The Old Folks Home

[vehve]

Al, ditto on Deb's grate ideas. Any metal netting or even a plywood piece cut to size should work. Personally I'd cut up a couple of compost cage panels and use those. Probably good enough for one time use, and pretty cheap.

 

[Peep_Show]

I had to pick up my goats, but my truck was in the shop and the only rental they offered that would even remotely do the job was an SUV. I put three pygmy goats in the back cargo area and they did lie down for most of the trip. However, at stop lights and stop signs they'd bounce back to life and jump around like crazy.... It looked like goat popcorn back there! I noticed in the rear view mirror plenty of pointing fingers and laughter coming from the cars stopped behind me.

To their credit, there was very little mess to clean up from our hour-long trek.

 

[Wisher1000]

I'd tie a short loop in the middle of a strong rope, then stretch that rope tightly from one side of the cargo space to the other. Then put a collar on the goat and secure the collar to the loop with a clip. the goats head would have to stay near the loop and it's movements would be limited. I have moved goats like this in a pinch in the back of a pick-up truck. They laid down, as well.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I have tie downs in the back.... If I tied them to the tie downs, to reduce attempts to jump forward over the seats, would that result in stupid goat death in some way?

I would think after five hours of being fed goat cookies, they would revolt and explode in some way for the next five hours.

Yeah... I have a Toyota Highlander, and I do NOT have a nifty grate to keep them in the back.

This is hilarious. I would not tie them down, personally. Mine also laid down for the fast moving parts of the trip but < 30 mph and they were up and screaming. I, too, got quite a lot of pointing and laughing.

He was a reprobate and a hoot and brilliant... and died too young at 69

65 here. I miss his crazy annoying self.

I've heard it said that goats are born looking for a way to die, so it sounds like your sisters' goats are doing their part for the species.

On the few occasions that I have transported goats, I've noticed that they laid down pretty soon after the vehicle started moving. Apparently, they don't like swaying and getting swung off balance; they are more stable lying down and assume that position pretty quickly. Unfortunately, they can still yell while lying down.

I always thought turkeys and guineas were born looking for a way to die.

 

[sourland]

'Al', please video tape the trip and share with us.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Deb, how're you feeling? Symptoms any better?

 

[Alaskan]

@superchemicalgirl

Currious, why would you not tie them down? More of a fan of some cobbled together wire or whatnot screen to keep them in the back?

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Because I attempted once to tie my goats down so they'd eat a particularly overgrown area of yard. I tied them to a dog line that was across a clothesline of sorts, they had a ton of room and yet they tried to hang themselves. Pippy freaked/panicked/rioted and bolted. She didn't understand being tied and it was awful until I was able to run to her (probably 0.05 seconds but felt like an eternity). I realize your goats will be tied down with little area to get in trouble in, but I would not tie my goats down again. I'd rather them riot untied.

 

[Alaskan]

Yeah....... Sounds like goats... Kind of what I am afraid of.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

For the record, the goats have never had incontinence in my car. Chickens are a total other story.

For both I put a tarp down. The goats got a quilt as well. The chickens had massive panic diarrhea before I even got to the end of my driveway. That was phenomenal... the hour ride to the swap smelled horrendous. Panic diarrhea is worse than broody poo.





Caramel laid down most of the trip. She regaled us with bleating directly into our ears when we were driving slow or at stop signs.

She looks soooo young in these photos. This was the little punk this fall during yard clean up.