The hard truths of goatkeeping

[mygoat]

1. A serious side product of raising goats for any amount of time is 'goat meat'. For those of us who can't fathom eating one, still usually end up having to face the facts.

2. Not all pet homes are good homes. No amount of love means an adequate amount of care will be provided. (see #1 as to why I prefer meat to pet homes, 98% of the time)

3. A down goat will not 'be better by morning'.

4. Most vets do not understand small ruminants.

5. There is always just *one* more doeling to keep every spring

6. There is never enough room for just *one* more doeling, so somebody's gotta go *sob*

7. Milk 2x per day, every day, for 10 months out of the year. Sleet or shine, injury or in health.

8. As if milking wasn't bad enough, those pesky bottle babies will need fed too.

9. Constant vigilence and OBSERVATION is vital to raising... you'll miss every heat or small symptoms of early disease, or signs of kidding - unless you have the patience to just observe.

10. You WILL cry over spilled milk.

11. Milk that has been stepped in by your new FF is not salveageable for table milk.... trust me.

12. The cute boer baby wether is always the sweetest thing, but you cannot rationalize keeping another worthless wether around, so off to auction he goes...

13. The price of hay/feed never goes down.

14. Get used to the phrase "It tastes just like milk!" from people trying goat milk for the first time.

15. There are other people like you. Instead of offering you therapy, they are enablers.

16. These enablers may ask for advice on many topics, but don't worry - when you need help, they're there.

17. On that topic, not everyone is honest and nice. The vast majoity are - but it's the few that aren't that make goatkeeping unpleasant sometimes.

18. CL, CAE, Johnes.

19. Kidding problems happen at the least opportune time and require immediate action and understanding of the situation and how to fix it.

20. If you're a true addict, it takes a lot to consider giving them up. Life with goats is just too rich. This spring marked 11 years of goat ownership for me. At age 23, that's as close as makes no difference to half of my life.

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Am I missing any?

[Alice In TX/MO]

Outstanding post.

[Strange Bear]

21. Goats will investigate EVERYTHING!

[Backfourty,MI.]

Great Post Dona, I Loved it!

[Sherry in Iowa]

I really liked and appreciated your post Dona.

[nehimama]

Very good insights! I agree with all of your points!

[mygoat]

Originally Posted by Strange Bear

21. Goats will investigate EVERYTHING!

Kinda going off of this one...

22. If you lean tools or building supplies up against the fence or barn, expect it to be knocked down in short order - usually within seconds.

23. If you're attempting to move something moderately stand-on-able, a goat is guaranteed to come over and stand on it when you're trying to lift it.

[where I want to]

If a doe has one outstanding characteristic that you desperately want, she will have one that you desperately don't want. The dreaded "If only she had a better............"

There is no better way to de-poop the shed- it's all been tried.

All kids are incredibly cute- darn it..........

[Jan in CO]

Very good post and should be required reading of everyone even thinking of getting into goats! Just as the little doe that is the best looking of any I've had recently has an extra teat...one great trait, one not great. Thanks for posting!

[Jenniferlynne13]

Wow....SO GOOD!!


Ya learn new stuff EVERY time you come visit this forum....

Lots to learn from the 20 bullets above...but the one that struck me was:

12. The cute boer baby wether is always the sweetest thing, but you cannot rationalize keeping another worthless wether around, so off to auction he goes...


just reading that helped toughen me for the decisions I'll be faced with soon!!

THANKS

[Kathleen in WI]

Originally Posted by where I want to

There is no better way to de-poop the shed- it's all been tried.

I need to get my husband to understand this. He walks around the yard with a broom and dustpan for any little "butt berries" (as he calls them) that may find their way into the driveway - which is where the goats like to play.

[MirandaT]

24. Planting flowers without gates around them, and any shrubbery or trees in the vacinity will all be demolished. Dont waste your time or money
Just be sure to take pictures and enjoy them for the first couple weeks in spring, because they will be gone very soon:-)

[mygoat]

Originally Posted by MirandaT

24. Planting flowers without gates around them, and any shrubbery or trees in the vacinity will all be demolished. Dont waste your time or money
Just be sure to take pictures and enjoy them for the first couple weeks in spring, because they will be gone very soon:-)

Going off of this one...

25. If the fence won't hold water, It won't hold goats.

[Clovers_Clan]

26. When herding goats, they will resist going through the gate you've opened for them to enter. But they will trample you to get through the gate you're trying to close. And if you are working with more than one goat, this will happen simultaneously :-)

[Minelson]

Great post Dona and great thread!

[Hannah90]

I learned very quickly........

Goats with horns CAN cause problems.

[ozark_jewels]

7. Milk 2x per day, every day, for 10 months out of the year. Sleet or shine, injury or in health.

I change this to "chores 2x per day, every day, for 12 months out of the year. Sleet or shine, injury or in health." Since I cut my does down to once a day milking starting in July when the temps near or reach *100. But yes, the chores are ALWAYS there after you get livestock. If you can't handle that, you shouldn't have bought them.

Good post!!

[gunsmithgirl]

14. Get used to the phrase "It tastes just like milk!" from people trying goat milk for the first time.

LOL! Can't tell you how many times I have heard those EXACT words!

[PKBoo]

Originally Posted by Clovers_Clan

26. When herding goats, they will resist going through the gate you've opened for them to enter. But they will trample you to get through the gate you're trying to close. And if you are working with more than one goat, this will happen simultaneously :-)

I'm still trying to figure out how to 'herd' goats haha! I can herd the sheep and cows quite easily, but the goats???? That word is NOT in their vocabulary!

Great post Dona! Thanks for posting this

[The Tin Mom]

Originally Posted by mygoat

Kinda going off of this one...

22. If you lean tools or building supplies up against the fence or barn, expect it to be knocked down in short order - usually within seconds.

23. If you're attempting to move something moderately stand-on-able, a goat is guaranteed to come over and stand on it when you're trying to lift it.

When you are working in their barn, they are happy to help