Goat Thread!

[Fire Ant Farm]

Quote:
Thanks! I'm mostly lurking as I covet everyone else's goats.

- Ant Farm

 

[waddles99]

Hi
I really want to get a goat! what do they cost to buy? are babies only available in the spring?
Thanks

Henny gave you all great advice. I just wanted to second their statement of "you get what you pay for". This isn't necessarily always the case, but 9/10 if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Nobody gives away a healthy, friendly, quality goat for a cheap price. Be prepared to pay $200-$400 for a healthy, pet quality goat. Wethers will be less expensive than does. Im assuming you don't want show quality, but if you are, be prepared to pay $500-$2000 for show quality. People are serious about their show goats. I know I, personally, would pay that much if I thought a goat would preform well in the ring. Babies are available year round, you will see a greater concentration of them however near May-July when spring babies are weaned off and ready to sell. The majority of goats are born March-May, and take 2 months to wean. You will have the best selection if you choose a goat to buy right now.

I want a dairy/pet goat. Do goats free range or will i have to feed them? what kind of shelter do they need for northern MN winters?(it sometimes gets to -20 with windchill!)

Goats do not "free range" as henny pointed out. They need a fenced in pasture, and mineral and grain supplements to keep them healthy. If you provide roughly 1/5 of an acre per goat that will take care of their forage needs. They wont need any hay during the warmer weather if their forage needs are met. But they will still need hay in winter. Also, make sure to feed grain, such as goat chow, and a mineral specifically designed for goats. Baking soda is useful too. A 3 sided run in is sufficient for goats, with some hay or warm bedding for them to snuggle down in. Remember, the more goats, the more body heat! If it really gets cold you can feed corn to keep them warmer.

 

[henny1129]

Thanks! I'm mostly lurking as I covet everyone else's goats. 

- Ant Farm 

Hehe, I always go to other goat threads and look at people's goats!

Henny gave you all great advice. I just wanted to second their statement of "you get what you pay for". This isn't necessarily always the case, but 9/10 if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Nobody gives away a healthy, friendly, quality goat for a cheap price. Be prepared to pay $200-$400 for a healthy, pet quality goat. Wethers will be less expensive than does. Im assuming you don't want show quality, but if you are, be prepared to pay $500-$2000 for show quality. People are serious about their show goats. I know I, personally, would pay that much if I thought a goat would preform well in the ring. Babies are available year round, you will see a greater concentration of them however near May-July when spring babies are weaned off and ready to sell. The majority of goats are born March-May, and take 2 months to wean. You will have the best selection if you choose a goat to buy right now. 
Goats do not "free range" as henny pointed out. They need a fenced in pasture, and mineral and grain supplements to keep them healthy. If you provide roughly 1/5 of an acre per goat that will take care of their forage needs. They wont need any hay during the warmer weather if their forage needs are met. But they will still need hay in winter. Also, make sure to feed grain, such as goat chow, and a mineral specifically designed for goats. Baking soda is useful too. A 3 sided run in is sufficient for goats, with some hay or warm bedding for them to snuggle down in. Remember, the more goats, the more body heat! If it really gets cold you can feed corn to keep them warmer. 

Great advice Waddles! I forgot some of that, so glad you piped in.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have bought cheap goat kids, dairy boys can be had for 5-30 dollars. They can cost a bit of money to bottle feed. Expect to spend 50-100 to raise them up. Goats hate getting wet and blown on, and living in Wisconsin we share the same brutal winters. I recommend an enclosed shed with a door flap or door that can be closed on cold nights. Feeding corn doesn't heat a goat up, it does add fat and carbs to the diet, but it can make them sick and kill them if fed incorrectly, so I would limit grains and rations unless your goat is a production animal. Good quality grass hay is a better option, along with goat mineral, baking soda, and pasture in the warm months. Mine also enjoy tree trimmings.

 

[waddles99]

Feeding corn doesn't heat a goat up, it does add fat and carbs to the diet, but it can make them sick and kill them if fed incorrectly

Thanks for adding that, I had no idea. I was told by the person I bought my goats from that they feed corn to heat them up!

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Quote:
The reason I posted the link for that book (while still not having gotten my goats yet) is that they talk about a number of things that are potentially really bad for goats that I would have totally done in ignorance or not thought was a problem at all. I woulda either killed them or had really unhappy goats if I tried to wing it. Decided I had studying to do first.

(But, that's sort of how I roll, though... I'm a studier...

)

- Ant Farm

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It's always best to find out about an animal before keeping one. Despite the cartoon depictions of goats they have a very delicate digestive tract. They are ruminants, so a 4 chambered stomach designed to digest roughage, grass and browse. Grains are digested differently and can throw the system off and can kill them overnight if grain is consumed in quantities they aren't used to. I prefer to not feed too much or none at all. I have killed goats this way, it's a horrible lesson to learn. I hope I can prevent anyone else from doing as I did. So if you feed rations or grains add them slowly and increase or decrease amounts slowly. I feed a bit in winter to add fats, but I always get nervous and in mild winters I sometimes don't give any. I keep all wethers as pets. Pregnant, lactating, or growing kids require a bit in their diet.

 

[waddles99]

It's always best to find out about an animal before keeping one. Despite the cartoon depictions of goats they have a very delicate digestive tract. They are ruminants, so a 4 chambered stomach designed to digest roughage, grass and browse. Grains are digested differently and can throw the system off and can kill them overnight if grain is consumed in quantities they aren't used to. I prefer to not feed too much or none at all. I have killed goats this way, it's a horrible lesson to learn. I hope I can prevent anyone else from doing as I did. So if you feed rations or grains add them slowly and increase or decrease amounts slowly. I feed a bit in winter to add fats, but I always get nervous and in mild winters I sometimes don't give any. I keep all wethers as pets. Pregnant, lactating, or growing kids require a bit in their diet.

Yeah, I wouldn't know anything about changing amounts or anything like that cause my goat is a market wether and needs to eat very large amounts of feed to keep in show condition.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

heres what we have going.
I have 2 San Clemente Island Goats
a Oberhasli and Nubian
they hang out with our Akbash Hannah

 

[henny1129]

heres what we have going. I have 2 San Clemente Island Goats a Oberhasli and Nubian they hang out with our Akbash Hannah

Beautiful goats and dog! I'm not very familiar with the San Clemente breed, but I would love to learn more about them sometime! How long have you had goats?