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11/16/08, 08:38 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 5
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Need information about goats. Beginner
Hey,
Thank you for coming here i am a beginner in goat raising and I am gathering information about them so i can start rasing my own. I hope you can help me in my quest for goats. I am going to try and get 3-4 goats and i need the amont of area to put them and and the type of fencing. Once again Thank you. P.S. I'm only 12 years old
Last edited by bee.prince; 11/17/08 at 07:34 AM.
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11/16/08, 11:04 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,377
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What kinds of goats are you thinking about getting?
The fencing is going to depend on whether or not they are horned, you are going to need it at least 5ft high as well, not only to keep them in but to keep preditors out, in which case you will want to consider either a hot wire across the top or a livestock guardian dog.
We have mostly Boers here who have never even thought about trying to jump the fence. (please dont tell them i said that)
If you get into the large breeds, we use field fencing and have 2x4's nailed about halfway up to keep them from rubbing on the fence itself and bowing it out. Some folks use a hot wire along the inside of the fence.
Graduated fence worked fine when we had Nubians that were disbudded. Not so with the horned Boers...every year we had someone getting their head stuck. Most of it has been replaced with field fencing.
__________________
Bob and Nancy Dickey
Laughing Stock Boer Goats
"Seriously Great Bloodlines"
and the meat goes on....
Near Seattle
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11/16/08, 11:05 PM
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Little horse in a big pen
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Northern Alberta, Canada
Posts: 174
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Wow, Minelson, thats a really nice setup you have on there! I love the idea of using the (name escapes me at the moment but the old rolls that hose went on) thingies for a table/step for them!! What a great Idea.
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11/16/08, 11:43 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Middle Georgia
Posts: 499
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I just bought two goats; I currently have them in my garden which is welded wire, but I am putting up a fence all around my land. We have 5 1/2 acres; and will be using field fencing, this is a great all purpose fencing. Welded wire from my research; does not hold up well for goats and most other livestock. I made an A frame hut for my goats; it is 4ft x 4ft and my two goats fit in it just fine, I also lined the outside/ inside of the hut with an old carpet to help keep them warmer. Before I got goats I did a lot google searches on goats and read a lot of the post on this site, which is one of the reasons I joined this site, because there was so much good information and I wanted to be able to post questions. Goats are herd animals; so make sure you buy the goats in pairs, even if you are buying from different people so the have a buddy they know. Also make sure you look them over before buying them; every article I read about buying goats, said to make sure their eyes were bright and clear looking and that their tails were not drooping. I also read that they you can put 2-6 goats per acre depending on what kind your buying and how much stuff you have for them to eat. I have 5 1/2 acres of grass, wild blackberry's, green briar and other types of under brush as well as lots of pine sapplings. I am only planning on having maybe at the most 10 goats ever at a time, as I do not want to over graze what I have and I do not want to have to spend a lot on supplemental feeding. I have a source of cow quality hay; for a fair price for winter time and goat pellets in my area runs about $11.50 for a 50lbs bag, that should last my two goats 1-2 months what with all the stuff I have for them to eat and I have the 5 1/2 acres split into three diffrent pastures. The more animals you add the more likely you are to have to give them extra food to keep them fat and happy. I am sure that there are more experianced people out there, but I hope this helps.
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11/17/08, 05:26 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Central WI
Posts: 5,393
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We have kept 3 in an 8x12 pen in the garage on a bedded pack over winter and at night during pasture season. But we now have 6 and I am building a biggeer pen. The billy has his own pen but is running with the girls for now.
Our fencing is 3 strands of electrified string with 4' orange plastic snowfence on the outside.
We have not had any escapes even when the kids and moms were in different pastures.
We make our own hay which is an alfalfa/grass mix. We also feed a 16% grain that I have mixed at the feed mill. It's the same stuff we feed our young calves but without the medication for cocciditis (sp).
We feed on the milking stand and sprinkle a pound or two in their hay feeders after milking as well.
We have fed straight alfalfa that tested better than 20% P and whole shell corn and got good results from that as well. Goats were fat and sassy and milked well.
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Deja Moo; The feeling I've heard this bull before.
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11/17/08, 07:15 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 24,108
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlyCarm
Wow, Minelson, thats a really nice setup you have on there! I love the idea of using the (name escapes me at the moment but the old rolls that hose went on) thingies for a table/step for them!! What a great Idea.
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Thanks! Those are the spools that the electric company use for lines...If you go there with your pickup I'm sure they would give you one! I did have to nail a piece of wood over a couple holes on top so their little feets wouldn't slip through and injure themselves 
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Teach only Love...for that is what You are 
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11/17/08, 07:18 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 24,108
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I just wanted to mention that in one of my pictures you see a heat lamp. That was only there because I was preparing for Gretta to kid. I only used it when I was present. I am terrified of fire and it's not there anymore....
__________________
Teach only Love...for that is what You are
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11/17/08, 07:44 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Minelson
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Thats awesome! i Live in south-central kansas on a 40 acre farm and i'm looking to get boer or nubian. I'm also 12 years old and do beekeeping with my mom. i hope you can help. Thanks Bye
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11/17/08, 01:11 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,377
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Katgowen is so right about the welded wire! Dh build kidding pens out of it & within a couple of days the goats had popped those cheesy welds by standing & rubbing on them.
Like-wise with chintzy brackets, gate closures, anything that is within 6 miles of a goat must be industrial strength.
__________________
Bob and Nancy Dickey
Laughing Stock Boer Goats
"Seriously Great Bloodlines"
and the meat goes on....
Near Seattle
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11/17/08, 01:35 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: central south dakota
Posts: 4,096
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what are your plans for the goats? packing? just pets? milking or meat?
i liked all those photos from minelson! what a nice place! hey, that trash bin turned hay feeder looks like a great idea! does that work well?
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11/17/08, 05:27 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chewie
what are your plans for the goats? packing? just pets? milking or meat?
i liked all those photos from minelson! what a nice place! hey, that trash bin turned hay feeder looks like a great idea! does that work well?
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i'm thinking maybe 2 meat and 2 milk.
not completely sure though
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11/17/08, 05:44 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 24,108
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chewie
what are your plans for the goats? packing? just pets? milking or meat?
i liked all those photos from minelson! what a nice place! hey, that trash bin turned hay feeder looks like a great idea! does that work well?
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Yes, the trash can works real good so far. I got the idea and directions on this forum. The only problem I have sometimes is that I didn't get one with a lid and one of chickens likes to lay eggs on top of they hay
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Teach only Love...for that is what You are
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11/17/08, 09:26 PM
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www.waltersgirlsfarm.com
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mid-West MO
Posts: 299
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bee.prince are you planning on using them in 4-H or showing them, or you just want pets?
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11/18/08, 04:45 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 5
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I'm not sure i might use them for milk and maybe meat but not 4-H
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11/18/08, 05:02 PM
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www.waltersgirlsfarm.com
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mid-West MO
Posts: 299
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If I were you in that case I would get milk/meat cross.
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11/19/08, 09:41 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Troy, Vermont
Posts: 1,695
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If you find a breeder in your area and you like their animals, ask them if they test for CAE, CL, and Johnnes. And ask to see the results. Don't worry about offending them, if they test they are just as concerned for the health of their animal as you are. And if they don't test, then you don't need to buy from them anyway. That is probably one of the most important things you can do when you first start out. I just recently lost a prospective customer because he found out that the 3 Nigerian Dwarf does he bought from a supposedly honest woman all had CL. He was going to purchase a buckling from me to use on his does and now he has to destroy all 3 of the does. His children are devastated and he is as well. And this woman seemed so nice as he said to me. Please please make sure you get disease free animals. You could offer to pay for testing if you think they are healthy but the farm just doesn't test(for whatever reason). But don't take them home until you get the results. You are going to just fall in love with whatever you end up getting. Goats are the greatest!! And WELCOME to the greatest forum too.
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11/19/08, 10:14 AM
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Caprice Acres
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: MI
Posts: 11,232
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Learn as much as you can about all aspects of care. Vets do NOT know best in most cases, and it is up to YOU to provide most if not all vet care. Vaccines, hoof trimming, milk care and handling, kid care and turning kids, nutrition, fecals/worming, drawing blood/disease prevention - it's all up to you.
Goats are LIVESTOCK. If you own a few for pets, please don't breed more pet quality goats. Goats are LIVESTOCK and should be raised with efficient production in mind. If a goat is hard to handle, a pitiful producer, or badly conformed they are not profitable and are often culled. As livestock, they are GENERALLY not animals like puppies and kittens that you love no matter what they look like. That being said, I've had my share of animals with faults that I could deal with because of redeeming traits. Breeding is a science in which you strive to produce the best animal you can.
Production and conformation should be your main goal. A doe coudl produce 12 lbs of milk per day but could have a horridly pendulous udder that drags and gets chronic mastitis. A boer doe could have quads every year but be so steep rumped that she has difficulty birthing. A well conformed, productive animal will be more expensive in the short term, but more profitable in the long term. Kids will be in demand, disease and problems arising from conformation will be minimal, and well conformed animals will produce a higher amount over more years.
I can't stress enough about diseases. CL, CAE, and Johnnes are the 'big three' which you NEED to be aware of. You get one of those in your herd, and it can ruin you. And sadly, they're more common than you might think.
As for housing, you'll need a large stall to keep them in, 2+ kidding stalls, a milkroom/storage room (You'll want a milkstand wether you have dairy goats or not).
Equipment to start up can be daunting. There is so much stuff that I could't live without when owning goats. It took me several years as a teen to slowly garner all of my equipment.
Do some research for several more months. STay on this website, find a COUPLE good books, learn about conformation and research lines. Figure out WHY you want goats and if you really want to dedicate your teenage years to these animals. With diary goats, they are milked 2x per day for 10 months out f the year - no vacations, no spending the night with friends anymore. During the kidding season, bottle kids need to be fed often, around the clock. Does need to be tended while in labor. If your parents or siblings are willing and passionate about properly caring for goats, they may be willing to help.
It can be done. I got my first goat when I was 11. HOwever, I sacrificed much during my kid years to have the goats, and it's not for everybody.
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Dona Barski
"Breed the best, eat the rest"
Caprice Acres
French and American Alpines. CAE, Johnes neg herd. Abscess free. LA, DHIR.
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11/19/08, 11:15 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Troy, Vermont
Posts: 1,695
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Mygoat said alot of great stuff, but just to add .... you can milk once a day if that works for you. And if you plan to dam raise(let the mamas nurse the babies) then you can leave the doelings on as long as you want, but make sure you remove bucklings by 8 weeks old! They are sneaky little critters and will breed their mama in a heartbeat. Some have been known to breed at 6 weeks, but that hasn't happened with mine, thank the Lord!!!! But whether or not you milk once or twice a day, you still feed twice a day and check waters for "floaters and sinkers". Around here that means poo and mice. Yuckie, I hate pulling out drowned mice. As much as I hate them, they look so pathetic when drowned that I feel bad for them. My "barn" cat prefers birds and chipmunks. LOL
And make sure that you have good solid containers for your grain and minerals- mouse and water proof. I use the 30 gallon rubbermaid trash cans because I also have skunks and racoons that tried VERY hard to find a way to eat my goat grain and until I got these, they were fairly successful. Now I foiled their attempts to eat the wonderful goaties out of house and home.
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11/19/08, 09:01 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 5
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Thanks. We have no problems with mice here, our cats take care of them. I am thinking about putting the goats by the horses, we have 3, i'm wondering if the electric fence will keep them out. Which would be the best kind? Nubian or boer? I'm also wondering what are a couple of GOOD books. Thanks
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