Lets talk about goats!

[DuckRaiser]

Thank you! Im going to call the vet back today to set up the test and see what they say. When I went to look at my goats the first time all the older goats in the heard looked healthy so im crossing my fingers that mine are too

Good luck!

 

[OwnedByTheChiks]

Good luck! Hope the tests turn up negative.

 

[chickengirl1193]

Thanks me too! They are very healthy so I know we dont have any problems, at least right now

 

[Lollys]

PLEASE can somebody please tell me what my little 4day old Lolly is
Shes a rescue
Ive been told she could be a Nubian
???

 

[Anna6]

I want some goats, but its taking a lot of convincing for my husband. I need to learn more form people who actually have them. Some websites are informative, but they dont cover the real questions, like, are they really fun or just a chore?

Do you have to process the milk, or can it be consumed straight from the bucket? You will need to filter it to get foreign matter out right after milking. Yes, you can drink the milk raw.

How much do they really eat? For 1 goat 1/2 bale of alpha a month and only milking goats get"grain" goat ration when they are being milked. 35 lb per milking goat (per month per DH trying to figure out as we have multiple goats)

Do they need special hoof care? Yes they need to be clipped occasionally but on a regular basis.

Equipment-housing, filed or pen, milk stand, tattooing irons, ink, clippers for hooves, bowls, feeder for alfalfa, auto watering, shots and syringes, milk bucket, filters, filtering "funnel"

Do they need special suppliments? salt block for all and goat ration for milking goats only

Do they really eat everything? Yes and no. They will nibble on many things.

Are they smart enough not to eat poison plants? no

What sort of care do they need? Milking 2 times daily, hoof clipping, shots (annually tetanus and something else) yvomactim agianst parasites as needed, coral powder against fleas, tattooing, cleaning housing and inner field, dehorning, castration.

Are they lots of work like a horse? The milking needs to be done daily and at regular times. when you have kids they need to be bottle fed and in the beginning that is many times daily.

Are they smelly like rabbits? Only if you do not keep them clean.

Are they mean? Do not teach them to buck. Bottle feed baby kids and handle them frequently. Do not teach and permit bad habits like butting and jumping up against you. Cute with a baby goat and a nuisance with an adult.

Are you planning to breed, is that what the buck is for? We bring in different bucks and do breeding. A buck on the premises will cause a goat flavor to your milk. We only keep a castraded buck, weather, in with our goats.

Do you plan to eat the offspring? Yes

Im going to be watching this thread! I want to learn all i can!

What is a good breed for a new goat herder? We choose Nubians registered with ADGA and have had them for 24 yrs.

What sort of space requirements do they have? Proper housing and a field are ideal. We have 10 goats on 1/2 of an acre. Separate pens for baby goats and visiting buck.

Remember you will need two goats else the one lone goat will be very unhappy.

Goats milk is more expensive then cows milk from the store.

It doesn't pay to breed goats in order to sell babies.

We live in an area with coyotes but have never had a problem with them. However we have had multiple problems with pet dogs running at large and attacking out goats. We live on a fenced property and the goats are also fenced in. dog will generally dig under the fencing to get to the goats, rip open utters, bellies and rip the guts out of the baby goats. So however and wherever you keep them you need to protect the goats from predators as they are very vulnerable.

 

[Anna6]

PLEASE can somebody please tell me what my little 4day old Lolly is
Shes a rescue
Ive been told she could be a Nubian
???

 

[OwnedByTheChiks]

PLEASE can somebody please tell me what my little 4day old Lolly is
Shes a rescue
Ive been told she could be a Nubian
???

I'm saying Mini Nubian. Those are pretty common.

 

[Corny Caleb]

I think she's part Nubian, part Alpine, or Toggenburg.

 

[Ains15]

Maybe she's a nubian alpine mix? She's adorable congrats on your new addition!

 

[Corny Caleb]

My adorb 5 year old Oberhasli doe. I bred her too a buck this past December so hopefully I'll get some kids from her this spring

She is SOOOOOO friendly, and will run up too you whenever you get close too her pen!