Goats- how much work are they??

[beowulf]

Personally, I think they are way too much work for the average person. We have two at my mother’s farm… That being said they are the ultimate amusement-critter, and I like their personalities. They are quieter than the pair of boers we had before, but they are not silent…

My biggest issue with them is they are major escapees… there are two boers, Ginger & Snap, and they can climb and force their way out of anything. Twice now I have had to extricate Snap from asphyxiating herself - once was in a hay net that she managed to wrap around her neck, and yesterday I had to get off of my horse and physically pick her up after she managed to get her head and neck stuck between the gate & the hook that clasps the gate shut. She is not a small goat so I don’t know why she thought she could fit between the fence and the gate…

I don’t know if they are exceedingly stupid or exceedingly clever. I really can’t make up my mind on that one… but they do routinely get themselves into trouble that requires human assistance.

They waste so much hay. The second it is on the ground they touch maybe a wisp of a whole flake and leave the rest there to rot. They are bargy, pushy, loud and unafraid; god forbid I’m carrying grain from the car or have a bucket of grain, they forcefully shove their heads down in the buckets and try to pull it from my hand and no amount of physical rebuke seems to disarm them.

They are VERY food/grain motivated and we cannot feed the horses with them loose - seems easy enough but it took a long time to 100% goatproof their enclosure to the point where the horses could eat in peace… they would hear the grain bucket and come galloping up and shove their faces in the grain buckets.

A goat does not take “no” for an answer and they will shove their heads, horns and all, into a grain bin and leave the horse sitting there with his arms crossed in annoyance. I actually don’t understand why the horses let them do that, but they do.

They jump all over things; the first few weeks I had my new car they left a hoof-dent and several scratches in it playing. They see any sort of rise or incline as a fort that must be scaled and jumped off of - they geromino off of anything from the hood of a car to the trailer.

Speaking of trailer, they get underfoot - once I was loading my gelding and they came trotting out of nowhere and loaded right up underneath him :eek:

They don’t eat the actual stuff you got them for, are very selective grazers, and just now discovered my sister’s garden on the farm :eek:

They totally will destroy any tack or article you leave out… they routinely upend my grooming box looking for treats, and I’ve since learned to leave nothing but brushes in there… but they have passed over my leather halter quite a few times with their teeth :mad:

I like them a little more than I used to, but not enough to ever get my own goats.

[chestnutmarebeware]

@She's Pure Gold

Yikes!! Did you eventually figure out a fencing arrangement that kept them in?? I’m thinking I will definitely be adding multiple strands of electric to the inside now, if we do get goats…!

Nope! The pasture was way too large to re-fence with electric mesh so I gave up and let them wander. They went on to a better home about a year later and my mental health improved substantially. :).

[She_s_Pure_Gold]

Ha! Well it looks like the takeaway here is IF we get goats, add electric to the mesh/woven wire fence…lots and lots of electric…!! ;):lol:

[Hilary]

I can only add that my 3 giant Nubians were cute, and lived about 5 years longer than their general lifespan. And 10 years later I am still finding goat berries in random corners of my barn. They lived outside for a period of time, but were often testing the fence (electric mesh) and once one would be brave and break the charge that was it. Then they just decided they didn’t want to be in their pasture, they wanted to be in the barn. They really wanted a sofa and cable TV.

They did everything the others have said except mine did not climb on cars for some reason and they didn’t eat too much tack, but hay wasters, whiners! Good lord did they whine. I tried tethering them and you’d think I was skinning them alive. And they would just fight until they broke free. They were enormous and very strong, easily dragging me around the yard.

So, cute was about the only positive part about having goats.

[Mukluk]

Thinking of getting some for entertainment/weed eating. I am going to “borrow” two from a friend first to have a sense of what I might be in for! Do goats and horses typically get along or is it a case by case basis sort of thing? Just curious.

[ZiggyStardust]

I am a new goat owner, so take this with a grain of salt, but I worked with a rescue, where I got all 4 goats, and I highly recommend that, if you can. They get to know their goats, and can help match them to the right situation. They all have different personalities.

I have wire around the top of the smaller pasture, and used what was recommended by the farm store guy - goats need more juice because they have less surface area on the ground than horses. Less surface area (smaller feet) to complete the electrical circuit to get zapped. Highly recommend getting this all set up before you bring in the goats. I have 5 foot post fencing with no-climb all around, and one of the first goats we tried figured out how to jump out. He was HIGHLY motivated, however, and electric wasn’t hot yet when he arrived. Lesson learned.

Rescue said no grain. Hay and leave out salt. Hay as needed. They do indeed stay inside when it rains, so need hay there if they won’t go on pasture all day.

Dogs will attack them. One that I have was attacked by a dog and seriously injured, with no medical care until they finally surrendered him to the rescue. He is a love bug who makes little beep-beep noises. The neighbors have goats and their dog and a neighbors dog attacked one. I heard it way up the hill, it was horrible, and the goat wasn’t even badly injured.

3/4 I have are incredibly lovey, and they’re all social. Now none of them are giant Lamanchas who desperately want to be in the house with me ;). The rescue also said Nubians are screamers.

It takes them all a while to settle, and they will tend to yell for you more in the first couple of weeks, because they are anxious. Some breeds seem not as loud as others. The Saanen and Alpine/Oberhasli are quieter than the Boer and mini Lamancha.

[maunder]

I’ve had my goats with my Thoroughbred and my minis. My Thoroughbred was extremely gentle with the goats and my Gimli goat even spent the nights in the stall with him - Gimli’s choice. If the mini horses were being rambunctious the five goats would flock to the Thoroughbred and stand around him for protection.

One of my minis began harassing the goats too much so I separated the goats out. This spring I tried to bring my big LaMancha down to the barn to help trim the weeds around the fence, but he went after my mini mule (and this goat has horns) so I removed him.

[Hayla]

Goats are dear sweet obnoxious creatures. They love attention. They escape. An old saying is that if your fence won’t hold water it won’t hold goats. Alpine goats seem to climb cars the most. La Mancha Goats, toggenberg and Nubians are my favorites. My Toggenberg was the best behaved and most mellow.
two important points. Do not allow anyone to encourage them to jump on the fence. The next step after tbat is up and out.
the other is that if you want them to eat brush do not let people feed them treats especially at the gate or they will stand there to beg for treats and not do their job.
i say start small. Try two goats and only add a few more very slowly. Goats can be overwhelming even though they are very sweet

[MsM]

Boarded at a stable that had a couple of goats. They were supposed to eat the weeds and brush. Nope. They hung around the stable and ate whatever they could get from the horses and many random things. Like the billets on my saddle. And any paper - like checks - that wasn’t at least five feet off the ground. And they enjoyed kneecapping you. Not a fan. Didn’t really enjoy the potbellied pig at another stable either. Man, that thing could scream!

[JoannaHCR]

We just got 2 pygmy/ Nigerian dwarf cross whethers a few months ago. They stay in my foaling stall at night b/c I think they look like coyote snacks. They are out to roam during the day, we have 17 acres. They go under all the gates, and talk to me when I get home and when I get up in the morning. They eat weeds, goat feed, and a little hay (but never what I put in their feeder in their stall it seems). They are kind of a pain in my rear, but they are so dang cute, and funny. They follow me around everywhere–how does a person take themselves seriously with 2 little spotted goats trotting after them everywhere?! They crap everywhere, and keep trying to get brave enough to head butt the dog–I kind of feel like she deserves it though. They also keep my foal company while he’s spending time away from mom to prep for weaning!

Summary: Pain in the rear, but I really like the little buggers, and I’m sure mine are totally spoiled! Will probably continue to have them for the foreseeable future, will also continue to cuss them probably at least every other day.

[mht]

Does th![](s answer your question? LOL

[IMG]https://scontent.fybz2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/21751620_10155832909684924_3251449804375221250_n.jpg?oh=c412111faa97bb37084715684d8d59a7&oe=5A4613F3)

[Hermein]

I am down to one, THANK GOD. Mine is tall Nubian and a right pain in the butt. IF you get one (having been charmed by the babies), prepare to buy chains for all your gates, and use them religiously unless you want goat poop on your haystack. Really, mine is very social: likes to follow me around, help me fix stuff and make sure that the horses are getting the same kind of hay that he gets. (Doesn’t do weeds.)

Their hooves need frequent trimming–not bad once they get used to it. If I ever get another goat, I’ll have it debudded (horns removed) asap—if you wait, it can be very painful for them.

ETA: Funny story that I think I first read here: Once upon a time two or three goats got out of their quarters during the night. The owner, while making night check noticed their absence, looked around with her flashlight in hand and found her missing goats-- in her next door neighbor’s garden,munching away. :eek: Not wanting to cause any more damage than they had already caused and not knowing how her neighbor would feel about the destruction, she got in her car, and drove to the neighbor’s place as quietly as possible, and somehow managed to stuff the goats into the car (back seat?) quietly enough to bring them back home. :lol: I imagine there is more to the story, but the visual of someone trying to get goats quietly into a car is priceless.

[maunder]

I let my Isobelle Golightly and Gimli, son of Gloin run around while I prepare their meals. This evening I opened the back door with food bowls in hand and Gimli galloped up the dog ramp and charged into the house. There was a lot of chaos as dogs scrambled out of the way and Gimli bounced around a bit, then flew back out the door. Ha ha.

Here is Isobelle giving me the raspberry, and Gimli, the blue-eyed charmer.

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[She_s_Pure_Gold]

Love the pictures and stories haha! I keep reading them thinking in my head “but I don’t plan to let them loose! I’ll build a good fence!” and I don’t know if I’m just being naive or in denial (or both!!!) hahahaha Thanks all for sharing

[maunder]

@She's Pure Gold

Love the pictures and stories haha! I keep reading them thinking in my head “but I don’t plan to let them loose! I’ll build a good fence!” and I don’t know if I’m just being naive or in denial (or both!!!) hahahaha Thanks all for sharing

Muahahahahaha.

[chestnutmarebeware]

@She's Pure Gold

"but I don’t plan to let them loose!

No one expects the Spanish Inquisition! Hahahahahahahah!

:lol:

[ChocoMare]

@chestnutmarebeware

No one expects the Spanish Inquisition! Hahahahahahahah!

:lol:

Get… the comfy chair! :lol:

[JoannaHCR]

I’m just saying… the entertainment value is high! These little guys were at this for 10 minutes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkdWDQfxz54&feature=share

[chestnutmarebeware]

@JoannaHCR

I’m just saying… the entertainment value is high! These little guys were at this for 10 minutes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkdWDQfxz54&feature=share

OK, those are pretty darn cute…

Now I need you to drive to my office and smack me because for about 1/1000th of a second my brain went “Well, maybe…” Aaaaaargh!!! Demons begone!!!

[rockonxox]

@JoannaHCR

I’m just saying… the entertainment value is high! These little guys were at this for 10 minutes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkdWDQfxz54&feature=share

Your cat hiding in the corner had me cracking up to. Even after reading through all of this I still want a couple goats if I have the opportunity to move to an area with land. For now, I just have to enjoy watching the goats play around at a house I pass on the way to work. Maybe it’s better that way, definitely a lot less work!