goat question

[agnes_day]

can you keep a pygmy goat in your backyard as a pet?
i have always wanted a pet goat, and i am trying to learn more about them..namely if you can keep them in the city. by saying keeping them in the city, i mean would they be happy and content in a backyard setting.
any advice is appreciated! i would rather let my ignorance shine than carry through with something that may be a bad idea!

 

[MandyH]

I don't know about city ordinances, you would have to check into that, but we kept our 2 little pygmys in the back fenced in yard. Be aware that they can and will jump, climb, open latches and whatever else mischief they can come up with while you are away at work!!

AND they will eat the siding and/or wood off the house. etc...

 

[simba49450]

congrats!!

im getting my fist baby pygmy goat on the 19th. also you have to be careful of hawks they can carry off a baby pygmy with little effort. i live in the country and mine will be penned up unless im right there. you may want to do this also since you live within city limits. just a idea.

 

[helmstead]

You have to check your city and neighborhood ordinances...but YES! Goats are great back yard pets! Some would say they're better than dogs, hehehe. Plan on more than one, though!

 

[Indiana hens]

I bought a pair from a backyard in the city. The fellow claimed that they had raised them for many years and just keeps 2. His kids were getting older and spending less time with them and the 2 he had weren't as friendly as he wanted so he was going to take a break. Please don't get goats hoping the kids will take care of them. I have another customer that has been battling the city to keep her goat. Some have ordinances for commercial use which is a totally different thing than a backyard goat. Noteygmies, Gf has to deliver kids because my hand are too big. We have not had any trouble with Nubians and they give alot of milk.

 

[stilwellchick]

Remember that goats are herd animals and you should never have just one. You need two, a lonely goat gets into mischief!

 

[agnes_day]

oh i would never get ANYTHING hoping my kids would take care of it! like the dog someone dumped in front of our house that they swore up and down that they would feed every single day etc. .

 

[ametauss]

Growing up we lived in a Suburb of the City and only had one goat but we did have a dog.... We raised the goat from 6 wks and he believed he was a dog... he walked on his hind legs, shook, and even did a little jig for dog bones.... My oldest brother would put a motorcycle helmet on and head but his little nubs....

Our neighbor thought we had a doberman that was very vicious since we created a pen inside of our yard to keep the goat out of my Mom's plants.....

I would check w/your city....

Good luck and enjoy.... I now have 4 pygmies and am awaiting the arrival of my little babies from my 3 does in Feb.

 

[Possumpoint]

If you do decide to keep your little goat in your yard, you may want to go online to check to see if any of the plants you have will poison your goat. Trust me, they can and will eat anything. I'm goatless now, but when I do have goats (hope to get more this spring) we have a 1/4 acre fenced in goat area with housing for them.

www.goatworld.com is a great site for all the goat info you need for feeding info, medications and they even have a sister site www.goat911, for emergency situations for goats.

 

[PotterWatch]

I have my two mini-mancha girls living in my backyard. Definitely suburban with houses on all sides. They seem perfectly happy though. Just make sure it's not against city codes and that your neighbors will be ok with the noise. Our girls are fairly quiet, but I know there are some goats out there that can be really noisy.