Goat Housing

[lizardz]

Hey Southern,
My husband often tells me no, too. I just abide by his decision -- for awhile. I just let it drop, then make some comment about it - "Boy, the price of goat's milk is sure going up"

Then let it sit. "Wow, look at all those brambles that you're going to need to be clearing soon." Let it sit. Eventually, they just give up. Remember, water slowly running over stone eventually wears it down. After awhile, my husband thinks it's his idea. We have three dogs, four cats, three horses, and 17 chickens (plus upgraded chicken coop, saddles, HUGE dog run and lots of other things) using this method. Doesn't piss 'em off, let's 'em think it was their idea/decision, I get what I want! Everyone wins. For all you guys out there reading this - I know your wife would never do this, so don't worry that they are Good Luck!

 

[chrissum]

I hava a dumb question, is there a lot of difference in taste between cows milk and goats milk?

 

[MissPrissy]

Quote:
Not much difference at all. If you don't handle the milk properly you can get a bit of a 'goatey' taste or if you have one of those nasty randy bucks around where you milk you can get a taste to the milk. Otherwise fresh goat milk tastes better than grocery store milk.

My does make awesomely rich and delicious milk. We pasturize it or make yogurt or cheese or custard or pudding or any number of wonderful things to eat.

 

[jenichick]

Southernchick, I went and looked at pygmy goats too. I don't want to put a damper on your decision, but I learned a few things during my visits to people who were selling them, that made me think long and hard about it.

One is an uncastrated male will spray you, hump you, jump on kids etc, and their spray has a very foul, rancid smell. The girls are more relaxed and make better pets.

They will play and tear up things in their run or their yard, they chew wood etc. They require fencing and a small building. We built 3 wall building built for our's but I still do not have the goat yet, I found out the mini donkey would kill them and couldn't keep together.

Good luck though!

 

[Southern28Chick]

Quote:
If I was able to get them I would of course fence them in with proper housing and everything. I've been told yet agian that I have to wait until we get more land before I'm "aloud" to get goats. When we get our 20+ arces I plan on having a goat farm so it would be nice to practice on a couple here.

 

[MissPrissy]

If it is any help at all I still think you need 2 does now LOL

 

[mdbucks]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16958

 

[lexustami]

Trisha,

I have 8 goats. 1 pygmy nannie, 1 pygmy kid, 1 Nubian billy, 2 Boer cross nannies and 3 Pygmy billies. They are all so cute and I just love them so much.

I got the first 4 in July and the last 4 on Saturday. The Pygmy nannie and her kid, the Nubian billy and one of the boer crosses free range on 18 acres.

The other 4 are in quarantine and won't be going out for a while. They have pink eye that I'm treating and I think a respritory infection.

They are receiving antibiotics 1x a day and eye ointment 2x a day. I can order most of what I need to treat them myself online or can get it at the feed store.

I had the vet come out when I got the first 4 and she told me what I needed to do for any more that I got.

I vaccinated them with the goat 7 way ($3.50 for a 10 dose vial) and I dewormed them. I will also vaccinate them for tetanus and rabies.

They get fed goat pellets in the morning and in the evening and free range during the rest of the day.

I doubt I would have had any trouble with them at all if I didn't buy them at a livestock auction. I just feel so bad for those animals that I have to come home with something. My husband hates it when I go.

I stayed away from the exotic auction last weekend in Mt. Hope because I knew I was going to come home with peacocks and my husband convinced me that we aren't ready for those yet. And I know he is right... this time. LOL

Take care,

Tami

P.S. We have a huge barn and they stay in horse stalls.

 

[Chirpy]

Tami - what kind of fencing is around your 18 acres?

 

[lexustami]

The back part and sides are cattle wire because we are next to a cattle farm. The front is mixed with cattle wire and 4 slat wood fencing. There are a lot of pricker bushes along the cattle wire so I don't think they would try to get out through there but... they have collars with name tags and our phone number just in case they do get out.

Take care,

Tami