie]

a goat usually eats a third of a bale of hay but it depends on the goat i have to boer goats and i give them 1 to 1 1/2 flakes of hay a day

It also depends on the size of the bale. Whether they are three wire bales which weigh 125 pounds or more or two wire bales which weigh maybe 60 pounds if that. A third of a three wire bale for a goat is an awful lot of hay.

 

[Kidhenduckohmy]

Picked up some goat toys today..

Another question too.... we are using my old coop for a temporary goat shelter. Now for the chickens I had put in a wooden floor to help make it predator proof. But I am wondering if I should rip out the wood and bring it back down to dirt floor?

I am very excited about the goats...yet part of me misses my old chicken coop as I had planned on putting chickens in it again. Like 40 some chickens is not enough. :/

 

[MeepBeep]

But I am wondering if I should rip out the wood and bring it back down to dirt floor?

That would be up to you, just remember goats are not house trained they pee and poo where they stand, so either way you are going to have to put down some type of bedding to absorb the pee and allow for cleaning...

And nice wooden reels, I was going to get some for my goats but have been hesitant since they all have the faint gene and I have noticed on occasion it kicks in when they jump down from things, resulting in a face plant...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Nice spools, I understand about the chicken coop, never enough chickens, goats will urinate inside the shed and the floor would eventually rot, we have a dirt floor, we have used mulch and hay as bedding, if you feed them hay inside they will waste enough to be bedding.

 

[Kidhenduckohmy]

Well, it took awhile, but look what we brought home today! It is an oberhasali doe and a Nigerian dwarf wether. They are so cute!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Those are an adorable pair. Congratulations.

 

[ridingtailboard]

Very nice. They seem to like the spool.

 

[MeepBeep]

Picked up some goat toys today..

Nice, I really want to get a few, and there is a not so local place on Craigslist that gives them away occasionally, but my trailer isn't big enough to make the drive worth the hassle...

Plus I have to be careful with 'climbing' things in my pasture as all mine are fainters and they can fall off or have real bad landings when they jump off it they get spooked...

 

[nab58]

I'm getting two Nigerian dwarf wethers in June. They will be my first goats so I am asking the same questions you have been. This thread has been very helpful! I think I will be going with electrified fence as we have coyote, bobcat, fishers, etc. I want to allow them to come and go from the shelter into the paddock area on their own. We will build the enclosure from wood pallets and would like an overhang to keep their feed and water. They were just born last week so I have a while before they come home. I'm VERY excited about it! Here they are at 1 day old.