5 year old milk goat

Congratulations on the new goats. You got an incredible deal.
Now I hope you will use some of that money you saved on fences.
Barbed wire is not good for goats. They'll go through it and rip their teats/udders. (Ask me how I know. )

And I'll go on record as disagreeing that goats can ever not be fenced. They need good fences, preferrably goat fencing or field fencing. If they find out they can get out of an area, they'll do it every day, and eat everything you do not want eaten.

mary

Congrats on the goats! You have started an addiction, you know. lol!
On the fence issue, we have a really good fence that our girls have never gotten out of, unless the gate was open. DH got the bright idea, well, we are out here working, lets let them out to eat this overgrown stuff, cause they always follow us around anyway. Well, he is right, they follow me everywhere!
I tried going in the house (tired of sitting there watching them eat!) and next thing I know they are eating my roses, my avacado tree (took me 2 years to get it 2' tall!) pulled the ivy out of the pots (didnt eat it) sampled the rosemary and the iris's. All in about 10 min.! I did catch them BEFORE they got the pumpkin plants! lol! Now, if I am up in the woods, this works. if not, like I said, they follow me everywhere. You will need fences just so YOU can rest! Get the no-climb fence, and put a hot wire on top if you must.

Also, I suggest you get feed barrels with a screw on lid. I have my chicken and rabbit feed in trash cans with the handles that lock, and one of my girls can open it. NOT GOOD! But my goat feed is in one that screws tight, they cannot get into it. I think the oats they are on is perfect, you dont need a bunch of stuff for them really. Black Oil Sunflower seeds are great for them, and I found my girls do really well with that addition, I also throw in some cracked corn or dry horse feed with oats. My girls do really well on the dry horse feed, and they love it.
Congrats, and have fun with them!

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I also bungy cord my feed lids down. They can't get their silly goat lips to undo THOSE.

I have a 10 year old Nubian doe and a 14+ year old Nubian doe that still give me babies. The 10 year old has miscarried twice? But that was from running her around (inadvertently).

Sounds like you got a nice deal!

Good luck!

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Thanks all. I will feed the chickens outside the pen since they free range anyway. I'm planning on adding more fence this winter around some brushy areas i have. Their owner said they were very respectful of fences and she has the same kind I do. They do stick their heads through but don't jump, climb or push.

I'll post pics soon as i get them.We're so excited!

Congrats! I know you are excited! Can't wait to see pics. Sounds like you got a good deal.
Dawn

I can't seem to find if it's ok to feed wheat berries to them? Of course in small amounts and gradually but is there any problem with it? I have access to a lot of wheat. Also, with the whole oats, is that also called oat groats? I think it's an issue of being hulled or not but can I feed them oats with the hull on them? I've tried to look it up but can't find it...I appreciate all the time everyone is spending to help me!

Horses can't have wheat AT ALL.

I wouldn't feed it to goats either...

May be too much for the rumen.

I know some folks feed bread? I almost killed my animals feeding day-old baked goods several years ago. They couldn't handle the yeast and gluten.

Sorry, don't know the definitive answer to your question...

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