Author Topic: New to goats (Read 5361 times)

ambriel · « **on:** June 15, 2011, 10:23:27 pm »

We're really looking forward to getting our first goats in a week or so.

I'm off to the sawmill tomorrow to collect the timber to construct their house.

No doubt I'm going to have lots of questions for you all - bear with me if any of them are daft.

We already have a few pigs and hens.

egglady · « **Reply #1 on:** June 15, 2011, 10:33:24 pm »

same situation ambriel, so good luck and you ask all the daft questions you like....I'll learn from them and 'pretend' i already knew the answer!!!!!

wytsend · « **Reply #2 on:** June 16, 2011, 05:59:49 am »

Any questions just ask me, or any of the others .... we are all here to help[. I doubt there are any real problems with goat keeping that haven't been met before. !!

What are you getting.... I have still got a few female kids left.

Roxy · « **Reply #3 on:** June 16, 2011, 10:20:27 am »

Yes, we all started as newbies when we had our first goat!! And we all have to learn. Even 35 years later, I do wonder why I have not been driven round the bend by some of their antics. I can still remember my very first goat of my own when was 17. Tanya a BT female kid, which I bottle fed. In those days it was the old fashioned baby bottle with baby teat. Tanya used to pull the teat off sometimes in her eagerness. I honestly thought at first she was swallowing the teat and was so worried - until when I cleaned her out, there they were in the bedding

People often come and ask me about goat keeping. I tend to offer the same advice. Do not start out with a milking goat if you cannot milk. Its no use thinking "oh I will soon learn". It is not easy, and especially so with some goats who take the hump if you are not mlking right, and refuse to let the milk down. Then you have the added issues of mastitis etc. And never just have one goat on its own, they need company. A couple of kids would be ideal for newcomers to goats .....you have time to see how goat keeping works, before its time to breed from them.

Also the amount of people who have asked if they can borrow two goats to "clear the brambles and nettles etc. as goats eat anything" Yes, goats are browsers, and prefer branches etc. than grass if given the choice, but brambles can cause all sorts of problems, and it concerns me that people think they can live on fresh air.

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #4 on:** June 16, 2011, 12:20:34 pm »

I've only had mine for a year and a half but can honestly say, despite a steep learning curve, I wouldn't be without goats at all now.
See if there is a goat club near where you live. We go to the worcestershire one and its invaluable. My 9 year old is a member too and is planning to keep a kid from our newest addition next spring.
Spend time with goat keepers, learn to milk, use you-tube and books and TAS for info. Expect a few mini hiccups but lots of fun

ambriel · « **Reply #5 on:** June 16, 2011, 08:56:31 pm »

We're getting a pair of 4yo nannies from Siobhan & Ben (shiv22). Neither have been in kid before so we're going to take our time getting used to them before borrowing a Billy from someone.

Because of our location there are none of the local groups/clubs that many of you are used to, but being a crofting region there are a few goat keepers locally.

Roxy · « **Reply #6 on:** June 16, 2011, 11:52:34 pm »

There are not many other goat keepers near me -in fact, all I can think of is a lady with two pygmy goats in the village ....same with hens, just a couple of people in the village. Strange when we are in such a rural area.

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #7 on:** June 17, 2011, 07:00:22 am »

I am very lucky to have found another goat keeper a few miles from me. She is lovely and we are able to share worries, names of hay suppliers, vials of heptavacP etc between us and having lost the 2 goats when I knew no-one, I now feel so much less alone. A great help. Its a shame for you Roxy, especially as you live in such a rural area I guess Little Blue is probalby your nearest goaty neighbour then?

Roxy · « **Reply #8 on:** June 17, 2011, 03:04:42 pm »

There must be someone else between me and Little Blue with goats - we are at opposite ends of Derbyshire Maybe 25 miles apart!! In years gone by everyone seemed to keep chickens and goats - they were quite commonplace. We had a goat breeder and judge just in the next village, which was handy, so we could use her billy. Sadly, she is no longer with us.

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #9 on:** June 17, 2011, 10:16:28 pm »

put a note in the local paper roxy! see if you can find someone

rather ironically, after posting this earlier message, my goaty neightbour ended up spending the whole morning with me while I nursed a scouring goat

little blue · « **Reply #10 on:** June 17, 2011, 10:39:49 pm »

Quote from: Roxy on June 17, 2011, 03:04:42 pm

There must be someone else between me and Little Blue with goats -

... yes, the family Max & Meg live with!
(our goat kids we sold)

...and two at the pub in their village

...and my billy's family (I mean herd!)

there must be a fair few more, but thats all I know of!

oh, and the fact that my feed supplier keeps goat food on the shelf, but has to collect my pig meal when I ask for it surely means people must be buying it!!

jaykay · « **Reply #11 on:** June 17, 2011, 11:02:38 pm »

I know of one goat keeper about 10 miles from us. But that's all. Time was folk kept goats for pet lambs - now the automatic, warmed milk feeders have taken over.
We belong to our goat breed society which has meetings and regular emails - so that helps keep us in touch with goaty folk - plus here of course