The Poultry Keeper

stephen · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 12:35 pm Post subject: Question to goat keepers...

If, say, you accidentally went to a animal market this Saturday, and accidentally saw some goats and wanted 5 best tips on how to accidentally choose one, and things to know straight away when you accidentally got one, what would they be?

Shh! I've hidden this thread so Nigel can't see it...

debcat · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 1:04 pm Post subject:

It depends what you want them for
Suz will be around later

stephen · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 1:49 pm Post subject:

The main reason would be for milk, especially for making cheese, cream, curd cheese & yoghurt/creme fraîche. Not so much for straight milk, as we don't really use a lot of that.

Secondary use would be as a non-petrol field mower...

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7331 Location: isle of lewis

first thing i'd look for and i hope people who are showing their goats on friday arn't reading is teat size ,the size of the udder is not as important as how it's joined ,you don't want an udder that doesn't conect properly or is droppy Shocked

,very small teats take ages to milk and make your hands ache ,i have one who has tiny teats Rolling Eyes

,so fairly large teats more to get hold of quicker milking ,i'd also be looking for cow hocks as in horses ,
i'd look at feet next ,if the feet are really deformed ,although you can get them back ,it puts a strain on the legs and can lead to joint problems
goats feet tend to be neglected a lot ,you should have seen the rescue on the island a couple of months ago ,get one you like Very Happy

it could be providing you with milk for a long time ,and i have a good relationship with my milking nannies ,remember you'll be cuddling it every morning and night as you milk it Wink

have you milked before Question

,ideally i'd buy a nanny and daughter if i could ,one to milk and one to mate next year so you will always have milk
when you get them home a good dose of hay and water ,and maybe some treats ,i always treat mine like horses and one of mine produces
14 pints a day Shocked

i promise not to tell stephen Wink

,
they'll become pets as well Very Happy

,

debcat · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 6:41 pm Post subject:

like Suz says go for big teats they are loads easier to milk!!
Is there a billy anywhere near so you can get them in kid easily? Nanny's smell milky, but Billy's can really smell

bananas are great for getting them tame Rolling Eyes

they eat the skin as well
ginger biscuits are another favorite and someone me and Suz know uses a slice of toast to catch hers

mine love to eat straw as well as hay so get a pile of each as well as goat mix, grazing and veg if they don't get outside.

touchwood they have never escaped, they can jump from the yard to the field though - my fences are pretty bad Embarassed

They are as bad as hens for finding the backdoor, if you have wide windowsills they'll find those as well

they are great fun and have way more character than sheep, my 4 are all different, one's wary, ones friendly, ones naughty and the other follows along behind the naughty one

stephen · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:00 pm Post subject:

stephen · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:04 pm Post subject:

debcat · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:18 pm Post subject:

their feet you do like sheeps feet
5ft high fence should be fine, don't worry about lower - they don't do under fences Very Happy

one 'trick' I've heard of is to walk them around the perimeter before you let them loose so they know where the fences are, I just let mine out and crossed my fingers Rolling Eyes

they all know that the red bucket means food and come running when I rattle it

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7331 Location: isle of lewis

you could practise milking ,
you need a rubber glove pin prick a finger of the glove fill with water tie top of glove off and
practise the movement , Shocked

,
tell nigel they are a surprize present :wink
the trick deb is talking about is called hefting
i train mine walk them up to the fence and encourage them to touch it ,twice was enough Twisted Evil

,they never go near it now ,unlike the sheep Rolling Eyes

stephen · Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 5:36 am Post subject:

Many thanks, I appreciate the help Smile

CP · Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 10:21 am Post subject:

Not that you're planning to get any goats, of course! Laughing

stephen · Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 1:21 pm Post subject:

No, not at all, but should I accidentally find an animal market in Röstånga this Saturday between 9am and 12pm, and we accidentally happen to pass, it would be a shame not to accidentally look...

debcat · Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 1:22 pm Post subject:

don't forget the pictures Wink

CP · Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 2:16 pm Post subject:

Don't forget your wallet!

stephen · Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 5:38 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I've got to "accidentally" get some cash out tomorrow; it's rare in Sweden to actually use cash! It might make him suspicious...