Help!! Getting goats unexpectedly and need info on how to house them

[jeaucamom]

Long story,,, friend of a friend has to get rid of all their livestock. I am taking their goats... I need to know how to house appropriately, feed and care for them!! I have an area that has about 400 foot perimeter where my chickens are and I am planning on co-horting them. I am sure I have read that that is okay. But what to put them in to protect them at night? My daughter (whose dad has goats) says dogloos or just a lean to, but that doesnt seem to be enough protection. There will be two goats, and the female is pregnant. How much alfalfa do you think they will need every month? I need as much info as possible!! Thanks. Suz

 

[jeaucamom]

Anybody??"??

 

[fasbendera]

Have you just looked down the posting history to see if anyone had a similar question. I also noticed that there is a sister site called backyardherds maybe check there. Good luck I would love goats but I haven't gotten the DH approval.

 

[jeaucamom]

I have been wanting goats for a long time, but the timing wasn't right. All of a sudden, we have a neighbor who has to get rid of them, and their fencing (very convenient for me LOL). But I don't know how to house them...

 

[Laney]

Goats need very basic shelter. They need a place to get out of the rain/snow/moisture of any kind because they can't stand it. They need to be able to get away from strong winds. If the mother is pregnant she'll need a safe, soft, clean dry place out of the weather to kid. A three sided structure will be fine if you have constant decent weather. (CA has that stereotype).

Dogigloo's are impossible for you to get into to help her give birth etc, although they are great for non-pregnant females, wethers (castrated males) etc for temporary shelter. They would rather live together, sleep together etc. If you could build a 3 sided barn you might be better off, provided you can make it deep enough that they can get far out of the weather if/when needed. If you were in say, Minnesota you would need a full structure for them to keep out drafts etc.

You'll need fresh, clean water available 24/7 and browse or hay (not alfalfa unless you are eating or milking them). You'll also need concentrate aka goat chow. Feed them small amounts of the goat chow once a day, and free choice hay if they don't have any browse to graze on. The hay can be timothy, orchard grass, or bermuda. Goats are picky eaters despite what folks say, but they don't need expensive alfalfa unless you live next to an alfalfa field, are raising meat goats or milkers. If they are just pets, then any hay is just fine to keep them healthy and in good body condition. You really only need something as expensive as alfalfa if the fat content of the meat on butcher is important, or the taste/fat content of the milk is important.

Laney

 

[ksalvagno]

A good website for information is http://fiascofarm.com/goats/index.htm That will give you a lot of info. Also go to www.backyardherds.com There is a goat section and lots of very knowledgeable goat people.

 

[jeaucamom]

Thanks!! I just found that fiasco farms and they have great info. I will check out backyardherds too, for some reason I thought they were just for cows... silly me LOLOLOL. I am just having a hard time wrapping my mind around they fact that they don't have to be closed in at night or protected from predators. We have an occasional coyote around here and that scares me. Hmm.

And we were hoping to use them for milkers, that is what they have been used for and their milk is marvelous.. I've had it many times and he feeds them apples and alfalfa. But they will also have an area about 400 ft in perimeter for them to graze in.

Is there anything toxic to them I need to be scouring the pasture for?

How do you feed goats and chickens seperately?

 

[Skyesrocket]

How do you feed goats and chickens seperately?

With a lot of luck!
Sorry, couldn't resist. It is very hard to keep goats out of chicken food. And chicken food can make them sick, so it's important to do, but not easy.
You will either need to put it up high enough that the goats can't climb up to it. Or inside of a shed with an entrance hole the goats can't get through. And goats can get through small holes when there is feed on the other side.

fiasco farms is a good site for info and there are a lot of friendly goat people on here that will help. I'm laughing because goats can be real pain in the butts to keep fenced in and out of other animals food. But they are a lot of fun to have!
Good Luck! We want to see baby pictures!​

 

[Haviris]

They can be very hard to keep out of anyone elses food. Mine even prefer the miniature horses hay over their own even though it's the SAME thing.

What has worked for me, my chickens free range, and for right now the big goats do to. I just put up hog panels around the chicken feeding area, the chickens hop over, and the goats stay out. Now this may not work if the goat is a jumper, but thankfully mine aren't.

 

[KellyHM]

Don't feed them alfalfa, except as a rare treat. It predisposes them to urinary stones, which can lodge in the urethra of the males and is usually fatal. Just a thought. Good luck with them!