Bathe your goats?

[dok]

Does anyone here bathe their goats? What about bathing a buck in rut? Just curious what you all's take is on the subject, as it occured to me reading through the last buck thread and I can't remember ever reading anything about it. TIA, -dok

[Shazza]

I bathe my goats at the beginning of the Show season...and trim them etc. But I dont know whether Geronimo would appreciate a bath when in Rut...he is rather too amorious at that time to behave I think!!!.

[crazygoatgirl]

I usually bathe mine once a year, right before their first haircut. They have so much hair then I can't brush all of the dirt and grime out from the winter. The rest of the time they get a haircut I just brush them out really well to not really dull the clipper blades...of course I clip them about 4 times during the summer because I show alot.
BUcks get bathed right before their first haircut and then bathed again after their haircut. You have to be careful what soap you use because it will dry their skin out if you use something too harsh.
Also I don't bathe anything that is under 6 months old, the risk of pneumonia is too high even in the spring and summer.

[ozark_jewels]

I don't ever bathe my goats. And they sure don't look dirty. But then again, I don't show so trim very rarely. Goats are very clean as compared to cattle and don't generally let themselves get muddy. If you intend to trim, you will save a lot of clipper sharpening by bathing the goats first. Otherwise, I see no reason to bathe them. They don't like getting wet. The bucky odour will wear off the bucks as they head out of rutt, until they are out of rutt, you would be wasting your time to wash them.....they would just immedietly put their perfume back on........

[goatkid]

I bathe the goats I show before clipping them and again if they are dirty before the show. I haven't shown bucks, so I've never bathed them. There's no way I would try and bathe Gandalf when he is in rut. He's just to aggressive an animal to deal with then, and besides, he'd just spray himself all over again.

[Misty]

only if showing them

[chamoisee]

I do bathe my goats. I bathe bucks as soon as the weather is warm and sunny enough that they won't get a chill, and make *sure* that they are completely dry and warm before nightfall. The does get bathed before clipping, or if I am delicing the herd, or if the doe is going to be shown...it is quite possible for a doe to get several baths in a year.

Make no mistake about it, goats HATE being bathed! They like it about as much as a cat, so tie the goat up short. Trying to bathe them on a long rope, or to submerge them, would only be an exercise in frustration. I use cheap shampoo.

The reason I bathe my bucks is this: I like my bucks. My bucks need their hooves trimmed, they need basic care, I will need to work with them, and besides, I like to pet them. Moreover, my bucks run with the milking herd in the spring and summer (this does wonders for their disposition and general happiness) and it is just so much nicer not to have to worry about getting all smelled up by accidentally touching him.

In my opinion, a lot of bucks get badly overgrown feet, generally neglected, and become crabby from being shut in a pen all alone....all because they smell horrid and need a bath.