Thinking.....a dangerous pastime

[Kidhenduckohmy]

Thinking again about goats. I put it on hold for awhile for my baby to get a bit older. He is going on three and I am wondering if the time has come.

I have been doing research on the kinder goats. Anyone have them? What are your thoughts? Stories?

I am thinking just two girls? For meat, cheese and meat?

Fences, I was thinking cedar posts with cattle panels. But then again, has anyone used welded wire in those rolls? Could I put a cedar post as a top rail, or would they jump on it.

I still have lots more thinking to do. Seems my thinking always costs me money. Hmmm....like my thought of getting an incubator. Brinsea. But really, that will eventually pay for itself...right?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Welded wire will be rubbed on and climbed on, so I use a strand of electric to keep mine off of it, I have a mix of miniatures and dairy boys.

With enough reason a goat can jump pretty high over a fence.

If you're just keeping does you will need to think about having to find a buck for breeding every year in order to keep getting milk.

I have had trouble with cattle panel and goats with horns, they get their heads through but can't get them out.

Mine eat the wooden fences and structures slowly so not sure if they would munch on cedar posts.

Get it right and you will enjoy goats, get it wrong and you will not be happy about having goats, they are such smart, curious monkeys.

 

[Kidhenduckohmy]

Thanks for your reply!

Thats what I am afraid of...getting it wrong. Then my husband will not be too happy either.

Have you ever heard about the welded wire coming apart, or does the electric take care of that also? Do you think a solar powered electric fence would work during the winter? I live in the upper peninsula of Mi.

I have thought about a male goat. I just have heard so much about them being stinky. We live in a small town with a few close neighbors...do not want to stink!

I have heard that about horns in the wire, but I had figured I would want them polled anyway.

Will have to do more research on fences and posts.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hello northern neighbor, I'm in central Wisconsin, the thing will the welded woven is it's fine except the goats learn to push up against it and walk, rubbing their sides along it for a good scratch, goats are very clever, this of course trashes the fence in short order, the only ones that can hold up to that is cattle panels and properly installed chain link. That's why my electric strand is half eat my up to prevent rubbing.

Wood can work I have a wooden section and have kept goats in wooden fences, the chew on them here and there, sometimes you have to replace a board, I make sure mine get a lot of tree trimmings to help satisfy the termite inside them.

My goats don't bother the fence as much in winter, they are too busy eating hay and sunning themselves. My fenced isn't plug in most of the winter, it has been years since I've used a solar so I'm sure they have improved, but I know they are more expensive.

My goats can get out of their fence if they really want to, I have had goats in the past jump the fence to get something they want then jump back in, if your goats are content they will stay in and bigger dairy breeds are easier to contain.


Intact males are stinky and mostly unnecessary, but you have to have a source for one to borrow or rent in order to breed your does. I keep mostly wethers now, they are a bit less work.

 

[cassie]

One way to find a buck to breed your does, if you have dairy goats you can contact The American Dairy Goat Association and ask for a list of breeders in your area. There are quite a number in Wisconsin. Their web site is adga.org. They can also send you some basic information on dairy goats. Caprine Supply, caprinesupply.com has good information in their catalog plus they have a selection of books. Send for it. Your local agricultural extension office ought to have stuff for dairy goat 4H projects and that would be helpful also.