INFO ON GOATS? I NEED HELP WITH THIS PROJECT...

[Chickenfan4life]

Hannah, I hope you don't mind me highjacking for a minute.... Nathan, nice goaties!!

I am also trying to gage my first goat purchase. Here's the thing, I have my chickens who I LOVE. We have had way too many fox in the area this summer, so my poor babies have been held hostage in their coops and runs. What to do?... well, seems the great dane and yorkie I have, although helpful, are not fitting the bill. SO.. I get a great pyrenees... puppy.... she's only 11 weeks (today). Stay with me... I promise this gets to goats.

My Pyr has been raised (until 9 weeks) with goats. Goats have always been in the plan for my family. I believe we would like to get Dwarf Nigerians, for the milk, high butterfat content, size, and easiness of handling. So my question... How old of a goat do I get? I don't want my pup to hurt the goat, or the goat to hurt my pup. Pyr breeder told me beween 3-9 mons. I found a 4 month old, poled doeling. She is registered, but has not had testing done. I realize I have to have two and thought I'd get a proven doe to get with her. I plan to get the doeling tested immediately.

I have solar powered electric net fencing ~a friend of mine with Dwarf Nigerians has the same fencing and says it'll keep em in. Any advice for me goat people?

I do not know how old a goat you would need to get. If you want milk right away, you should probably get a grown goat, but if you want a tame pet goat, I would suggest getting a kid. Unfortunetly, I have to say that the breeder is right. You should wait until your puppy is older, and more like an adult dog than a puppy. Being only 11 months old, he will probably know nothing about protecting livestock, or behaving properly around it. Instead, he will want to play with the goat all the time.

Also, I agree with Stacy. An only goat is a lonely goat. You should get another doe or a wether. Both would make excellent companions for your goat. If you read the previous pages of this thread, I thought a wether was a breed of goat. As it turned out, a wether is a castrated buck.

As for fencing, I am still trying to figure out how I would contain goats if I got some. Lol.

I hope you get your goats, and I hope that it all works out in the end.

 

[Henny peeny]

You know they have flock gardians a.. mamarams a.. dang hold on Maremma that is it on another message baord I was on they told of this dog it is to gaurd your flock chickens anything not children it is raised with the animal it is to gaurd THESE ARE NOT PETS they are raised with the animal so it thinks it is one of them I hear tell of having more them one you walk it around the porporty and it know where the boundies are and will stay in it if a animal comes in to do harn it will chase it out I think it will attack if need be I have not heard of attack though and one lady had 3 of them they are nice animals but only for protection of other animals they do not do well as a pet I hear.

Thanks on the death of my goats, they are together oh I reread thing and it sound like a week after her death I put her with her friend no she was burried with hter friend it wa about w eek I think maybe two that Patunia died I don't know if I could do anything fast enough but this bloat I knew it was it. but since I heard somehing else I don't know. she was so big and it looked like aballon was in her belly. I have only chickens and rabbits I had a baby rat that his brother gave me a wild rat was two but one die the other one got eatring a drinking but was always scared of me I got bit a few times and I felt he was ready to go on his own. Ikeep telling the kids they are called wild for a reason I have to start listening to what I preach huh?

I would love to have a few more goats but not here I wish we had enough room for them I loved them I sit a pet them and pplay catch me with them yes I miss them but I think my son is taking care of them in Heaven for me. as he is with all my animals till I can see all of them again one day.

Rhayden

 

[LydiaB]

With Nigerian Dwarfs, it doesn't matter how old they are, they will not be a match for a GP. You will need to just keep an eye on the dog. the 4 month old goat should get along fine with a dog, depending on what she learned from her herd. We have a couple of goats who hate our dog, they always head butt him through the fence, but most of our herd is fine with him. One of the goats would attack the dog if she got out. He is the one who started it though, because he is always barking at them. All of our kids (goat) are fine with the dog, so I think a 4 month old would be fine. One of ours is almost 6 months and is still fine with the dog.
The electric fence will work fine, as long as they are trained to it. They need to know that it is dangerous. I believe to train them you just have it on really high until they touch it and find out it hurts. You can look it up in goat books or online. I use woven wire. I started with some welded wire, but they like to rub the fence and that splits the welds. I really like Red Brand sheep/goat fence. It is really heavy duty woven wire.
Getting a doe to go with your goat is a good idea. just get a tested doe. I started with a 5 year old and 4 month old goat. With the 4 month old, when she kids for the first time be prepared for a milk battle. Some first fresheners are better than others, but ours was a pain. I didn't train her before she kidded, so when I started touching her udder she got really mad. I would recomend feeding grain on the milk stand (which I did) and while she eats gently touch her udder. I have been doing that with my doelings this year. I don't know if it will work, but I hope so.

 

[Chickenfan4life]

I know this much: Mom agrees on goats, and we were cleaning the barn today, and found the perfect spot for goats to go, so it really is only a matter of time before I know my answer. Soon enough, in the spring, I am gonna ask my Dad if I can get goats. In the meantime, I am proving myself very responsible by, according to my Mom, taking good care of the chickens.

Duh, I always take care of the chickens!

I also make a habit of getting a good amount of knowledge about what I'm doing, before actually doing it. Oh, I hope I can get some goats!!! Just'a hopin' for the best, here!

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Okay peoples.... we are now with goat!! We have no farm name, and are considering 'Taking the Plunge Acres" or 'Leap of Faith Farm" . Both would be appropriate I believe.

What I have learned since getting her home less than 24 hrs ago.... she NEEDS a friend!! I think we spent so much time making sure we got 'just the right goat', that I put all other research on hold. I now have calls in to at least 3 breeders looking for another, papered, tested, young, unrelated doeling. And Here She IS!! LOVE LOVE LOVE her already.

 

[Henny peeny]

I'M JEALOUS she is beautiful yes I am so Jealous




Rhayden

 

[Chickenfan4life]

Okay peoples.... we are now with goat!! We have no farm name, and are considering 'Taking the Plunge Acres" or 'Leap of Faith Farm" . Both would be appropriate I believe.

What I have learned since getting her home less than 24 hrs ago.... she NEEDS a friend!! I think we spent so much time making sure we got 'just the right goat', that I put all other research on hold. I now have calls in to at least 3 breeders looking for another, papered, tested, young, unrelated doeling. And Here She IS!! LOVE LOVE LOVE her already.

Oh, I really hope I can get a goat like that! Jealous!

 

[Nikki99]

Okay peoples.... we are now with goat!! We have no farm name, and are considering 'Taking the Plunge Acres" or 'Leap of Faith Farm" . Both would be appropriate I believe.

What I have learned since getting her home less than 24 hrs ago.... she NEEDS a friend!! I think we spent so much time making sure we got 'just the right goat', that I put all other research on hold. I now have calls in to at least 3 breeders looking for another, papered, tested, young, unrelated doeling. And Here She IS!! LOVE LOVE LOVE her already.

OMG she's absolutely adorable!!!! Congrats on your new baby and I wish you much luck finding her a friend!! She's so cute!!

 

[Blarneyeggs]

We are on day 4 with no friend for my Lily (breeder named her and we liked it). She is TERRIBLY sad! Now I totally get why it's so important to make sure they have a friend. We are going tomorrow to pick up another doeling of a similar age. I am very lucky to have found this breeder with a doeling. Her goats show and win. Look like real good milkers. And I read over and over again to get quality animals from quality breeders.

Although Lily is sad, she has come out of her shy state and depends on us for company. I can walk her on a lead, or off lead and she just follows me around, she has stolen my heart. She escaped the first day from the pen we thought we would use. She is now in a 6 foot high fenced in run. When she jumps, she can almost get out. I'm hoping when we get her friend here, she'll be more content and we can move them after a day or 2 to the larger area with a 4 foot high electric fence.

 

[Skipspin]

Maybe you could find a little wethers so she has a friend while you are looking for an older goat? Many dairy breeders will sell them inexpensively for companions, and if you have pasture they don't eat much at all once grown. That's what we did and it has worked out great.