Maybe - just maybe - getting goats next year

[Bonnie L]

The obstacles to getting milk goats are fading away. The main one left is my dh's willingness - or lack of it.

I know enough about goats to know what breed I want & who I want to buy from. And I know I'm not keeping a buck. But there is lots I don't know.

We don't need a lot of milk. Can goats do OK by themselves, or is it better to have 2? Can they be fed mostly on hay? How much space do they need in winter? I have a small shed for them & a largish fenced area they would share with chickens. I can enlarge both. Some winters we have quite a bit of snow & temps below zero - like this year.

Even better, what are some titles of goat care books that you could recommend?

[LittleRedHen]

You will want two goats but you could have one as a wether which is a castrated male. He won't stink like a buck and he makes a good companion. Otherwise your single goat might be noisy. They seem to be highly sociable!

The only drawback to goats with chickens is the goat getting into the chickens grain. They'd get fat on it! and your chickens starve LOL. And then you have chickens getting into the goats grain. You could probably keep them mostly on hay as I had goats before and didn't have grain but i know they are happier and likely healthier with a bit of grain. Mine like sweet feed the most!

I have the Dairy goat book by umm Storey publishers.. I can't think of its name and author at the moment. I got it at Tractor Supply (which is 25% off right now) and its a really good informative book. They have other books which touch on other animals and i am sure one of them have stuff just on regular goats too.

[LittleRedHen]

btw my husband strongly disliked goats and still does to a degree. Sometimes finding a breed HE likes is helpful My husband is falling in love with Nubians! He doesn't like alpines or pygmies. But a week or two ago I brought home a nubian doeling with those big beautiful floppy ears and he really likes her. He loves her "Roman nose" as he puts it. I won't mention to him that he is using LOVE and a goat in the same sentence. Afterall, he doesn't want to ruin his reputation as hater of goats Maybe your Dh will have a soft spot that comes in time too!

[AnnaS]

Originally Posted by Bonnie L

We don't need a lot of milk. Can goats do OK by themselves, or is it better to have 2? Can they be fed mostly on hay? How much space do they need in winter? I have a small shed for them & a largish fenced area they would share with chickens. I can enlarge both. Some winters we have quite a bit of snow & temps below zero - like this year.

Even better, what are some titles of goat care books that you could recommend?

You absolutely need at least two. They will never feel safe or happy by themselves. Single goats will make a lot of noise and go over fences & through doors to join the nearest herd- in your house. Since you don't need much milk, a doe and a wether might be the answer.

Imput/output varies a lot within a breed and even within a herd. There are lines that will produce a decent amount of milk on a small amount of grain and keep themselves healthy. But milk goats will need at least some grain. They are a man-made animal, not a natural one, and will never do well on hay alone. Talk to lots of breeders and be specific about your goals and requirements. Someone is going to have the right doe for you. I do have a doe line that would work for you if you want to ship a kid.

They don't need a lot of space in winter. An enclosed shed with lots of straw and plenty of hay to eat will keep goats warm. Most of my goats are fine even on our -25 nights. One needs a blanket, though, and all of them relish hot water when it's cold.

The chickens should be kept separate from the goats in the shed. Chickens will poop in the goats' water and feeders, perch on their warm backs, and poop again. They do mix well in a pasture, though. Free ranging chickens help keep the flies down.

My favorite goat book is "Dairy Goats for Pleasure and Profit" by Harvey Considine. The author ran a large commercial goat dairy most of his life, developed the modern dairy goat scorecard and linear appraisal system, and was a widely respected judge. Of course, all of his info is invaluable but what really comes through in this book is the author's love of goats, and hope that you will also love them. Link to purchase http://goatgifts.com/books.shtml

[Bonnie L]

Thanks for all the advice! I'll be reading those books.

The goats won't be able to get into the chicken house, but the chickens would be able to get into the shed. I hadn't thought of getting a doe & wether - that sounds like a good idea. The fenced area they would share, but it can be enlarged.

The goats I've had my eye on for a long time are Saanen crosses that are raised on a nearby farm where they make goat cheese. They sell the excess babies each year. Kind of pricey, but they are good goats.

My poor dh could live without animals at all, but he did marry me when I had umpteen cats and 2 dogs. So he was warned!

Now we're down to 5 cats, but have added the chickens, 2 donkeys & 3 rabbits. Now that my back has been fixed so I can handle milking, and we've found out we like goat meat, the main thing is to make sure I don't add to his work load or bankrupt us with the hay & other feed.

[thaiblue12]

Goats love chicken feed and it can be deadly in excess. If you think your goats cannot get to the chicken area they might surprise you, they can be very determined when they know that chicken feed is coming. I lock my coop and feed the chickens and I open it later and pick up any leftover feed. I also keep it locked in a 55 gallon container in my garage. Yes I am paranoid after reading on here about a couple of people's goats dying after gorging themselves with chicken feed.
Chickens can be a pest with their pooping. I had not had them poop in the water but did find a couple pooping on hay.
LoL my husband knew I was an animal lover but he told me that before he married me I should have provided a better warning. I have triple the inside animals he thinks is the right number to have. He hates free range chickens that sometimes get into the garage through the cat door. He does not like that I allow the goats so close to the house, but yet you can find him outside petting them and talking to them. Baby goats are so cute and bouncy and fun to watch that your husband might fall in love. My husband if the goats are friendly and most are then he will eventually like them. But mostly he tries to stay inside and still pretend that we live in the 'burbs