Goat sitters?

[emsevers]

Ok, so I've decided that I want to get 2 nigerian dwarf goats. I want 1 doe and 1 wether and I want to have them for milk. I live in the city but I've talked to the city manager and they said as long as you don't have complaints they're ok. I have really great neighbors so they aren't going to be a problem. I have suddenly had this great need to produce as much of my own food as possible and I realized that you could get so much from goats milk (milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream).

So I have a couple of concerns that I haven't quite figured out. One is that one of the breeders we talked to said that the doe's can get loud when they are in "heat". I'm wondering how loud that is. I would be able to bring them inside the garage for that period of time at least at nighttime to keep the noise down. I've been told that this time is from 24-72 hours. Is that right?

My second concern is I'm not sure what I would do if we went out of town on vacation. We don't leave very often. Only like once a year for 1 or 2 weeks. I don't have any friends or family that would be willing to milk a goat. They seem to think that it's really weird and gross. So I'm wondering if there are boarding services or people that would come to you house to take care of them. I'm not really sure what the answer is for this one. I would have people that would take care of the chickens because they're easy but I'm not what I would do with the goats. I hate to miss out on having them just because I want to leave the house for a week out of the year.

 

[Dr.Doorlock]

Forget the boarding service. How would you like a vacation in TEXAS?. I would just LOVE to trade places with you for a week anytime. Come on down and enjoy the warm climate. Take care of my three Boston Terriers and 8 hens while I take care of whatever you've got.

I just need to see a mountain and a forest again.

 

[hobbyfarmer]

We raised nigies for several years and I can tell you that vacations were always a huge negotiation. Dairy animals of any type are a big commitment.

Can you get someone to just feed and check on your goats for you? I think with only one doe to milk, I would just breed her with the intention of having her dried off but not quite due to kid during the vacation. You won't milk her right up until her due date. She'll have to be dried off for a few months to get ready to start producing for new kids and get her body condition back. You have a window of about 3 months usually between the last day you milk and the due date for the next kids. Nigies aren't seasonal breeders; you can plan the kidding dates pretty much whenever you want.

 

[Thomas423]

My goats are very quiet after dark. They can be very vocal during the day but as soon as it gets dark they quiet down to a whisper. I've read from others that their goats are not so quiet at nighttime though. I always thought that mine were quiet so that predators can't hear them.

As far as the milking goes check with your local 4H. You might find a local teen who needs a side job. Also, you might find someone along the way who likes goat milk and would be willing to trade service for milk.

 

[PotterWatch]

I don't know about how loud they are when in heat because I'm not certain if we have been through that yet. We did have one night where one of our does was being noisy, which was odd. They are usually completely silent from the time I shut their gate at night until the morning when they start yelling to get out and be milked. I'm not certain if she was in heat then or not as it hasn't happened again.

We have the same problem with finding a sitter. We are in the city and there aren't very many people around here who can milk a goat, let alone would want to come to my house at 6:30 in the morning and evening to do it. I am actually taking my goats to someone this Wednesday because I am leaving for almost two weeks to visit family. She is buying a buckling from us and the plan is that she will take care of our goats and when we pick them back up the buckling will stay there and we reduced his price to pay for the feed and time it takes her to care for them. Perhaps you can find someone nearby who also has goats and wouldn't mind looking after yours as well.

 

[FrizzleFreak]

Hi! Convince your hubby yet?

Well, I have never ever noticed my girls going into heat. We live close together, so....you MAY POSSIBLY be able to shuffle them on us. POSSIBLY. As in it is conceivable. Depending on the time of year. And a lot of other things.
P.S. I was looking through messages I sent you, and realized that I misquoted something-Angoras produce an average of a pound a year.

 

[emsevers]

Quote:
I still haven't convinced him yet. As you can see I have a lot of ideas about what I'd like to have and as we live in town I'm limited (at least that's what he tells me) to how many animals I can have. I'm still trying. A pound a year isn't as much as I thought. They are so cute though.

We usually go on vacations sometime between July and September. I wouldn't want to put you out at all. If I decide to get them I will check back with you when the time comes and see if it's possible. If that's ok with you.

 

[emsevers]

Dr.Doorlock :

Forget the boarding service. How would you like a vacation in TEXAS?. I would just LOVE to trade places with you for a week anytime. Come on down and enjoy the warm climate. Take care of my three Boston Terriers and 8 hens while I take care of whatever you've got.

I just need to see a mountain and a forest again.

I would say yeah but I've been to Texas and in the summer it's just waaayyy to hot for me. I would love to move somewhere where it's even colder than Oregon.​

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

my nigi-cross doe is in heat now and is having a TOTAL melt down.... i wouldnt say its overly loud, but its just really really obnoxious. her voice lowers (not the happy baaa-ing) and she sounds like she is sick - and then she is sneezing all over the place (thats one of their vocalizations - i believe its a warning call)....

if someone were to look over the fence they would think that poor little thing was about to die right there. so i'd strongly advise you to educate your neighbors BEFORE the call it in that you are 'torturing' those poor little goats!

the good news is that this wont last long and i understand the length of the heat depends on several things - including the doe herself. and altho i dont love the goats as friends i love the dairy thing. i ended up getting two full sized milkers and its a dream within a dream.

in the meantime - if anyone in central ohio would like this screaming-currently-in-heat-mini mancha.... come on over i will make you a deal!

 

[cstacatto]

schedule your vacation around December January when they are done milking and you won't have to worry so much, but any kind of farm animal is a huge commitment that you have to consider before getting them........