Goat

[ange]

I am thinking about getting a goat. ANY comments, ideas, notes any thing. I also raise chickens. I mostly worry about them eating the wood coop etc

 

[texascowboy1979]

Quote:
My goats are SUPER smart... Always find ways to escape... What breed are you interested in? I like several breeeds, except the small ones..

Im partial to:

Boar,
La mancha.
Alpine,
Ibex,

 

[Illia]

Depends on the breed. To my experience, some cause more trouble than others. In most cases they won't chew on your coop though. If it is in reach, they WILL jump on it if it is small enough. Also, be sure to keep all chicken feed completely out of the goats' reach, as it is not good for them.

Otherwise, go for it. Goats are really good brush clearers, dairy animals, pack animals, and meat animals - All depending on what breed you decide on.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Get two, as they are companion animals, and keep them out of the chicken feed as best you can. They are great to have around for brush control and such, but if you get those buggers addicted to corn it's like living with a loud crackhead in the backyard..just fair warning. They won't eat the wood coop. They will eat the bark off of trees if they get bored or hungry though, and it can kill trees.

 

[texascowboy1979]

OMG... I came home last Thursday... and all the goats escaped... and found there way into the feed barn, UGH!!! Im just glad I was out of feed that day, if not, they would have eatten themselves to death... I dont know how they always figure it out! ALways... Ive never seen them jump the fence.... They have escaped about 5 times this year... and by escape, I mean out of ther coral, they dont go anywhere.... they just get out of there pen. there pen is about 10 acres... I cant imagie they would want out.

 

[Illia]

Quote:
This is why I sold all my LaManchas.

SO MUCH TROUBLE.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Very good example of what a pain in the butt goats can be!

I love my goats and I enjoy the heck out of them but they can really be a pain! Just do lots of research on their housing and fencing requirements, and everything else to so you are prepared! They truely will climb under, over, around and squeeze through any little opening you'd never think they could get through. They'll climb tree's and anything else in their area that they think they can get on top of or into. I could go on and on but I'm sure you get the idea!

 

[ange]

I would like to do a lot of research on the goats but do not know ehere to begin any ideas. I would like a phygme dairy goat for the milk, we live outside the city limits, suburbia, i guess it called only have one acre and we have chickens. I guess the idea of having them with the chickens is out. ANY THING ELSE

 

[Illia]

It isn't entirely out, especially with a Pygmy. All you need to do is make sure the goat cannot break the coop by playing on or around it, and make sure the goat has no access to the chicken feed. Using fencing or electric tape can really help.

 

[gofasterstripe]

Ive got 6 boer goats and they are forever finding a way out. So if you get goats get a few as company for each other and buy a good electric charger from TSC...you are going to need it.
I know when my goats get out, people sit on their car horns and its like S**T the goats are out AGAIN!!!