Pygmy Goats

[brigittej]

I am getting a pygmy goat from my friend who said she does not get along with other goats. She's great with people, but constantly butts other goats. I'm getting concerned since everything i read says there needs to be 2 goats.....ugh....any feedback?

 

[sumi]

I've been researching goats this past week as I'm also planning on getting some and yes, everyone says get at least 2. Luckily they are small and not too much food, so 2 are manageable. I'm seriously considering getting pygmies, because I hear they are really sweet and great with kids, but hardly anyone seems to keep them for milk, which is why I want to keep goats.

 

[gatorridgechics]

We have 2 pygmys. We got George first he would play in his pen with the dogs in thier pen next door, but he still was loud and demanded your attention. The day we brought Barbara home, I thought he was going to take flight. They run, jump, butt heads, and nibble at each other. You can really see two different personalities in them. They both talk a lot, but he is outgoing and will come to the fence for love and pets any time, she will only come if you have food. He will eat grain and alph alpha but nothing else, she will eat her grain and alph alpha but LOVES fresh veggies and apples. She climbs everything and WILL try to leap out of the pen, he stays on the ground and get he head through the fence, usually resulting in getting a horn stuck. We have always kept our chickens and the goats coops and pens next to the dog pens it helps the dogs accept the other animals and predators are less likely to mess with our goats and chickens if they think they have to tango with the dogs. So George will play with the dogs, but the Barbara just kinda stays back. We were so scared when we let the chickens loose to free range the first time, they went straight to the goat pen. Now they all hang out together. At night it is not uncommon to find 3 or 4 chickens roosting on top of the goats shelter WITH Barbara. BTW several of our chickens also hang out with our cow Jack, including a hen with 4 chicks.

 

[Chicken Frenzie]

My pygmies loved the chickens! The thing is they were SUPER loud... which is weird. They were brother and sister. They would NOT stop bleating, it was horrible... =/.

 

[henhousefreak]

I just received 2 pygmys from my kids for Mother's Day. What a surprise! I had made a comment on Saturday how I loved my friends LaMancha goat, and I might have to get one. Sunday night...I received 2 Pygmys. I have to say they are cute, but were very wild. They are 3 months old. After a couple days of trying to feed them treats and teach them to lead, they are getting friendlier. The little girl is pretty friendly. I know nothing about pygmy goats.

Since I didn't know I was getting goats, I didn't have a pen ready. So, my goats are living with my chickens. They go in and out of the hen door. The chickens seem excited! I had to put the chicken feeder away because the goats like the feed, and I know it isn't good for them.

If anyone has any great advise about pygmy goats, I would love to hear it!

 

[SA Farm]

I just received 2 pygmys from my kids for Mother's Day. What a surprise! I had made a comment on Saturday how I loved my friends LaMancha goat, and I might have to get one. Sunday night...I received 2 Pygmys. I have to say they are cute, but were very wild. They are 3 months old. After a couple days of trying to feed them treats and teach them to lead, they are getting friendlier. The little girl is pretty friendly. I know nothing about pygmy goats.

Since I didn't know I was getting goats, I didn't have a pen ready. So, my goats are living with my chickens. They go in and out of the hen door. The chickens seem excited! I had to put the chicken feeder away because the goats like the feed, and I know it isn't good for them.

If anyone has any great advise about pygmy goats, I would love to hear it!

Sounds like quite the surprise! Congratulations.

I have nigerian/pygmies and I love them to bits.
If you have a buck and a doe, you may want to consider building a separate pen for one or the other, but near enough that they can see each other so they don't cry all the time. Bucks can get randy quickly and you don't want your doe to get preggers at her young age.

 

[henhousefreak]

He has been banded for a while.

 

[SA Farm]

Oh, okay, you should be okay then

 

[blucoondawg]

If you want milk consider the Nigerian dwarf rather than the pygmy, the pygmy is a stocky goat, more of a meat breed though I wouldn't think of butchering one, the Nigerian Dwarf is small and has a body type like the larger dairy breeds and is the highest butterfat content of any goat milk, approaching the 10% mark.

 

[trickys10]

we have 5 pygmies in with our chickens and potbelly pigs