The Poultry Keeper

skye girl · Joined: 27 Aug 2005 Posts: 638 Location: Isle of skye

Well not long now to getting the goats, we are getting the ones we went to look at, we have the hay rack, nice new leather goat collars, food, hay, straw and water and food buckets, just the shed and fencing to sort and a gate to replace a style, (we have got the OK on that from the township council) and are holding number to drop though the letter box, so 3 / 4 weeks we will be able to collect them Laughing

(I think OH will make it happen faster then that )

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

Excellent new skye girl, don't forget the pictures when they come.

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6958 Location: isle of lewis

another one bites the dust Twisted Evil

enjoy them Wink

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6958 Location: isle of lewis

could i make a quick suggestion ,dog halti's are great for goats
they make them so much easier to handle Wink

,i gave mine to my aunt and lost my last one but must go out and buy a couple morethe goat halters where miles to big for my goats Rolling Eyes

skye girl · Joined: 27 Aug 2005 Posts: 638 Location: Isle of skye

That is great, anything else I need tell me,I will tell OH he is been very generous at the min( mmm Idea

is he up something)

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6958 Location: isle of lewis

they really do make handling them easier ,and they don't do that horrible shake and colapse thing that goats do when they hit a nerve Shocked

,i can handle 2 with a halti and only one ,(well sort of ,only falling over on and again with out) Twisted Evil

mojo · Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 6:26 pm Post subject:

and there i was thinking they where trained to pull a cart no problem

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6958 Location: isle of lewis

not not yet mojo ,got to get them to stop ,
they will pull no problem

skye girl · Joined: 27 Aug 2005 Posts: 638 Location: Isle of skye

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

What about coats, do they need coats for the winter?

skye girl · Joined: 27 Aug 2005 Posts: 638 Location: Isle of skye

do they need coats milkmaid? greyhound coats would fit them I have some of them stored away in a box up the loft

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6958 Location: isle of lewis

no goats generate heat by using the fermenation process in their stomachs ,they need coats when they are heavy milkers and you are feeding them high levels of concerntrates ,the higher level of fiberous foods ,ie heather, reeds, tree bark ect they eat the wamer they keep themselves ,if you rug they tend not to put on a good winter coat and then they'll be eatting to keep themselves warm ,don't over groom in the winter ,i miss that part of looking after them Sad

,if i had a goat like gerdaline ,one of my first goats who was not eatting a lot due to liver fluke damage and after antibotics the fermintation doesn't work properly ,i rugged her she couldn't generate her own heat , (well a jumper i had first knited the tension was to loose ,it fitted her really nicely legs though the arm holes and her head out through the head hole didn't look pretty but kept her going ),so if you feed plenty of hay and stuff they should be fine ,they also like swede Wink

,i used to worry about mine being cold but the warnest place to sit on our place is on a nice straw bed ,and they pull hay out of the rack and use tha to sleep on
sorry i'm rambling Embarassed

skye girl · Joined: 27 Aug 2005 Posts: 638 Location: Isle of skye

milkmaid you will be fed up with me about these goats Very Happy

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6958 Location: isle of lewis

no never ,i adore goats ,you never know i might even brave the blue men to have an admire Wink

skye girl · Joined: 27 Aug 2005 Posts: 638 Location: Isle of skye

you are welcome anytime but you know that, OH is back some time late tonight, I want him to take me to see them next week again if we do I well take pics Wink