Thinking of getting goats....overwhelmed

[Simpler1773]

Oh boy, so much to learn.

We are thinking of buying a milking goat from a forum member and also two yearlings for company.

My husband has said we can buy a nice steel building and put in a fence to keep them, but I feel like there is so much I don't know!

We just ventured into chickens earlier this year and besides a cat we have no other animals....neither one of us grew up farming. But you have to learn sometime, right?

So, I guess my question is: As a brand new goat owner, what do I need to consider (yes, I realize I'll have to be here to milk 2x's a day) and have on hand besides the hay and grain. Do they require special waterers, feeders, etc? Oh, and how do you make a milking stantion (sp?).

I'll keep browsing all of the great info here, but I just wanted to get my foot in the door with all of you experienced goat owners


Ricki

[goatmarm]

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[Sondra Peterson]

Goatmarm has given you great advice. as for waterers and feeders.
I get those solid laundry baskets from Dollar store for waterers have to chg them out every couple of years but hey only 6 bucks a tub. As for feeders you can build them but what ever get them up off the ground for both hay and feed.
Now I feed anything dry (not in milk) Alfalfa pellets and grass hay. and grain only to the milkers on the milk stand if you want to email me I do have a pattern for building your own milk stand.

[harplade]

Don't know what your agricultural county agents do in Wisconsin, but in Louisiana, they are full of great free advice and lots of literature. Often, they know area farms and the animals they raise.

Good luck,

Harplade

[xoxoGOATSxoxo]

Good advice, everyone. For Simpler1773, a good book would be Storey's Guide to Raising Goats. If you want a book, that is. It doesn't tell you EVERYTHING, but it is very good and has patterns for milkstands and such. You could find it at your library or online, if you'd like to buy it. good luck!

[cmharris6002]

Check out,

fiascofarm.com

They have a nice outline of goat health and husbandry.
Some things you will want to learn about are, the best wormer(s) for your area, routine vaccine CD/T, a loose mineral for your goats, once a month hoof trimmings and even how much and what to feed them.

It seems overwhelming at first, but as you figure out one thing at a time it gets to be second nature.