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08/05/08, 05:20 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Washington, USA
Posts: 2,898
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Our first goat
Well, we've taken the plunge.
End goals are:
1.) to have a milking doe or two
2.) to have less impenetrable brush thickets on the property
3.) to have a couple of pack goats / cart goats to play around with
The first step we took was to amass a goat book library and read read read. The second step was to build a goat-resistant enclosure (don't want to claim that it's goat-proof and have a goat take it as a challenge). Yesterday we took the third step and bought a young wether to start the hands-on phase of goatkeeping.
He is half French Alpine, one-quarter Nubian and one-quarter Oberhasli. He was born March 18 of this year and was a bottle baby.
We have not given him a name yet. He is very sweet! Wanted to share some photos...
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08/05/08, 05:31 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 24,108
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He is DARLING! and it looks like you have a very nice set up for him...I like the fence (and the curious kitty peeking in lol!) Congratulations...he really looks sweet 
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Teach only Love...for that is what You are 
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08/05/08, 05:34 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: NE Arkansas
Posts: 1,409
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Congratulations on your first goat baby. They are very addictive and he will need a friend to keep him company, otherwise he will drive you nutz.
Andi
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I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, with your help I KNOW I can.
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08/05/08, 05:36 PM
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Oregon, just West of Portland
Posts: 4,044
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He is cute and you will thoroughly enjoy. Very much like potato chips, you can't have just 10. 
I'm impressed that you did this all in the right order. Mine was in reverse:
- bring home cute baby goats because they were, well, cute.
- build cheap fence
- chase baby goats that immediately ran through cheap fence
- run to store and buy not cheap fence and install
- figure out everything else about keeping goats
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08/05/08, 05:37 PM
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Oregon
Posts: 112
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What a cutie! Congratulations and get him a friend soon! (Or put a diaper on him and bring him in the house. You wouldn't be the first.)
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08/05/08, 05:38 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 24,108
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cjb
He is cute and you will thoroughly enjoy. Very much like potato chips, you can't have just 10.
I'm impressed that you did this all in the right order. Mine was in reverse:
- bring home cute baby goats because they were, well, cute.
- build cheap fence
- chase baby goats that immediately ran through cheap fence
- run to store and buy not cheap fence and install
- figure out everything else about keeping goats |
This cracked me up!!! 
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Teach only Love...for that is what You are
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08/05/08, 05:49 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Washington, USA
Posts: 2,898
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Yes, Bruce the barn cat has him under constant surveillance. Bruce knows that the strange new creature isn't a dog and therefore doesn't *necessarily* require a beating, but hasn't quite made any solid decisions beyond that.
Our two draft horse mares are fascinated by the goat and his bleating. One of the two mares has been a momma sometime in the past, while the other is a maiden. The momma-mare nickered at the goat when she first saw/heard him and rushed up to see him. She must have had some sort of expectations because when she got to within about fifteen feet of the goat's enclosure, she stopped in her tracks, pivoted on her hind legs and ran away in horror. She didn't stop until she got to the far end of the pasture. Ever since then she has spent her time between alternately peering anxiously over the fence at the goat and trotting briskly away.
Maiden-mare wasn't disturbed by the goat at all. She was and still is very drawn to him and sniffs him with a very curious, polite and friendly expression. She seems to like him a great deal. She was up the hill in the back pasture, quite far away. I left the goat in his enclosure and he started crying. Maiden-mare came galloping at top speed down from the back hill and nickered at the goat in a concerned fashion.
Our dog Roxy has been assigned goatsitting duty until the little fellow is more settled. She tolerates the goat quite well and seems to understand what is required of her. She lets the goat sniff her and very politely shouldered the goat aside when the goat showed an interest in Roxy's dinner while she was eating it. I was concerned that she wouldn't like the goat, but I made it very clear to her that this little animal is important to me, and she has behaved in a very tolerant manner.
She did howl sadly from the goat pen last night, wishing to be indoors on her comfy bed rather than outside with the goat.
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08/05/08, 06:18 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Washington, USA
Posts: 2,898
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cjb
He is cute and you will thoroughly enjoy. Very much like potato chips, you can't have just 10.
I'm impressed that you did this all in the right order. Mine was in reverse:
- bring home cute baby goats because they were, well, cute.
- build cheap fence
- chase baby goats that immediately ran through cheap fence
- run to store and buy not cheap fence and install
- figure out everything else about keeping goats |
Well, after having done it the "wrong" way with the iguanas, the ducks, the horses, the turkeys and the quail, I thought I'd do something wacky and try doing it the "right" way for once in my whole life. Just to see what happens.
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08/05/08, 06:22 PM
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Katie
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Twining, Mi.
Posts: 19,930
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He looks like a real Sweetie, Congratulations!! Yep, You'll have to get another one, or two, etc. pretty soon, hahaha! At least he has the horses on the other side of the fence to keep him company too. Normally horses & goats get along quite well together.
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08/05/08, 06:25 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: northern Missouri
Posts: 287
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He is ADORABLE!! I agree that he will need a buddy. They are addictive. We got two last month and just added two more last week and are still looking for more!! I love them
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08/05/08, 07:10 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: RI
Posts: 110
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He is so cute. Congratulation!! I just got my first goats too. Hope you enjoy him
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08/05/08, 07:48 PM
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Student of goatology.
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Ohio
Posts: 3,131
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I love his color, reminds me of one of those fancy marbles.
I LOVE the fence!! You're going to thoroughly enjoy goats. 
__________________
Cloven Trail Farm
Lord help me be the person my dog thinks I am!
Ja-Lyn's Radio Flyer, aka "Rad" on his 17th birthday.
9/14/93 -12/3/10.
Rest peacefully my soulmate, I'll love you forever.
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08/05/08, 07:50 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,148
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He's very cute!
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08/05/08, 08:40 PM
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My kids have hooves
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Central Virginia
Posts: 2,224
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Ohhh, he is just precious! I love his face...such a sweetie!
Congrats
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Beth ~ Old Church, VA
3 Nigerian Dwarf goats, 4 cats, 3 Pekin ducks and 7 chickens. One very patient husband~
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08/06/08, 06:48 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Troy, Vermont
Posts: 1,695
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He is such a handsome boy!! Congrats and now you will have to join G.A. "Goats Anonymous" and learn to accept your addiction and how to live life with it.
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08/06/08, 08:41 AM
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Formerly Kathleen in AR
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,037
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He is so cute!! I am jealous. I have to check this board occasionally for pictures of everyone's adorable goats. *sigh* Someday I WILL have goats.
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08/06/08, 09:13 AM
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Cashmere goats
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: CO
Posts: 2,023
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Well with all that research that you did it looks like you even learned how to pick the cutest goat. WOW he will steal you heart in no time and you will be having a lot of goats very soon I can just see it.
If you can get him in with the horses, then you would not have to get him a friend quite as fast, (unless that is your intentions). HEHEHEHEHEHE
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08/06/08, 11:41 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Washington, USA
Posts: 2,898
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I'm sure goatie #2 isn't too far off in the future. We are really quite guilty of, "Oh, what's one more?" We have two of everything and it never starts out that way... the second one just sort of... shows up! It's usually a rescue.
I mean, once you've got the fencing and the feed pans and the shelter and all the food and goatie #1 is already part of your daily chores... what's one more?
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08/06/08, 04:59 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 5,662
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jennigrey
I'm sure goatie #2 isn't too far off in the future. We are really quite guilty of, "Oh, what's one more?" We have two of everything and it never starts out that way... the second one just sort of... shows up! It's usually a rescue.
I mean, once you've got the fencing and the feed pans and the shelter and all the food and goatie #1 is already part of your daily chores... what's one more?
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LOL! You're right -- two aren't any more trouble than one! (Neither are three, or four, or five, or....!)
He really is a pretty baby!
Kathleen
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08/06/08, 07:46 PM
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why hide it?
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Lexington, Texas near Austin
Posts: 1,584
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Very cute. Yes, goats need to have a pal in order to do best, they are herd animals and two goats is considered a "herd". Congrats!
__________________
Diane Rhodes
Feral Nature Farm
LaManchas, MiniManchas and Boers
Member ADGA, MDGA
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