I need some information on raising Nigerian Dwarf Goats!

You've already gotten great info, but I wanna talk about GOATS! I have mutts, but they are part ND. Here's my 2 cents:

1. Not too much. Very fair. That's what they go for out here.

2. Get 2. Goats are herd animals. They do much better in pairs (or more), and if he's a bottle baby, he WILL have separation anxiety! Plus, they are so fun to watch when they play!

3. I give mine hay year-round, but the hat is more of a supplement for my herd. They forage on our property, and we use temp fencing that we move wherever the blackberries and poison oak are! My 4 does go through a 50 lb bale a month in spring/summer. Double that in winter/fall. Still cheaper to feed than my chickens and ducks.

4. Mine get hay, whatever they want on our property, and goat feed, probiotics, and loose minerals. They also get copper bolus every 3 months and selenium supplement (we have a deficiency in our soil here). They get a handful of grain at bedtime. Easy. They go through 50lbs of grain about 3 or 4x a year.

HOWEVER, wethers are prone to bladder/kidney problems. I have heard it's best not to give wethers any grain, just hay.

5. As much as you can give them. ND are small, but a couple hundred square feet per goatie is good.

6. It depends on your climate and predator load. We gave mountain lions. My girls have a shed I lock them up in at night to keep them safe. Lots of folks use a 3 sided run-in shelter.

7. Idk. I have does, but most folks I know DIY it.

8. Imo, yes. Bucks are stinky and can be aggressive. Unless you want to breed, I'd castrate. You might be able to get the breeder to do it for you for a fee.

9. All horny bucks are - lol! Wethers aren't usually. It also depends on how well socialized he is and how his parents were raised and their innate temperaments.

10. Not at all! If it were me, I'd get 2 wethers or get your guy a doeling companion IF he's castrated and you don't plan on breeding.
 
1. Is $150 too much for 1 intact buckling?
Nope, but if you're just going to castrate it for a pet I wouldn't spend that much. If he has great genetics and is registered I would pass and let someone with a breeding program buy him.
2. Do I need 2 goats or can I keep just 1?
Yes, two goats or no goats. Watching them be buddies is much better than having a depressed goat. The more the merrier.
3 Do they need hay all year, or just in winter?
All year. Dry forage is incredibly important to their digestive systems, they should not go without.
4. What all do I feed them?
Just a medicated ration and a bucket of mineral is what my bucks get. Find a feed that is not for dairy goats, all the extra stuff in there isn't good for male goats.
5. How much space does 1 goat need?
I'd give them about a 1/4 acre and see how they do. Hopefully they'd eat it all down, the last thing you want is goats eating off of the ground, goats are meant to forage above ground on shrubs and trees, once they look to the ground for food they get worms, and unlike cows or sheep they do not build resistance to worms. Dry lots or STRICT rotation pastures.
6. What kind of structure is suitable?
Large dog kennels are best, and when it's cold I give them a couple hay filled igloos or large chemical transportation containers with a door cut into it. They need shelter from the rain, but the last thing you want is a tiny closed in space, once they lose ventilation they get pneumonia, keep their shelter well ventilated.
7. How much dies castration cost?
Free if you're gangster enough to band em. Don't just use any band tho, use the real thing to avoid injuring them or giving them an infection.
I've never had a vet castrate, boys don't even know their stuff is falling off because they can't feel it, it's numb.
8. Is it better to castrate them?
Meh. I love intact boys. Mine are all big sweethearts, stinky but sweet. But If your buck is unruly or mean take his manhood, he doesn't deserve it.
9. Are ND bucks (or wethers) typically aggresive?
Not in my experience. My little man could put up a fight and he wouldn't be messed with by the Mini Nubians, but he was an absolute doll and he was everyone's buddy (that was actually his name🤭)
10. Should I just wait for a doe?
Do you want a hormonal drama queen? Girls go into heat every. single. month. and their crying and whining gets old fast🤣

A few fatal mistakes I wouldn't make:
  1. Weak fencing. Make your fence as tight as possible, no short spots or loose wire
  2. Regular worming. Doing this can make the worms resistant to wormers, and your goat will die.
  3. No mineral. Mineral is a life saver, they need it.
  4. Grassy ground. Do not let them eat off the ground. Ever wonder why petting zoos keep their goats on sand? It's so they don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on wormer.
Edit: I realized I used quite a few absolutes here🤣
Different things work for different people, this advise is based purely off of experience and research.
 
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To answer some of the things you guys have...

There are 2 bucklings I could buy. She may have castrated them but I doubt it. So I could get both and castrate if n2it castrated. I just dont know if I'm ready to spend $300 on 2 goats. I have seen them around here for $50 at times. I also dont know how tame they are. Would def do a meet and greet before I decide to buy or not. The lady who I would buy them from just has a three sided shelter, but I may put a gate to lock up. We have some panels I thought we might be able to use. That is all the lady has for her goats. I think the holes might be too big though. I just want a few pet goats.
 
I am no expert, but I have done research on raising goats so hopefully I can answer some questions.
@Everose has NDs, and will likely be able to provide much more information.

I would say no, but it all depends on your area and quality of the goat. Some can be very expensive.

Goats are herd animals, so you need at least two.

All year, unless you grow it yourself and they're able to graze on fresh grasses.

You can have about six goats per acre, but it depends a lot on the land. I recommend rotational grazing, so the goats get to be moved on to fresh grass regularly. It also helps to get them to eat everything in their area rather than just picking a few things to eat.

Usually a simple lean-to is all you need. If you ever plan on breeding, an area with a pen that will stay warm is important. A pen of some sort will be useful though. It really depends on your climate.
Goats are very playful and love to climb on things (including your vehicles!), so playground structures are good to have. There's lots of ideas on Pinterest, where people have used tires, pallets, and all sorts of things to make play structures for them.

It depends on your area. On average, it can cost around $100. It's cheaper to just buy a wether.

Absolutely. Bucks are not fun to deal with, and no one new to goats should get a buckling. They're smelly, can be hard to handle, and are just not fun to be around for most people.
Just remember that they should be castrated at around 12 weeks.

Bucks can be aggressive, and dangerous if they have horns. Of course it depends on the individual, but most are going to be a pain.

Depends on what you're wanting them for.
Wethers can make good pets, so long as the owner thoroughly researches beforehand.
I would personally wait to get does though.

Something to be aware of is fencing. Goats are escape artists, and are constantly testing their limits. A tall, stury fence that they can't jump over, crawl under, or squeeze through is very important, and can be costly. But is absolutely necessary to protect them from predators and keeping them from getting into trouble.
There are lots of fencing options, some good, some bad, and plenty that are overated.

I highly recommend getting the book "Storey's guide to raising dairy goats". And definitely look into some youtube channels so you can really see what the life of a goat owner is like.
Thx for the tag☺️
And great info👍
 
Nope, but if you're just going to castrate it for a pet I wouldn't spend that much. If he has great genetics and is registered I would pass and let someone with a breeding program buy him.

Yes, two goats or no goats. Watching them be buddies is much better than having a depressed goat. The more the merrier.

All year. Dry forage is incredibly important to their digestive systems, they should not go without.

Just a medicated ration and a bucket of mineral is what my bucks get. Find a feed that is not for dairy goats, all the extra stuff in there isn't good for male goats.

I'd give them about a 1/4 acre and see how they do. Hopefully they'd eat it all down, the last thing you want is goats eating off of the ground, goats are meant to forage above ground on shrubs and trees, once they look to the ground for food they get worms, and unlike cows or sheep they do not build resistance to worms. Dry lots or STRICT rotation pastures.

Large dog kennels are best, and when it's cold I give them a couple hay filled igloos or large chemical transportation containers with a door cut into it. They need shelter from the rain, but the last thing you want is a tiny closed in space, once they lose ventilation they get pneumonia, keep their shelter well ventilated.

Free if you're gangster enough to band em. Don't just use any band tho, use the real thing to avoid injuring them or giving them an infection.
I've never had a vet castrate, boys don't even know their stuff is falling off because they can't feel it, it's numb.

Meh. I love intact boys. Mine are all big sweethearts, stinky but sweet. But If your buck is unruly or mean take his manhood, he doesn't deserve it.

Not in my experience. My little man could put up a fight and he wouldn't be messed with by the Mini Nubians, but he was an absolute doll and he was everyone's buddy (that was actually his name🤭)

Do you want a hormonal drama queen? Girls go into heat every. single. month. and their crying and whining gets old fast🤣

A few fatal mistakes I wouldn't make:
  1. Weak fencing. Make your fence as tight as possible, no short spots or loose wire
  2. Regular worming. Doing this can make the worms resistant to wormers, and your goat will die.
  3. No mineral. Mineral is a life saver, they need it.
  4. Grassy ground. Do not let them eat off the ground. Ever wonder why petting zoos keep their goats on sand? It's so they don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on wormer.
Interesting on the grass. And funny enough I have some goat dewormer pellets because someone at TSC said they would work for chickens.
 
They hop over every fence we have tried! Still working on that, if anyone has suggestions let me know
I use electric netting. It's fantastic! We move it all over the 3 acres we have for them. They only escaped once because we goofed, scared them, and they panicked. They learn to stay away from it.
 
I'm not going to be able to get these 2 bucklings. Dad just doesnt have time to build a shelter and put up a fence and I can't. Maybe we can work on it this winter and get a few next year. I think milk would just pile up, so I dont see a need for a milking doe, but may still get a doe and a doe, or a doe and a wether. Very dependent on price.
 
I may be getting some NDs but I need to learn about them first. If anyone can give me any information that would be great and I have a few specific questions.
1. Is $150 too much for 1 intact buckling?

2. Do I need 2 goats or can I keep just 1?
3 Do they need hay all year, or just in winter?

4. What all do I feed them?

5. How much space does 1 goat need?

6. What kind of structure is suitable?

7. How much dies castration cost?

8. Is it better to castrate them?

9. Are ND bucks (or wethers) typically aggresive?

10. Should I just wait for a doe?

Quote Reply
1.Where I live 150 for an intact make is pretty normal, you can normally find a better deal tho if you are willing to just wait for it, I've been offered one recently for free even.

2. 1 will get lonely and want in the house etc lol I had justv1 buckling and today I got him 2 doelings and I already notice him trying to play, doing his lip thing and not bleating out so much.

3. If they have a good place to graze they don't need hay except in winter.

4. You can give them goat feed per directions but if your graze is of good enough quality they are perfect foragers. Water must always be available.

5.i honestly didn't research this as I have plenty of space available.

6.a 3 sided structure can be used in warmer states, you ideally just need something clean and dry with on ventilation, I just threw together a quick structure and put a large doghouse in it with straw.

7. No idea, weathers are cheaper than bucks, just get one that's already weathered if that's what you want.

8. The only reason I would castrate a buckling would be if I wanted it around and didn't want it fighting your existing buck, weathers are good companions to bucks if you don't have a doe.

9. Nigerian dwarves are one of the sweetest, my guy thinks he's a dog lol he is best friends with my little boy.

10. Would be ideal to start with at least a pair. Does are normally much more expensive unless you really really look around.
 

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