The Poultry Keeper

Sylvia · Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:32 am Post subject: Goats

My OH has decided we ought to get a couple of small/medium sized goats but I know full well that the looking after will come down to me, so here goes with the questions.

1. Are they fairly easy to look after?
2. What sort of regular maintenance do they need.
3. I don't want to breed, is it better to get 2 nanny's, 2 billy's (castrated when kids so they don't smell so much as I understand) or one of each.
4. What breed do you recommend, I was looking at Alpines.
5. I know they need shelter and escape proof fencing, all of which we have, is there any other necessity?

Any other information greatfully received.

Thanks
Sylvia

stephen · Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:56 am Post subject: Re: Goats

james419 · Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 8:23 am Post subject:

We have 4 pigmy goats all female - mother with 2 kids and another female, they make no effort o escape - we did have a wether who was castrated late an he spent most waking days trying to get out, he did not have the smell of a Billy, but had the escaping desires to go in search, they should be castrated within 7 days - better for the goat and for you as well. There was no problem of him living with other females.

They need hay available all the time and water - ours also get wheat and any spare veg that is going, they also love dried bread as a treat - prefer it to soft bread.

They must have shelter available to keep them out of the rain and just as importantly free of wind and draughts. They also like a raised platfrom to sleep on.

Some friends rescued a couple of large milking goats and had so much trouble with them escaping that they are both now in the freezer even chaining them to a car tyre did not stop them escaping

Teasal · Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:57 am Post subject:

I have kept goats for 35 plus years - milking goats which I bred from. Mine were British Alpines, and British Sannan which were large goats. All died of old age and when the foot and mouth was on I did not bother with any. Last year someone asked if I would take on two young Anglo Nubian males, both horned and both castrated. All my other goats were free range in the field with the ponies, but these two were hell bent on getting out, and being so big with long legs they could get over any fence. Anyway, they are now settled, and are free range, with a field shelter to run in and out of.

I always tell anyone who asks for advice on keeping goats. They are not a replacement lawnmower. Goats are browsers, not grazers like sheep and cows. They actually prefer tree and bush branches than grass, and will climb on walls and whatever to reach them. I pick branches from the ash and willow trees for my two boys.

If you get two castrated males who have been together they will be ok, no smell either. My two are easy to keep, with being able to run in and out of their shelter. But some goats are a bit mardy with the weather, and don't like rain. Likeweise they do need shade from the sun. Not sure on the law regarding tethering nowadays, but I prefer to have them free range, but fences do need to be good - the smaller ones can get underneath even a little gap. And if they get in a neighbours garden .....oh dear!!

One thing about goats, is that if they are ill, they sort of give up. They do not seem to have a big pain barrier, and need a lot of pampering. I never give mine too much hard feed, they have plenty of hay which is essential, and like I say, branches and leaves and greens.

If you can make sure there is no escape route, and nothing to get their heads and legs stuck in - they are good at that - you should be ok.

I hope I have not put you off goat keeping. Just wanted to give you a view from an established owners way of looking at it!!

As to maintenance, regular foot trimming is necessary, and of course worming. Mine have a mineral lick, and I check for lice, but so far, all clear.

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7161 Location: isle of lewis

seconded everything that has been said
i have a milking herd ,toggs and old english
they are browers ,their favorite trick is to strip bark off trees ,they love browse and they really need fibre more than anything else ,in fact some interesting studdies show that milk yeilds have gone down since the war as then they where feed lots of roughage ,and not a lot of grains as babies therefore their stomach was taught to use it better than goats nowdays
foot triming has to be done regularly ,although that does depend on your land ,my billy (full) billy or buck has a shed and a yard even here he has the shed open and comes and goes as he pleases,he stands about 4.2 feet ,he is lovely when there isn't a female in season ,i also have 2 weathers and they get on fine together no smell ,they are going in the freezer in sepember not because of eascaping because that's what happens to male kids here if they are not to be used for breeding
you will need a holding number and flock number

Sylvia · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:52 pm Post subject:

Thank you all for your replies, you have given me a lot to think about and more questions.
Any suggestions for a small/medium sized good natured breed?
What size house/shelter will they require?
Will I be able to do the foot trimming myself or is it a specialist job like horse farrier?
We would like to be able to move them around to different parts of our land, if I get youngish animals can I train them to walk on a lead?
Are there any plants/shrubs/trees that are poisonous to them?

The goats will definitley be only as pets, we do not want to breed, although I think kids are so cute and mischeivious. Our land consists of 2 lakes surrounded by 7.5 acres of woods and scrub land and surrounded by forests, so there is no shortage of browsing, in fact there is very little grass. We have had to ensure the fences are escape proof to contain our 2 mischevious young dogs but we will put up some extra high fences around where we are planning to keep them.
Thanks again and sorry for more questions.
Sylvia

debcat · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:13 pm Post subject:

I've got an old english and a toggenburg x golden guernsey, they both have really good natures.
The X has been known to jump out of the field, but only when she can hear me nextdoor
If you heft them to your land they will be unlikely to wander,
Mine have a stable that is around 12ft square but I used to have 4 in there.
They are easy to lead train, treats work wonders mine will happily walk on a collar and lead
Feet are easier to do if you've been shown first, it's not hard to do.
rhodedendron and yew are both pisonous, there's a link somewhere to other poisonous plants, will try and find it
HTH
Debs

nigel · Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 5:57 am Post subject:

they won't mind the lack of grass with all that woodland, they'll be in goat heaven.

I agree once you know what you're doing with feet it's not difficult and there are lots of useful links on the internet and even some videos on YouTube

If you do buy goats get the owner to lift their feet - maybe even show you how to trim them if it's done without a fuss you'll be fine. If they struggle you may have some goat wrestling to do when you trim their feet. Most soon get used to it though and it becomes just another part of their routine. Distracting them with food helps.

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 1044 Location: Cornwall

Teasal, many years ago I remember both myself and my late hubby sitting up all night with a sick goat, the vet had written her off and all she would eat was hand picked (by us) young bramble shoots. We sat with her every night for a week, as she'd given up, and she pulled through in the end. We were so pleased as she was a lovely goat (An.Nub).
Once recovered, she was fine.

The following spring she had 2 lovely nanny kids, but unfortunately one developed twisted gut and we put her down.

Teasal · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:41 pm Post subject:

The things we do for our livestock eh!!!

I have been in exactly the same position. Trying to tempt a sick goat to eat with all sorts of tasty morsels. A good standby is bicarbonate of soda, mixed with water, thats worked numerous times for me on sickly goats, and also the willow branches and leaves have perked them up no end.

My two goats run in and out of a field shelter, they do not like being shut in, but are happy with the shelter and doing their own thing.

As to poisonous plants, I thing yew and rhodedendrum are the two main worries, but I would not let mine eat any garden plants, including daffodils, nor any privet hedges or conifers, bracken is also poisonous. The only thing in the veg line I can think of that are definitely poisonous are potato tops and beetroot tops.

The only thing with free ranging among trees and bushes is that things like hawthorn which they love, and wild bramble and roses have awful thorns which if they got caught on an udder, or indeed anywhere could do some damage. I recall a friend taking his goat to the vet with a swollen face. Vet said it looked like a tumour and to have it pts. Friend said no, took it home, bathed face, and found a thorn from a hawthorn had got embedded, and caused the face to swell. Pair of tweezers and thorn out. Goat very relieved to be still alive!!!

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7161 Location: isle of lewis

bicarb should be mixed with veg oil and is the remedy for bloat ,as for tempting goats willow is a pain killer and anti informatory
ivy is good for tempting them to eat ,without berries ,
i use electric fencing now ,3 strands ,moving it every few days and i train them to it , i feel really mean doing it now it's now no longer recommended that you tether goats as it quite labour intensive ,must have water and shelter ,a running tether is the best way to do it
i love my goats and do demonstrations on keeping them ,milking demonstrations,at local shows and school events ,my billy is always the greatest hit ,all the children think he looks like they imagine billy goat gruff to look
yew and rhododendron are the main worries ,somebody on here lost a goat to a few leaves of rhododendron when a gardener dropped a couple of leaves in a field

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 1044 Location: Cornwall

I had lots of rhodedendrun on my holding, and the goats were always nibbling the rhodedendruns. Only had one goat get ill with it, pebbledashed the goat house during the night, and never touched the rhodendrun again LOL

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7161 Location: isle of lewis

i don't think this ladies touched rhoadies again ,but with all 5 goats were really touch and go .they spent a week throwing up and she lost a goat called charlie another nearly went as well ,but goats are such fun ,i used to be a groom and don't want to keep horses again (although now and again it's tempting ,i find that i keep my goats like i would horses that have a side line Cool

,i'm still trying to find time to harness break mine Rolling Eyes

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 1044 Location: Cornwall

Goats are great fun. I hate it when people say 'ooh smelly goats' bcause they don't smell. OK billies do in the mating season, but it's not a bad smell, I quite like it lol

Teasal · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:11 pm Post subject:

Thought you may like to see a pic of my two Anglo Nubian boys, Cain and Abel - two brothers who are joined at the hip!! They are just three years old, and I am beginning to wonder when they will stop growing, they are awfully tall.