I guess I've got goats?

[GoldenMom]

Well not permanently...Six goats showed up at my house yesterday morning. No idea where they came from. Thought they were the neighbor's but he says he hasn't had goats for a couple of years. So I have no idea if they were dumped or what. I'm going to hold them for a while (they are currently in a hoophouse chicken tractor) and try to find the owner. If no owner shows up, I will butcher them. There are 3 pygmy intact bucks, 2 pygmy does, and 1 angora doe.

Here's my questions:

They appear to be fat and happy. Right now they are eating grass in the chicken tractor. Once that gets matted down (probably tonight!), I will give them some grass hay. Is that enough for now?

I plan to build a temporary bigger pen attached to an existing shed on Thursday. Will pipe gates hold them? I don't have any extra cattle panels laying around or I'd use those.

How long do you think I need to wait for the owner to claim them? I put ads on Craigslist, left a note for the mailman, and am going to put up signs at the gas station, bank, and post office in town. Anything else I should do?

If no owner is found, they will be dog food. Does intact buck meat taste/smell as bad as they do? If I castrated them (hey, I'm a small animal vet, surely I can figure it out) how long before they stop stinking? If had the females in a separate pen, would they stink less and how long would that take? I'd hate to butcher them and then find out the dogs won't eat them because the meat smells/tastes bad.

Thanks so much. I'm sure I'll have more questions as time goes on!

[Cygnet]

You'll want to talk to your local livestock authorities to find out what "the rules" are and if you can actually claim them as strays. Rustling's a felony in many areas and you can be charged with it if you butcher and then the owners later turn up and are horrified you killed their pets. The rules are not the same as they are with dogs and cats.

That said, after you cut the boys, it takes about a month for the stink to wear off. And they're dead easy to do. ;-) Also, most people just throw them, hog tie them, and sit on them to do it, without sedation.

If they have horns, they can be really hard on fencing. Pipe fencing likely won't confine them unless you tack some sort of woven wire fencing to it. Don't underestimate the destructive ability of goats, either. They'll go through cheap welded wire fencing pretty quickly.

You may wish to sell the does if you can legally make them "yours" -- the angora in particular might fetch some money.

Grass hay's fine short term. If the girls are pregnant (and I would assume they are until proven otherwise because goats breed like tribbles) they'll need a more balanced diet.

-- Leva

[crazygoatgal]

Why butcher an Angora? No real meat to speak of and maybe good money if you sold her to someone who spins or is interested in the breed. I would try to place her and her buddy(if she is bonded to one) in a good home before I would butcher her. Just IMHO.

[PETSNEGGS]

Wow, I wish some would just show up in my yard...LOl... especially an Angora
good luck with them and let us know how you make out

[GoldenMom]

*I* wish a COW would wonder into the yard instead!

[Backfourty,MI.]

My guess would be someone dropped them off. My goats are let out of there pen's to browse everyday for long periods of time(hours) & never wonder off. Someone probly thought with you being a vet, you'd take good care of them. I think with times so hard we'll likely see more of that kind of thing too, especially if people can't afford to feed there critters, etc.
Good luck in finding the owner though. I'm sure someone here will know if the buck meat has a bad taste or not but Pygmies were origanally bred for meat goats & don't knock it till you try it....goat meat is very good. I don't think there's alot of difference between goat & beef, at least in the taste.

[HappyFarmer]

Not sure if someone mentioned this, but I would put an ad in the local paper. In our state that is considered an official lost/found notice. If unclaimed after 10 days I think it is, they would be considered yours to do with as you like, legally.

I'll be someone dropped them off, too. There have been a couple of postings of found animals on the board lately.

[BeagleMommy]

I agree that they may be dumped. Last week a co-worker of my dh's found 30 horses that had just been dumped on a unused piece of property. It's happening more and more as folks realize winter is coming.

[GoldenMom]

The mailman gave me a lead to try (mailmen seem to know EVERYBODY!). I also call the sheriff's department of my county and reported them. I'm going to call animal control of the next county (across the road) and report them tomorrow. I did contact the local newspaper about placing an ad, but haven't heard back from them yet.

They escaped the chicken tractor sometime today (they didn't destory, just pushed the door open), so they are now residing my barn. We'll see how long that lasts!

The longer they are here, the more I'm thinking I might not mind having a *useful* goat or six around the place...

[Backfourty,MI.]

There addictive so watch out. I love my goats as do all of us Goat people here. They really have alot of personality.

[GoldenMom]

Well the mailman's lead didn't pan out. They gave me another name to try but the goats aren't from there either! I left my name with both the sheriff's department in my county and animal control in the county across the road. Animal control told me after seven days the goats are mine. I'll probably wait at least two weeks before I do anything besides feed them. I still need to get the lost/found ad published. Should get that done this afternoon.

[GoldenMom]

Well, I'm now the official owner of three goats! The actual owner finally called (his neighbor saw my listing on Craig's List). He said I could keep the bucks as he was just going to take them to the auction anyway. He even offered to give me a doeling in January when the females kid. Not sure I'll take him up on that, but I see about getting a doeling or two from my neighbor's brother in law (he has Toggs).

So now I need to learn how to castrate bucks (these guys are WAY past banding). I have probably 2 weeks before I can get around to butchering them as I have 100 broilers to get done. Even a couple of weeks sans hormones and being away from does should help I hope (well at least it sure won't hurt!). And I'd like to learn how anyway-might as well learn on free goats.

[animalfarmer]

Hi Sarah,I have sent you a P.M. It may be of intrest. Best of luck.

[Backfourty,MI.]

If your going to butcher them in a couple weeks, then why castrate them? I think they'll still smell like bucks anyways.

[GoldenMom]

Originally Posted by Backfourty,MI.

If your going to butcher them in a couple weeks, then why castrate them? I think they'll still smell like bucks anyways.

It's at least a couple of weeks. If they behave I could wait a couple of more weeks. And I'd like the practice/experience. I plan to have more "large" livestock as time goes on and my brother has some cows he needs help with sometimes. I'd like to have some clue what I'm doing. And since these guys are destined for the freezer anyway, if something goes wrong I can just finish the job then and there. I hate sounding like I'm experimenting on them, but I think that's kinda what my thoughts on the subject are.

[KSALguy]

castraight them, let them recoup for a few days, then wash them down really well, they will hate it but a hose and a bucket of soapy water will do wonders, then let them have a pardon for a couple weeks, and they will be just fine,

[charisma]

I butchered an uncastrated buck this spring. Couldn't find a vet to castrate around here (and was too chicken to experiment on my own). Didn't make a difference in terms of the taste of the meat (in my opinion).