I got a free Goat and Paint horse on tuesday and I am tickled pink!!!! I have had horses all my life and LOVE them.....I am SOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!! So I have added them to my constantly growing animal collection and she is the companion to the horse.....when we trailered them home I have a 3 horse trailer and left the middle bay open......... horse in first goat in last....as she is a dwarf part nubian named Betty.....anyway....when we went to unload....she was under the horse!!!!! .......after the first night (new place and all and she was in my driveway) she spent that night in the large dog pen in the back yard.....since then she has not gotten out of the electric fence and does not go too far from the horse...named Tattoo!!......I LOVE THEM.....they are so amazing.....the horse needs a lot of training as she was left to pasture with reg vet and ferrier care for 7 yrs....but never ridden and barely ever washed and never rode.....but I am up for it and the excitement is overwhelming...... but being a new goat momma I have a lot of questions.....they have plenty of grass but should I still give hay.....or sweet feed....? the goat seems to have some sort of tumor (per prev owner) on her breast and it seems to harden and swell at times..? She seems to be pregnant as she is rather wide....or puffy as my hubby calls it....? do goats need specific bedding or area in which to have their kid...? how do you find a goat vet...? can I add other nubian nanny goats or is it like dogs I need to take them to meet the goat.....(crazy I know) I have a source in the next state that raises Nubian dairy goats and that will be the next thing we want to get as I am looking forward to goat milk and cheese.....but does this goat need to be tested for anything before adding the other goat...? can you eat Nubian dairy goats....and that is the ulitmate purpose here is only raise animal that we can consume....(other then the dogs and cats!) can goats and chickens and ducks go together....? is there a goats for dummies book......? do goats need annual vaccinations like horses.....? do you have to trim goats feet like horses>.....? see I wasnt kidding....bout the questions!!....baaaaaaahhhhhhhh........... any and all help would be wonderful!!!
Lets see if I can get them all. Goats need hay. They need the roughage as they don't graze, they browse. You can add other goats might have a little adjustment time but you don't need to take her to meet them. Yes you can eat them. Your horse vet should be able to take care of your goat also. Her hooves do need to be trimmed but simple to do by yourself. Not as hard as horse hooves. There are great goat books but you can also go on back yard herds.com and learn so much. That is my goto site for my goats. They can go with chickens and ducks but they CAN NOT eat their feed or they will bloat and if you don't catch it die. I give mine annual vaccs. Cheap at tsc. Did I.miss anything? Oh yeah, enjoy them. They r like a 4 yr old in fur. Clowns and very curious. Love them.
