Getting a baby goat next week. Major questions!

[southernmom]

Hi all-
Will most likely be getting a young nanny goat next week at the local auction. What I need is someone to point me in the direction of the right thread to read, etc. regarding proper care of a very young goat. I have basic knowledge but if I get a bottle fed goat, do I use regular milk? Do I add vitamins?
I promise I am not entirely ignorant when it comes to raising animals-just never raised a goat.
Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Congratulations on planning to get a goat. They are wonderful creatures, and you will grow to love them.

However, there are some issues with your plan. An auction is, unfortunately, the worst place to buy a goat. Auctions are the place to purchase culls and diseased animals. On this board we advise against buying a goat at auction.

Do you have your pens/fences/shed ready? Goats are escape artists, and keeping a goat safely enclosed is critical.

Buying one goat is also not advised. Goats are herd animals and should always have a goat buddy.

I highly recommend that you do some reading and prep work before buying two goats from a reputable goat breeder who tests for disease and can assure you a healthy start in the goat business.

Here's a good place to start studying:
http://www.fiascofarm.com/goats/gett...oat.htm#lesson

[Backfourty,MI.]

Exactly what Alice said! We do Love our goats though & can't imagine not having them but I would do all of what Alice suggested.
Would hate to see you start out wrong with goats & then not like them anymore because of a bad start.

[2happymamas]

I third what Alice said. Buy two from a breeder and read up on the fiascofarm website. There is a lot of great info there.

[southernmom]

Excellent, thank ya'll so much-this is just the info I need!
I actually do have the pen situation pretty much set up-all I need to do is finish fencing the 'run'. ( The area has a nice wood floor, tin roof room with a door and plenty of room.) Thanks again!

[Ford Zoo]

Good luck and welcome to the wonderful world of goats But please consider what the others have said and read up BEFORE you get your goats. While they are a pleasure, they have their own learning curve and the more you know, the better prepared you will be.

[Pony]

So glad you're getting into goats! They are, as everyone has said, wonderful animals. Once you're into them, you're hooked for life!

Is there no decent breeder of healthy goats in your area? I'll bet we can find you someone who can sell you good goats at a good price. It really makes sense to start off on the right foot, and that means getting the best stock you can: a goat and her companion. One goat won't do well all alone. Goats need goat company.

The move to a new home is going to be stressful. You want your goats in the absolute best health, so they get off to a good start. A stressed, unhealthy animal from auction will break your heart and your pocketbook.

Good luck on your new venture!

[Minelson]

Welcome!!! And ditto what everyone else said. I did it wrong with my first goat. I didn't get her at auction but I got her from someone who did get her from auction. 4 years and 2 kids later she got very sick and come to find out she had Johnes Disease. It's highly contagious and all of my other goats got exposed to the disease. And I free range my goats so the entire property is contaminated. Please learn from my mistake...you can read more on this thread...Gretta's blood test