[MikeM]

we have an area of paddock about 650m2, would this big enough to keep a couple of goats on? Obviously I am aware that we would need to bring in pretty much all  their food, so I'm mainly concerned that the area would be big enough to keep them with plenty of space to stretch their legs etc.

[katie]

I would say so. The only thing is, the grass would get pretty exhausted if you have no way of letting it rest for a bit. We did this once and made a paved area at one end for wet weather to stop it getting too muddy.
How exciting!

[MikeM]

thanks Katie, I did think about maybe having a smaller area for bad weather/winter etc and have a bunch of paving slabs sitting around, so that could be an idea.

[benkt]

We have four goats in a paddock about that size and they do fine. They don't need much hay at this time of year when they are out in it everyday - in fact I'm going to take a cut of hay from it this week as its got too long - they get lost in it!

[MikeM]

thanks ben, that's good to know.
 
 

[plumseverywhere]

There are a couple of people here with goats in their garden, its all about management of space I guess - sounds like you are already planning some good ideas with bringing in feed and paving 

[jinglejoys]

And whats 650m2 in ENGLISH !

[MikeM]

approx. 1/9th of an acre, if my schoolboy maths is correct. If it isn't, wow is he in trouble...

[katie]

If you start cutting nettles, branches etc now and dry them, they'll have something interesting to eat in Winter.

[Lesley Silvester]

My goats are in a yard measuring about 25sq yards/metres and I have had up to three in there quite happily. I do have to buy in their food but they have room to run and play if they wish. They also have constant access to their shed which was a typical 8ft x 6ft until recently when I had it extended.

[MikeM]

heh, guess what I've been doing the last few days? The grass and foliage (and creeping buttercup, seems lots of us are plagued by it this year) have got about waist height (on me, I'm 6'5", you could lose a small wife in that grass) so I've been out with the scythe. Just turned it this afternoon and it's lovely and dry. Don't have anywhere yet to store it, so thought I'd make a tarp covered "bender" to store it in.

[MikeM]

My goats are in a yard measuring about 25sq yards/metres and I have had up to three in there quite happily. I do have to buy in their food but they have room to run and play if they wish. They also have constant access to their shed which was a typical 8ft x 6ft until recently when I had it extended.

thanks MGM, that's good to know. My main concern is that they are "happy" in the area, any food they get from it will be a bonus.

[plumseverywhere]

If you start cutting nettles, branches etc now and dry them, they'll have something interesting to eat in Winter.

This was what I did last year - it worked a treat! willow, roses, long grasses, nettles, thistles. loads of it - filled a garden shed and really helped to compliment the hay that I had to buy in at £4.50 a bale (!)

[katie]

I bought some last week for £3 per bale. We ordered 50 bales. The contractor delivered 80 and they were damp - instead of that lovely smell of a well-filled hay barn, it had the slightly bananey smell of wet grass.
Told him to take them away again. Boy, he was grumpy but the way he didn't say much showed he knew he was trying it on.So silly - he's lost a customer forever and he's a neighbour as well.
Sorry, off-topic!

[plumseverywhere]

Noooo! that's not good at all. YOu'll have to get some from where I get mine (£3 a bale now) by the maypole, straw too. he's lovely and the hay is full of interesting 'stuff' that the goats love.