Should I and what do I need to know?

[Dfreddie]

I'm thinking of getting a goat. Need to decide rather shortly. I just about got some last year and then chickened out. I really don't know much about them. I have sheep which I'm still learning but a person never really stops learning I guess.

Could you milk them and freeze the milk to help feed bottle lambs next year?

Am I crazy?? Can I just get one and then there would be her and her babies?

[crazy4equines]

I would read as much as you can about goats before buying. Some good website are https://www.fiascofarm.com/ and http://www.goatworld.com/ plus there is here that has a lot of good information as well. You can freeze the milk, but I have no idea if you can feed it too lambs, I wouldn't see why it would hurt them but I don't raise sheep. I do know of people who feed their calves goat milk. You can raise just one, they don't always have to have a friend. I have had goats that prefer to be alone. I have one right now that would rather be in with the horses than in with my nannies.

Are you planning on running your sheep and goats together? I know that sheep can not have copper and goats need copper so that would be a problem.

[Clovers_Clan]

Yes, you can bottle feed lambs with goat milk. It would be more economical to have a doe in milk when the sheep lamb than to freeze the milk. That would be a lot of frozen milk! Bottle feeding is fine but don't use a goat as a nurse animal to lambs, the lambs are way too rough. I would recommend copper bolusing the goats to ensure they're getting enough copper and the sheep aren't getting too much. Depending on your sheep and the individual goat you might be able to get by with one goat. However, it might be better to get two, they will settle in much easier. If you got a bred doe and a wether together, you could grow out the wether for meat. Put the wether in the freezer once the doe is settled in and somewhat bonded with the sheep, or wait until she kids.

[Frosted Mini's]

I have raised lambs on goats and they didn't seem any more rough with the does than goat kids can be. I am on DHI testing and they did not affect somatic cell count, so I am pretty sure they are okay. But you can milk the goat and feed the lamb...either way works fine. I would never put a calf directly on a goat (seems obvious, but I've heard of people doing it), but they do grow great on goats milk!

[coso]

This is the wrong place to ask "should I". Bunch of enablers around this place !! We have frozen milk and used it to feed kids before no problem. As long as she has her babies she would be fine. One big difference between sheep and goats is copper. Goats need it, sheep not so much.

[Dfreddie]

Thanks!!! I picked her up Sunday and she didn't impress my husband as she got out of her pen in the barn haha in her defense the panel was not even waist high so not too surprised. She is hanging out in my horse stall now until I get her pen ready.

I also found a little freezer. It's 2x2x3 tall and will be perfect for keeping the milk. How do you all freeze it? I was thinking a 20 oz pop bottle or a ziplock bag but then the bag might leak whe I lay it in the freezer??

[Dfreddie]

Oh. Meet Charlie. Yes she had a horn. The band didn't work so we will try it again.

[Frosted Mini's]

Collect milk jugs from everyone you know, or juice jugs, etc. Pop bottles would work too, but I would think the milk wouldn't fit into the freezer as economically.