Here's my area for them, also make sure they have things to climb on. Also most importantly make sure the holes in the fence aren't too big that their heads can get through
Anyone have dwarf goats?
- Thread starter junior67
- Start date
Mine don't get fed anything extra. They have 15 acres of prairie land/forest and then across the road have another 40 acre field that is mostly prairie/ pasture they run around in.
Mine refuse to eat grass for some reason...I literally have to mow the pen
but they also have a small space- Thread starter
- #14
Thank you!!!
I had a few dwarf or pygmy goats for a few years. One was a fainting goat and he was hilarious! But all of them were entertaining and the easiest creatures to care for on a daily basis.
Some of my thoughts:
I recommend NOT getting a billy, or if you do, get him castrated. In the presence of nannies, the billy can become aggressive and territorial. Heck, he'll even do that if there are NO nannies. He pees on his face. Yes, he turns his head and aims his pecker at his face on purpose. Something about the scent. And OMG does the smell ever cling to your clothes and hands, it's oily and it stinks! He'll also ram his head into anything, anytime, for any reason. Usually out of boredom or being blocked out of somewhere he wants to go (in the nannies' pen, for example). He can break down a fence in no time.
They'll stick their heads through the fence if the holes are remotely large enough to squeeze through, and if they have horns, they can get stuck and things get serious in a heartbeat. Make SURE the fence has holes small enough they canNOT get their heads through. Less than 4"x4" (chain link is GREAT). Those wire cattle panels are NOT safe. Ask me how I know.
We layered our cattle panels with chain link, and that finally was secure to keep that billy goat away from the nannies (when I did not want them to breed). T-posts every 6-feet. After a season of head-butting, the fence looked like waves on the ocean. I'm told it would have been better to pen him up away from the nannies where he could not see them, or line the fence with wood panels or pallets.
However, they never ever tried to breach the livestock gates. Plenty of room for them to squeeze through between the pipes, but they never tried. I have no idea why. That wether goat, though - could scale just about any fence before he finally grew too heavy to try it. Up and over a 4-ft chainlink like a breeze until he was about a year old.
We gave the goats to our son who kept them penned up for several months, and they birthed kids in that pen, but finally he just let them roam free. They never left the farm. They might wander down the drive to the road (gravel, dead-end), or to the far end of the pasture, but never left the property in two years. Very much home-bodies and prefered to stay in familiar territory.
They slept in a lean-to or garden shed when weather was wet or snowy, but otherwise they just camped out in the middle of the farmyard. Right out in the open. I think they liked this best because they could see in all directions and nothing could sneak up on them.
Herding goats is EASY to get them to go where you want. Want them to go in the pen or into a trailer? Just rattle that feed bucket or treats in a can. They'll follow you ANYwhere. If they were out of sight, I'd call them: "Hey, billy-billy-billy goats! Come and get it!" And they'd come running. Goats are very food-motivated. Don't try to 'herd' them into a trailer or pen, it doesn't work. But rattle a bit of feed in a bucket, and you're the Pied Piper. My neighbor and I walked two nannies from her place to ours, a half-mile down the road, with just a feed bucket. We had them on leashes, but it wasn't needed.
To separate them into different pens was easy, too. They'd all follow me into the first pen, then I'd start back to the gate. Throw a few treats on the ground to grab their attention, then rattle that can again. Confusion. Easy then to block the ones you want to stay in the pen while leading the other(s) out the gate and into the next pen.
Do NOT let them have grain. It causes urinary tract infections and kidney problems. Give them pelleted goat feed as a supplement if you want, but mostly just feed hay and let them forage. Our vet said hay and forage is best, the rougher the forage the better. In the winter, I'd pull the kudzu(?) or nuisance vines off the trees in the ravine and fencerows and throw that in the pen for some green feed. They LOVED it. I also used this time to prune lower limbs on trees, and they loved that, too. Ate every leaf and bit of bark off the limbs.
Keep their hooves trimmed. Check every couple of months or so. If they have rocks to run or climb on, it helps.
Good luck! You're in for an adventure!
Some of my thoughts:
I recommend NOT getting a billy, or if you do, get him castrated. In the presence of nannies, the billy can become aggressive and territorial. Heck, he'll even do that if there are NO nannies. He pees on his face. Yes, he turns his head and aims his pecker at his face on purpose. Something about the scent. And OMG does the smell ever cling to your clothes and hands, it's oily and it stinks! He'll also ram his head into anything, anytime, for any reason. Usually out of boredom or being blocked out of somewhere he wants to go (in the nannies' pen, for example). He can break down a fence in no time.
They'll stick their heads through the fence if the holes are remotely large enough to squeeze through, and if they have horns, they can get stuck and things get serious in a heartbeat. Make SURE the fence has holes small enough they canNOT get their heads through. Less than 4"x4" (chain link is GREAT). Those wire cattle panels are NOT safe. Ask me how I know.
We layered our cattle panels with chain link, and that finally was secure to keep that billy goat away from the nannies (when I did not want them to breed). T-posts every 6-feet. After a season of head-butting, the fence looked like waves on the ocean. I'm told it would have been better to pen him up away from the nannies where he could not see them, or line the fence with wood panels or pallets.
However, they never ever tried to breach the livestock gates. Plenty of room for them to squeeze through between the pipes, but they never tried. I have no idea why. That wether goat, though - could scale just about any fence before he finally grew too heavy to try it. Up and over a 4-ft chainlink like a breeze until he was about a year old.
We gave the goats to our son who kept them penned up for several months, and they birthed kids in that pen, but finally he just let them roam free. They never left the farm. They might wander down the drive to the road (gravel, dead-end), or to the far end of the pasture, but never left the property in two years. Very much home-bodies and prefered to stay in familiar territory.
They slept in a lean-to or garden shed when weather was wet or snowy, but otherwise they just camped out in the middle of the farmyard. Right out in the open. I think they liked this best because they could see in all directions and nothing could sneak up on them.
Herding goats is EASY to get them to go where you want. Want them to go in the pen or into a trailer? Just rattle that feed bucket or treats in a can. They'll follow you ANYwhere. If they were out of sight, I'd call them: "Hey, billy-billy-billy goats! Come and get it!" And they'd come running. Goats are very food-motivated. Don't try to 'herd' them into a trailer or pen, it doesn't work. But rattle a bit of feed in a bucket, and you're the Pied Piper. My neighbor and I walked two nannies from her place to ours, a half-mile down the road, with just a feed bucket. We had them on leashes, but it wasn't needed.
To separate them into different pens was easy, too. They'd all follow me into the first pen, then I'd start back to the gate. Throw a few treats on the ground to grab their attention, then rattle that can again. Confusion. Easy then to block the ones you want to stay in the pen while leading the other(s) out the gate and into the next pen.
Do NOT let them have grain. It causes urinary tract infections and kidney problems. Give them pelleted goat feed as a supplement if you want, but mostly just feed hay and let them forage. Our vet said hay and forage is best, the rougher the forage the better. In the winter, I'd pull the kudzu(?) or nuisance vines off the trees in the ravine and fencerows and throw that in the pen for some green feed. They LOVED it. I also used this time to prune lower limbs on trees, and they loved that, too. Ate every leaf and bit of bark off the limbs.
Keep their hooves trimmed. Check every couple of months or so. If they have rocks to run or climb on, it helps.
Good luck! You're in for an adventure!
Last edited:
Sussex19
Free Ranging
Goats don't really eat grass. They are browser, not grazers. I so often see ads for goats saying they 'will be great lawn mowers' and that makes me so cross!Mine refuse to eat grass for some reason...I literally have to mow the pen
They like herbs and shrubs, tree branches and leaves.
I have a Pygmy/Australian miniature and a Mini Boer. My family member who I raise goats with has Australian miniatures, and mini Nubians.
Good fences are a must. We don't have to feed much and we feed only hay outside of kidding season. When they've got kids we'll feed daily a mix of chaff and small amounts of grain and/or pellets.
If you've got trees you particularly love protect them well because they will be killed.
Good fences are a must. We don't have to feed much and we feed only hay outside of kidding season. When they've got kids we'll feed daily a mix of chaff and small amounts of grain and/or pellets.
If you've got trees you particularly love protect them well because they will be killed.
They definitely like the tree leaves
Also like everyone said make sure to stay on top of hoof trims, mine grow really fast so I have to do them every month normally
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