Pygmy Goats?

[iluvsedward]

do all female goats give milk? how would a african pygmy goat do with chickens? how would a african pygmy goat do in the winter? how much space do they need? how much milk do they give every day? whats a good breed of dwarf or pygmy goats?
thanks

Rose

 

[NoseyChickens]

I have a female pygmy, she does not give milk because she has never been pregnant. From what I understand pygmies are not good milk goats. Mine handle the winter just fine. We don't really get snow but we do get below freezing and very windy out here during the winter. Mine just roam the yard most of the day. We don't really keep them locked up. We will be making them their own pen soon, mostly just to keep them locked up when people are over and at night so they will used their shelter indtead of sleeping wherever they want to.

 

[scrambledmess]

I have two wethers pygmies. I have an insulated dog house for them which is then surrounded by straw. The straw has to be replaced every once in a while, because they climb all over it and break up the bales. LOL They seem to have really nice winter coats for now. Though it has only gotten below freezing a couple of times so far. We will see how warm they stay come January. I think they will be fine. The two of them together in the dog house should stay pretty toasty.

Mine tend to run loose most of the day as well. I put them in their pen at night so they sleep in the dog house rather then on my front porch and to protect from coyotes. They are tons of fun. We really love them!

 

[iluvsedward]

if they have been pregnant, but arn't with a male and are not pregnant, will they still give milk?

 

[Kelebek]

pygmy are a meat breed. they will produce milk, but rule of thumb is that they will not produce much and not for very long. Now if mixed with a dairy breed - say a Nigerian (the mini dairy breed) then you could get a longer lactation or more quantity.

Goats MUST kid to be able to produce the milk and continue milking. Gestation is 5 months (typically kid 145-150 days).

I raise mostly Nigerian Dwarf goats for milk and LoVE them - they are easy to handle - and if the right lineage and feed do amazingly well in the milk bucket! Their milk is wonderful and a nice percentage of buttermilk and fat.