The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: shygirl on September 23, 2014, 09:00:25 pm
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i have 2 billies working this year, each in a stable with his girls, with shavings bedding. with an empty stable between them.
the stable is quite close to our house, (and our neighbours) and they stench of billies can be smelt upto 30 metres away, wafting into the house.
any tips on controlling the smell in the air?
and any tips on stopping the smell sticking to you after you have fed/checked them? bar - gloves and a boiler suit?
i try not to touch the billies if i have to go to work, but even touching the stable door is enough to stink strongly.
thanks
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That's all part of keeping Billy's. I doubt there is anything you can do to stop it I personally don't mind the smell although I must stink when I pop to the shop without getting changed ::)
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its just im slightly worried as the smell around our rental house is very strong - they are only a few metres from the stable, luckily with a fence to block the view, and as we finally have tenants who actually pay the rent, i dont want to upset them.
and im paranoid about stinking at work :innocent:
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Can't suggest anything really. Have you spoken to your tenants about the billy smell ? Maybe it does not bother them and your worrying about nothing. Think if I was in that position I would have mentioned it when they came to view and explained they are only at their worst smell wise during the breeding season
As for smelling at work. Just get showered and changed into your work cloths after you have finished the animals and never go near the Billy's in your work cloths when you get home
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Shampoo them. If you wash legs and heads it should help. Also a friend of mine produces horsey products (Aqueos) and she does a deodorising spray. I found it helped kill the smell when I sprayed on my hands. My chap prongs a bit and I plan on giving him a wash, if only I could find someone to help hold him! :innocent: :innocent:
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we didnt breed last yr, and the yr before the 2nd billy was just young, so i dont remember the smell being strong. maybe they are extra smelly as they each have girls now.
im hoping the tenants dont realise the smell is urine :innocent:
we have to use the stable for a few hours to geld a pony next week, thatl be eye watering :roflanim:
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I don't find it bothers me much ???
might get the odd waft now and again and the girls seem to like it :love:
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It is the head and down the front and legs that has the smell. Even just removing the males feed tub, means my hands are covered in billy smell. But having three intact males, and the young ones just starting to smell, I am well used to the smell, and it does not bother me now. It bothers my husband, who does not get involved with the animals, and he is always complaining he can smell goat|!!
I used to keep my intact goat at the side of the lane, in a stable, so passers by and the people in the barn opposite must have smelt him when the wind blew that way, but no one said anything. I find the smell wanes as the breeding season goes on if that's any consolation.
On the days I work, I am very careful not to touch the males - and get changed, but it does still linger!!
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You maybe able to dumb it down by washing etc but if you had the facility I would personally hand mate the girls and keep the boys in their own housing because it will be in the wood for a long time !! I used to keep gloves, wellies and a coat specifically for handling the boys, trying to avoid them isn't an option in my book, they deserve contact the same as the girls. It may be as well to explain to your tenants what and why the smell is so that they are aware of what it is and that in the off breeding season the smell should be much less !!! Hopefully :roflanim:
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I have put overalls on my Christmas present list! I do quite like the smell but only have one and he has only started smelling since August.
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I have one running with the girls and a group of 7 running together at night.You can barely smell the,what kind of billies are theym
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Last year my neighbour suggested keeping the very smelly angora buck I'd hired in in the field with his cattle to keep the badgers away.
I think the wind had been blowing his way for a few days and the buck had served all 8 goats in 4 days and was especially pongy, it died down a bit once he'd done his job.
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they are bagots, they arent keen on the handling part so they arent fussed if not being stroked. hopefully it will calm down soon. i was very close to building a shed closer to the house for the youngsters but have changed by mind now, during the summer i forgot how smelly it is. it does actually make me queasy when im in the stable for any length of time,as it is very potent.
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coffee soap (must have real coffee grounds in it) - shampoo them with it and it can help dumb down the smell. Although I don't make it at the moment, other soap makers will and its worth a try.
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Washing yourself with coffee or lemon juice removes the smell from your hands, Don't wash if you go to the post office- you will not have to queue for long as other folk will evaporate like magic...
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Love it tizaala! Must try that. If I'm not watching I find my billy escorting me out of the field with his head wedged up my bum. I'm just the wrong height cos if he drops his head and pushes it goes straight between my legs and I damn near end up on his back!
Just wondering how much to tell my poor house sitter who is staying at half term! She's never looked after goats before :roflanim:
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Last day or two mine are smelling really bad now .....trying to impress the ladies I think!! Even the young intact males have a slight smell. I can usually stand the smell, but have to say its even affecting me!!¬
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Perhaps your problem is that they are inside in a stable - if in a field with shelter smell wouldn't be so bad. Our bucks are out with the girls - and yes they do smell and it lingers on clothes and hands but doesn't make the environment unpleasant as fresh air.