Chickens and Pygmy goats? Questions...

[4H kids and mom]

Ok, I am loving the whole "ooo! We're a farm now" thing I'm goin threw with the chickens.

My neighbor (well, about a mile away!) breeds lovely goats and wanted to know if we wanted one or two. They are sweet and gentle and oh so cute little bity things. Mom and Dad are on scene and in great shape and still quite small. My neighbor says they are Pygmy kid goats, but have a special breed name that I don't remember. It has something to do with their hair, which is actual hair, not the coarse stuff that covers some goats. These are soft. I'm not sold yet. Wanted to ask about the whole dealio.

1. Can chickens live in a yard with a goat or two?

2. Would I need to make them each seperate pens? The goat would have one half of the yard most of the time and the chickens the other half, but I'm wondering if they could EVER be in the same area?

3. I've heard that a goat in the same yard with your flock is a natural hawk deturrant (sp?). Is that true?

4. Is it hard to keep a goat or two? I have a small area that would be an ideal size stall that I could attach a pen to, or just let them roam the yard thats fenced.

5. Do the fences hve to be special? How strong is a FEMALE pygmy kid goat when grown? They seem docile. Do they stay that way?

6. What all is involved with feeding, upkeep, etc. ? Right now they are young and still bottle fed twice a day, but eating feed too.

He isnt asking anything for them, and they are just so darn cute! I run a day care here, and the kids are loving the chicks. I just know they'd adore having something bigger too thats not something they'd see everyday. (they're all city kids)

Any advice? Should I pass on it, or is it something I could do pretty easily?

 

[Blondie]

Hi -

The goats seem to be easier to take care of than you think. They need to forage - they like weeds and brush, not necessarily grass. I suppliment with goat chow, but not too much. I also leave out baking soda free choice. It's like tums for goats. They need it if they consume to much rich foliage.

Goats are escape artists! Make sure you have a strong fence with NO holes for them to get through. They like to scratch them selves by leaning against the fence as hard as they can and walk along it. I have found they pushed the chicken house fence in and had to resecure it.

Goats need to be put to bed at night in a secured area. Not so much that they will escape, but to keep the predators out. Most dogs are considered predators. Dogs think its fun to chase goats, but it scares the heck out of the goats. If you have dogs, they will have to learn to be passive friends.

Google goat message board and you will find websites similar to this one - only for goats!

Good luck!

 

[TheBigWRanch]

Make sure to get at least two goats, they will not be happy if they are alone. I keep my goats and chickens together. The only problem I have is having to keep the chicken feeder off of the ground about 4 feet so the goats can not eat it. Since they are bottle babies, and you spend a lot of time with them, they will probably be as friendly as a dog when they grow up.

 

[tiffanyh]

Definately more than one goat is nessecary. They really bond with one another and seem to keep each other company. I have 4 pygmy goats, very small - and they are about as much work as keeping my chickens. I dont have them living together as my chickens are in my main yard and my goat are up on a hill that overlooks my house---but I wouldnt hesitate to mix them up and have considered it with the ladies bickering now and then.

As with everything--read up a bit-although if your neighbor is a "goat person" you should be all set wth advice!

Enjoy!

 

[4H kids and mom]

If I get them, I'll be taking his set of twins, I couldn't bare to seperate them! OMG! They are SOOOO cute! I'm trying to be strong here, but not hearing any real negatives is making that hard guys! Thanks alot! lol

Well, I'll study up abit before rushing into anything. In the meantime, my kids enjoy going over and feeding the bottles to the babies and getting to know them. They already follow them all around! Too cute!

 

[justusnak]

4H.....did you say, free?? Pygmy goats??? WOW, you are soooo lucky. I was looking into getting a few...but here in SE indiana....there are NEVER any "free" Pygmy's. Well....I guess its ok, we dont have the pasture set yet, but wont be long!! Then we are thinking.....miniature cows....pygmy goats...and miniature donkeys. Who knows....maybe a few miniature ponies as well. Yup, we have a "miniature farm" Only 5 acres. So I need to keep em small! LOL Good luck with the new babies....I just KNOW you will get them! ENJOY!!

 

[4H kids and mom]

lol Yea, hub is away right now. Not due back till the 21rst and today I went out to measure the "house that could be a stall". If I'm gonna do it, I gotta have a pretty good case to plead when he gets home! lol

Anywho, the stall is small, it measures 8.5' L by 6' W and 8' T. Could that comfortably house a pair of tiny goat kids at night? Their "Mom" weighs in at roughly 25 lbs and "Dad" weighs about 40, so they should be smaller than my dog...lol

Would that be big enough for use just at night or really bad weather days? They would have a pen about 25' squared to roam in all day, with a little plastic jungle gym and wooden cable spools to jump on...lol

Total sq ft would be only 51 sq ft in the stall, but roughly 625 sq ft in the pen.

 

[justusnak]

Sounds to me someone is brushing up on her math!

I think that would be a great place for 2 little goats. Will you be able to provide heat in the winter? Thier yard sounds great, plenty to keep them happy there. Have fun!!!

 

[4H kids and mom]

Hehehe Thanks!

The little 'house' thing attached to our old farm house that would be the stall for them is run for electricity and is insulated. It used to house the furnace back in the day I think. I don't think keepin it warm would be a problem. I have an extra brooder lamp I could hang up top in it with a good warm bulb....I'd think it would be toasty.

What temps are they comfortable at? Gosh, I want them so badly, but I'm smart enough to know that I know nothing about them! BUT, I'm eager enough to learn! Does that count? lol

 

[ChrissyNC]

Ooooh, I have begged and pleaded for a few pygmy goats for about a year now. DH finally agreed to the chickens, so I have to wait a bit before I can start in on the goat subject again. But he's leaving in Aug for 9 months, so maybe I can, oops, just happen to get a few babies in Sept?

My neice's daycare lady has three baby pygmy goats and the kids LOVE IT. They are all city kids too, so when they get to Dana's it's like every day is a field trip for them. Dogs, cats, goats, rabbits, they spend most of the day outside playing and not just watching movie after movie.