Backyard Goats?

[nayeli]

I'm considering getting 2 Dwarf Nigerian Goats. We have a privacy fence for our backyard and are on about 1/3 an acre (small I know).

I want to know how much they would cost for feed, and how much I should feed them.

Obviously I have other questions but before doing extensive research I want to see if is financially do able for us.

 

[H Diamond]

So, you will need some kind of shelter for them. This can be as simple as a large dog house, or could be a calf hut or something. They will need free access to fresh water. They will need a free choice goat mineral. They will also need some type of hay, preferably a high quality grass hay for them. If these are wethers (castrated males), they probably won't need anything else food wise. You could have a small amount of grain if you want to give them a handful as a treat, but if your hay is high quality, they won't need it for nutrition and if fed regularly could lead to weight and urinary problems. If you are planning on keeping does and breeding/milking them, then you will need to figure in the cost of grain and breeding fees.
Vet and medication fees will vary greatly. With 2 small goats, it would probably be cheapest for you to just get a couple doses of meds from a vet rather than buy a whole bottle. They will need wormed on occasion, if nothing else they will need fecals done to check if they need wormed. They may need selenium or copper supplements depending on your location. CD&T is a common vaccination that is yearly for adult animals.
As for an exact dollar amount each month, that will greatly vary on location. You will just need to price what hay and such is in your area to figure that out. And do yourself a favor, please don't just go buy any random goat from an auction. Try to find a responsible breeder that can sell you an animal that is clean and disease free (ask for CAE tests and check for signs of CL abcesses). It is heartbreaking to get an animal, fall in love with it, and then find out it's diseased. Culling and contaminated property are bad side affects of that.

 

[nayeli]

@H Diamond I get hay for $4 a bale (the smaller 50 lb ones). It is pretty good, not the best but not bad at all! I would be getting does. I'm just wondering how much they eat a day so I can price that. Vet bills shouldn't be much and I don't think it is expensive here to breed them (stud fees). I'm just wondering about feed cost.

Unfortunately I won't have much option about goats since the kind I want aren't common around here =/ plus there aren't a lot of goat farms mostly buying from other farmers.

 

[H Diamond]

I always figure 5% of body weight for hay consumption. If you can afford it, I would leave it free choice for them. If you figure on an "ideal average" eight of 75lbs, each doe would consume 3.75lbs per day. Take that times 2.. 7.5lbs hay per day. A 50lb bale at $4 a bale would give you 6.66 days worth of feeding at $0.60 a day.
Grain with Nigis is most definitely a per goat basis. When pregnant you can slowly up their intake to full milking ration to coincide with birth. You will just need to feed according to the doe with grain. Some of them get too fat if given any at all.

I understand not many goats around, just please don't go get a random goat. It will not turn out well in the end. If you want to send me your location in message (general is fine) I bet we can find some breeders around you.

 

[nayeli]

That means they will fall within a good price range for me to afford them! Plus I can always sell or gift extra milk! Thank you so much... now for more research =)

 

[H Diamond]

Yup, just check your local state laws about selling milk.

 

[nayeli]

I already have. We can sell up to 500lbs or gallons? of raw goat milk.