Goats!!!

[CoelhoFamily]

This is Hoss he's a ham. Loves to eat treats. He's a big boy

 

[CoelhoFamily]

Last but not least Buster, he reminds me of Eeyore but he's my sweet boy. Loves to sit on my lap. But he is the first noise you'll hear bright and early in the morning. He's quite the cry baby sometimes

 

[iloveduckies]

Awwww so cute

 

[ShrekDawg]

Those goats are soooo cute!!! Sorry about Ace

 

[waddles99]

Especially medicated chick starter. I know first hand it will kill a goat. It causes bloat and the rumen cannot process. It is weird to check out all the post on this chicken site and see people freely offering chicken feed to the goats.
I still have ALOT of guilt around losing my bottle baby "ACE" he was the spunkiest little goat. This is a picture of him when I brought him home. He slept in our room in a crate for a while until our older wether was trusted to be nice.

Don't even get why people would even try it. Even similar animals such as sheep have different feeds due to lack of copper. Imagine how different chicken feed is. They have such different requirements. There is a reason why they make a different ration for goats than chickens...ruminants aren't supposed to be eating the stuff in chicken feed, especially goats. I haven't lost a goat (hopefully will never) due to getting into chicken feed, but I have heard of it happen. It's awful, and I am truly sorry to hear about your little guy, he looks so sweet. I don't understand why people take the risk.

 

[CrazyHenLady386]

DONT get wethers! They are prone to a lot of bad health problems and have no purpose! Get does so you can have milk and encourage others to do the same!

 

[CoelhoFamily]

Don't even get why people would even try it. Even similar animals such as sheep have different feeds due to lack of copper. Imagine how different chicken feed is. They have such different requirements. There is a reason why they make a different ration for goats than chickens...ruminants aren't supposed to be eating the stuff in chicken feed, especially goats. I haven't lost a goat (hopefully will never) due to getting into chicken feed, but I have heard of it happen. It's awful, and I am truly sorry to hear about your little guy, he looks so sweet. I don't understand why people take the risk.

Sad story was we weren't too smart and fed the chickens and they scratched it out of the pen. Even the smallest amount could kill a goat. I see people asking all the time why their goat is sick and they are feeding them chicken feed. Yikes.

 

[CoelhoFamily]

DONT get wethers! They are prone to a lot of bad health problems and have no purpose! Get does so you can have milk and encourage others to do the same!

We have 2 wethers and they are sweet. And are more "pet" like. They do not smell like bucks. As long as you provide them with minerals that contain ammonium Cloride we use manna pro minerals given free choice. We also have 2 does we do not plan on mating so we won't be getting milk from them.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I hadn't heard they had more health problems than any other goat? And even if they did, surely with proper care health problems wouldn't be as likely to develop? Obviously you can't prevent everything but surely they aren't that much more prone to health problems than other goats or people would be talking about it? But I've never had goats so who knows.

As for them serving no purpose, I think people that have them would argue otherwise. They're often pets, for one, which seems like a pretty good purpose to me (most dogs, cats, etc., except for working ones of course, serve no purpose either). But I guess if I had a dairy or breeding operation or something then they'd be somewhat useless since does and bucks can be pets too. But if someone is just getting pets they're fine. And two, they can eat brush, weeds, etc. I know other goats can too but if someone doesn't have a business they don't really "need" to have a "purpose".

I know I, for one, have considered getting wethers because I only want brush clearers and pets and don't want or care about milk. I used to think I wanted milk or to make stuff with it but it'd be too much work for me and bucks can be stinky and aggressive so wethers were the best option for me.

I think they serve just as much of a purpose as any other neutered animal.

That said, if there's something to this more health issues thing I'll reconsider.

But only if you can leave does unbred? I wasn't sure if they'd get sick or like HAD to be bred every year or at all if you have no desire to have milk???

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I only keep wethers now. They have a better personality. They are just as hearty, and healthy. They don't require grain or rich hay, so feeding both can cause troubles.