[Rosieb]

Hey all 
 
I have 4 pygmy goats that pretty much have free roam of the farm although only stay on the yard area and small paddocks.  When they need their feet doing - they hate it with a passion - it takes at least two of us and we literally have to pin them down and get them done as quick as we can as they get very stressed!
 
I had to get my old girls feet done today, she's the leader of the gang and can be a real bitch!! Really she's had far too much of her own way and is spoilt! Anyway she threw a fit and I ended up catching just below her eye and cutting her, I felt so guilty, obviously I didn't mean to do it but she was thrashing about that much it just happened as I was trying to calm her!
 
Otherwise they are really good to handle and will wear a halter and are just like dogs really as they also come if you call their name!
 
I just wondered what everyone else does when feet need trimming? 

[Daisys Mum]

I have found that mine really don't like getting their feet done, I am hoping that if I get a platform made so that they are a bit higher they will be easier but at the moment it takes 2 of us to do them.

[mojocafa]

My oh has the strength to hold them whilst sitting on a small bale and I sit on the ground. It's backbreaking especially if doing all 14of them

[Brucklay]

I manage to do mine myself but it's not easy - I tie them up with a head collar (one end under control) and I straddle them and like a horse - it means I have to bend over a long way and my back kills afterwards!!


Saying that they don't get stressed and it can be done quickly - it's usually the "lookers on" that are more of an issue trying to eat me/my jacket/hair etc

[Susannah]

I made a milking stand (pattern on the FiasCo web site) which was surprisingly easy, and that has helped enormously. I can do it by myself now! I have had to adapt it though as it is too small for my GG wether and too big for the pygmies. The pygmies have an extra little stand on the platform and "George" has his head pointing into the stand and feet on the ground.

[plumseverywhere]

Mine aren't pygymies so might be a different ball game altogether but they now stand as horses would for feet trimming. When I got them they hated it and it was a 2 person job and back breaking but I perservered and every few days lifted their feet, even if I wasn't trimming so they got used to it. I give them a small treat (crackers etc). I think the important thing is that they don't associate feet trimming with stress or they'll just kick off more and its even more stressful for all!

[Rosieb]

Thank you for your replies, it's made me feel much better it's not just me that has a problem!
My goats are really just pets and totally none productive and I thought because they have been treat as such I had spoiled them!
I can do 100 big mule ewes on my own with out a problem but these 4 tiny goats are really difficult and take 2 of us, my back hurts more when I'm done and my knees as I end up pretty much laying on the floor haha 

[fifixx]

One trick I have learnt is to do the feet after they've been out in wet grass - soften them up and cleans them too.  About the only good thing I have to say about rain...

[goosepimple]

We used to have the same experience Rosieb, in fact we ended up selling our first goats because we couldn't cope with having to catch them all the time, it was stressful for us and them. 
 
What you need is a milking stand (or goat crush sometimes called).  It will change your experience completely.  Just the one Susannah has mentioned above - if you can't make it yourself (out of old pallets works fine) then get a joiner to make it for you - you can copy the plans from the website, it will take him a couple of hours only, so if you can get the wood, a couple of hours from a joiner will cost less than £50 (think they're about £150 to buy of fleabay).  Either that or google 'lamb adoptors' the timber ones are best - it basically restrains the goats head, same as a milker, you put a bucket of goodies in front of them (skip breakfast so they're nice and hungry) and snip away.  Takes us about 10 mins each goat.  The lamb adoptors are about £16 plus vat or thereby from your local fencing supplier or fleabay.  Less stressful than stabbing the goats 

[Penninehillbilly]

One trick I have learnt is to do the feet after they've been out in wet grass - soften them up and cleans them too.  About the only good thing I have to say about rain...

Thats what I found as well, I actually wait till I can turn them out for a while before I trim them.