Needed! your thoughts on getting a goat

[faykokoWV]

so can you build the little ones like that a seperate coop and let them share a run with the chickens. Our run is 5 foot wide and 150 foot long (it makes a square around our garden)

 

[TXmom]

The biggest problem with keeping them near chickens is you CANNOT let them eat the chicken food! And they will try to get to that chicken food if it's the last thing they do... They will run right over me to try to get into the chicken run...GRRRRRRRR. It takes every bit of strength I have to pull them out before they get to the food. My husband is outside right now pounding in T-posts so we can fence in the goats away from the chickens...keeping them together just isn't working out for us.

 

[faykokoWV]

Quote:
So if the chickens food is only in their coop and the door is too small for the goats, then it would be ok?

 

[Sillystunt]

Yes, chicken food will kill any goat! Mine free range with the chickens though and get along great! I have to say they are the best goat for feed-milk ratio. They are cheaper to feed since they are little. They need copper so some licks with it in it is great . I give mine free choice baking soda for digestion. They also have free range hay available.

I have a mom and her wether son. They get along great! The rule is if u get a male it needs to be seperate unless a wether. The males stink and get aggressive. Wethers are child like for ever. Mine is sooo silly!You need more than one so either all girls or girls with a wether.
i recommend www.backyardherds.com


Check out my BYC page on my goats
<-----------------------------------------

 

[TXmom]

Believe it or not, goats can usually fit through a pop door on a chicken coop. My Boers (not a small breed) can fit through ridiculously small spaces. There are ways to get around it though...there are some pictures on backyardherds.com of how people rigged up their chicken coop doors so goats couldn't get in.

 

[the4heathernsmom]

They are lovely animals and very very smart don't let anyone tell ya different I have one that can open a gate. We started with 13 boer high dollar registered and have since learned many valuable lessons . We have kept one boer doe and her doe baby and a nubian. we love tham and they are entertaining. We got lots of milk but worming is the main issue we live in a semi wet area and have to stay on a strict worming schedule. I suggest you subscribe to the many yahoo groups on goats, there is a wonderful wealth of information for you and covers any questions you may have.

 

[Sillystunt]

Quote:

mine opens the gate as well! We have to padlock it

 

[kcardella]

Great info - thanks!

 

[RebelsHope]

Quote:
I second this.

I have goats and I love them!

care
Fairly easy to care for. They need Tenus, and CDT shots at least once a year.
health
Pretty healthy creatures, although a good books like Storey's Dairy Goat books are helpful.
feed
Depends on sex and what they are being used for. Fairly simple though. Good mineral mix, hay, only need a pelleted feed for certain goats depending on what they are used for.
shelter
Goats HATE water. They need a good shelter to get out of the weather.
winter
depends on your winters
breeding
Not sure what you mean by this. Niggies can breed year around. Usually they are bred in the fall for spring babies.
what sex makes good pets
wethers. They are cheaper and have a nice disposition.
do and dont
Do have a good fence. . . don't assume that your fence is good enough
pro's and con's
Smaller goats need less feed. They are easier to handle. Gaining in popularity so they are fairly easy to find. Come in a huge variety of colors. Only con would be if you wanted to do carting. They obviously can not pull as much as a full sized goat.
and any thing else you can share
I love goats. I can not image life without them anymore.

 

[LauraSBale]

Wow, Thank You Everyone for all the great info,

They sound great, I defiantly know we would like to get the Nigerian,
I would love to get milk, but I'm not sure if i want to breed,

The Lady that i have been emailing, suggested two Wethers, I will have to get with her and find out when they are done, the last thing i want to worry about is kidney stones,
I hear the same thing with male cats if they are done to young.

They sound like a lot fun.

thank you for all the links i will defiantly check them out.

as for Winter, I live in MI, and in my area, it can get very windy, and for a month it can get 5 degrees and the wind chill -10 or even below at night,

Would we need to insulate there house?