A goat and a sheep together?

[snoozy]

Now, now. They would just be friends.

I was thinking how I need a goat to chomp down the jungle overtaking the yard, but I need a sheep to mow the lawn because a goat won't and so I don't have to. A goat is social and needs company, and I assume a sheep, being a flock-type critter, would prefer company, too. I've always thought it had to be either/or, but would one goat and one sheep be a workable thing?

[HilltopDaisy]

Snoozy, this has been my experience ~ goats and sheep will tolerate each other but will never be friends or "bond". My goats are not very nice to my sheep. Goats and sheep have different mineral requirements. That said, I say "Go for it!" but I think you need at least two of each.

[knight88]

Kept one ewe with our goats for years, no problem, The sheep thought she was a dog because she had been raised with dogs...

[pookshollow]

Three of my sheep live with the goats - they go in the barn at night in the same pen - but during the day, they form their own little flock. The other two sheep are living with the horses - I wave at them when I see them.

The only major concern about keeping them together is the copper requirements. Goats need copper in amounts that will kill a sheep, so you have to be careful.

[snoozy]

Originally Posted by pookshollow

Three of my sheep live with the goats - they go in the barn at night in the same pen - but during the day, they form their own little flock. The other two sheep are living with the horses - I wave at them when I see them.

The only major concern about keeping them together is the copper requirements. Goats need copper in amounts that will kill a sheep, so you have to be careful.

How would I be careful? Should I put a salt lick high up where only the goat could reach it?

[Katey]

I got a kid and a lamb at the same time one spring. They bonded. (Neither had a parent on the farm. We had older sheep, though.) The goat spent six months trying to convince the sheep that climbing up on the building would be fun, and finally succeeded. When the goat would get out, the sheep would holler at her to "GET BACK IN HERE RIGHT NOW!" and the goat would answer back, "WHY AREN'T YOU COMING OUT WITH ME?!" With all the noise, I'd usually figure out that something was up quite quickly.

[where I want to]

re:copper- you could feed a copperless sheep mineral and boluss the goat with copper.

I thought to add- my boer goats do a good job of mowing- if you have a way to protect trees and shrubs from goat attack, they do a really good job of making a nice green putting green. I use electric netting.
Maybe dairy goats are not so willing but the boers eat what's there to be had.

[LisaInN.Idaho]

We have a Nubian/Alpine goat who has lived with our sheep for years. He is very much a part of the flock and is particular friends with our now-wethered ram, Blackjack. Which is why we kept Blackjack when it was time to get a new ram.

[ET1 SS]

Our goats tend to push around sheep and but them a lot. But the sheep do not seem to mind much.

They get along.

[Starsmom]

I got a goat and a sheep at the same time. The breeder had put them in the same pen. I went to pick out a lamb for my son for 4H, but the goat was there and the breeder was going to cull her. I took them both. They were and are the best of friends. When all the goats were turned out, the one goat and the sheep stuck together. They never went anywhere without the other. They would curl up and sleep together,etc. Actually, I believe the goat prefers the company of sheep to goats. I have them separated now with their own species, but when ever they are allowed to be out at the same time, those two will stick together...they just prefer each others company. Weird but true.

[ozark_jewels]

They will probably get along fine. We had a sheep who thought she was a goat and even when we got sheep, she would not stay with them.

Copper bolus your goat and keep out a free-choice sheep mineral(not a block!) for them both. This will take care of the goats high copper needs and not endanger your sheep.

[snoozy]

What does "copper bolus" mean?

[KIT.S]

Yes, me too, about definition of "copper bolus." We have Willie-the-Wether goat and Sedro Wooley the ram together, because we didn't pick up our ewes until later. Willie and Wooley would take turns trying to mount each other, but they get along excellently and stay together unless Willie climbs the fence. They both prefer blackberries to grass, though.
Kit
Lacomb OR

[ozark_jewels]

Copper boluses are made for cattle, but we use them on goats in very low copper areas. Goats have high copper needs and too much copper will kill sheep, so feeding a sheep mineral(free-choice, loose mineral) to them both, but bolusing the goat with copper, will keep both of them healthier.
The boluses to use are here:

MG-C1 Copasure, 12.5 gm Calves 150-500 lb over 3 months of age (jar of 25)

http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/...&cmkw=copasure

I actually give the whole bolus, using a bolus gun from the feed store(the smallest plastic one). But for kids I resize it using gel caps from the health food store. Just empty the big bolus and repack it in the small gel caps. I give 2 small gel caps to kids. I use the bolus gun for my 2-3 month old kids as well as for my adults. They must get them whole, not chewed.

Pack the pills in the bolus gun, straddle the goat, with your hand under their chin, tilt their head up until their head and neck are in a straight line, gently but firmly push the bolus gun into their mouths and past the back of their tongue, depress the plunger on the bolus gun and gently pull bolus gun back out of mouth. Hold head up for another minute, slowly lower it and watch to make sure they do not spit bolus out. Its not hard at all once you get used to it.
Hope that helps!

I routinely do my herd at kidding season every year.

[Ross]

Skip the goat get two sheep and relax. They're smart and might take advatage of gaps in a fnece but they're not so devious as to make them!........... like a goat. Goats are sweet critters and I miss them. But life is easier even with cattle again.

[ozark_jewels]

LOL! Ross, I went the other way. Had both sheep and goats. I got rid of my sheep. I don't miss them and life is easier.

[Ross]

Sure the goats managed to blame the sheep....... no surprise there.

[freegal]

I am down to 2 Katahdin ewes and one Angora goat doe. They get along fine together now but I learned the hard way not to have the Angora kids mixed in with the sheep or lambs -they always knocked the kids down. So, consider the size and strength of the breeds you might pasture together. I just give them a salt block and sheep minerals. They are in good health, but aren't for breeding so they get along fine on basic nutrition.

[Lrose]

My husband's maiden aunt decided we needed sheep and gifted us with two pregnant ones. They got along with the goats and horses too. Only trouble was the sheep wouldn't come when they were called. We didn't have a farm dog at the time and it was a nusiance trying to get them to the barn at night.

The lambs born here were different. They were handled from day one and were so cute and friendly and played with the baby goats. We also named them and taught them to come when called.
We didn't have electric clippers and had to shear them the old fashioned way with hand sheep shears. A lot of work that was! So we finally decided to sell the sheep. Lately I've been thinking I would like just one lamb for a pet. A little black sheep would be kind of nice I think. Any animal introduced to other animals as a baby should get along. Our horse, goats and even chickens, cats and dogs mingle socially. No problems. More like we wish people could be!