Maine

[echosrevenge]

I don't know about the snow - I've lived with goats in the Pacific Northwest before, and a 3-sided shelter was not really adequate for a reasonably cold winter there, but it's VERY wet and that was a large part of the problem, it is hard to keep a 3-sided 14' tall shed warm in any weather, especially the damp sort. The colder they are, the more they eat, so having a snug draft-free shed for them is important. We've got a 3-and-a-half-sided shed with a short (4.5 ft) roof for our two does, which we will surround with straw bales for the winter, as well as adding a sheet of thick plastic as a flap door. We probably won't insulate it unless necessary, and we probably will not block the vent that runs the whole length of the roof on one side. Like most other livestock, goats are very hardy and will grow out a thick winter coat, but ventilation is always very important as well.

As far as open space, and this is something I do know about, they will love being in the woods! Goats are browsers, not grazers, so they prefer to eat bushes and trees rather than grass. Mine will devour all the shrubby or weedy growth in an area, and just trample the grass. Putting them in the woods, especially if there is an area you want to clear, will make them happy goats. Just make sure you go through it with a good list of toxic plants - the one at http://fiascofarm.com/goats/poisonousplants.htm is very good - and make sure their pen has nothing toxic. For the most part, when goats are introduced to a new area and have plenty of hay, they will eat mostly hay and sample small amounts of unfamiliar plants and wait to see what the reaction is - they're very smart, but it is worth checking because there is always the exception to the rule...usually with goats it will be when you're broke and can't afford a huge vet bill! Some things, like Mountain Laurel and Rhododendron, are highly toxic and it is definitely worth removing them from any area you even think the goats MAY one day gain access to. Goat projectile vomit is a very, very unpleasant phenomenon, and the poisoning from most things in the mountain laurel family is lethal. In the NW, our goat pen and barn was entirely in the woods, and the goats loved having stumps and trees to play on and run around between. They will completely clear an area of brush, and if you use hog panels or another sort of mobile-ish fence, you can use them to keep the underbrush nicely controlled.

 

[Widget]

My two goats (a Nubian 12 years old and a Nigerian Dwarf 6 years old) have a really nice shed (6x8x8 ?) to get out of the elements however it isn't insulated and doesn't have a door. For a guess their pen is about 30 ft. in diameter. For the most part they hang out in the shed and only come out to eat and drink no matter what time of year it is. I have noticed in the winter they make a path out to the feeder and water bucket and don't even try to make use of the rest of the pen. I would shovel or snow blow the area but since neither goat is interested in the rest of the pen in the summer I don't worry about it too much unless the snow gets really deep. Then I do at least try to clear a bit more space for them.

My biggest issue in the dead of winter has been making sure they have plenty of fresh water. I've learned to keep two or three buckets handy. I put one out in the morning with water and when I get home from work I replace it with a bucket of fresh water. I then take the frozen bucket and bring it into the house to thaw.

Both girls have made it through some tough Maine winters without any issues and without too much pampering. The little Nigerian grows in a really thick coat in the winter so she almost doubles in size. The Nigerian also gets a nice coat but her's isn't as thick.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I guess if I can figure the fence thing out I can do it. I like the idea of a mobile fence so they can clear an area of land for me (I have a ton of scrubby brush and poison ivy that needs killing) but I have no idea about how to electrify it or even how that would work in the winter.

Anyone have pictures of their goaty areas?

Sorry for hijacking the Maine Chicken thread.

 

[Widget]

I can get some if I can find my camera. If I do it right I can get the ducks in the picture so that would count as chicken related. Or at least poultry related.

 

[buckabucka]

I will be following with interest this adventure with goats! I think that SCG may be able to tell a story of projectile goat vomiting like no one else.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I will be following with interest this adventure with goats! I think that SCG may be able to tell a story of projectile goat vomiting like no one else.

With pictures. I love pictures.

I already explained to BF that we'd have to wether the boy. He did not appreciate that story and told me we'd have to find a vet to do it because we were absolutely positively not doing that to a goat that we'd have to look in the face the rest of its life.

 

[ashandvine]

Alright you are all going to think I am nuts but just to change the subject briefly from vomit (because we all love vomit stories, I know) I have to share that my birds have WORMS! Now this doesn't sound like a 'yey' moment until you realize that I now have confirmation that my bird died from something very common and treatable and while I am not happy to think about how gross that is, I am happy to know it is something I can deal with easily. My son found worms in the feces to confirm this. Phew. So, I am guessing it is possible that the cider water and de in the food is helping but in the mean time I am going to try all of these things below, just not all at once:
soapy water drinks
bleach water drinks (yes, got this from a vet)
Safeguard from TCS
eating pumpkin (save that for the fall and will give the dog some too)
continuing to use DE in the food
cider vinegar for maintenance


Now, what do I do about the soil??? I don't want these buggers in there forever. Treating everyone and I made sure to tell anyone who bought from me. Just so I don't feel like a pariah, I read that this is very common and birds should be wormed at least once a year. Well, now I know and will. I say again, "phew." Hope this helps someone else.

 

[Widget]

Let's see if I can post some goat pictures.



As you can see nothing fancy but it works.

 

[Widget]

Here's some close-ups of the girls.


As I've posted in a previous post I would like to re-home them to a home where they would get more attention. They ended up with me due their former owner losing their home in a foreclosure. They are in no danger of being evicted here but if I find a better situation for them then that would be great. I would ask a reasonable re-homing fee that is negotiable to the right home.

 

[Widget]

And since I took the picture and this is a bird oriented forum I thought I would post the gang hanging around the pool. This is after I had already cleaned and refilled it once today.